Since a large part of this business is software intensive and moving more and more towards personal interpretation, the first thing I try to do each day is to reprocess a very old image. “Very old” being defined as at least 2 years ago. It’s like practicing an instrument, moving from the technical to the aesthetic. If enough time has gone by since taking the image, differences are noticeable and offer a window into my thought process (or lack thereof) at the time.
Here’s the raw image:
The raw material is good: low tide reflections, sea stacks, good clouds, but crooked horizon.
This was made about 10 years ago and my first inclination was to process in B&W.
Using Silver Efex Pro v.1, I chose a preset and modified it a bit. The results follow:
I look at it now and wince. Aside from the garish processing, I can’t discern a subject. I remember when I made the image, what got my immediate attention was the sea stacks in the sky opening, then I obviously got taken by the clouds and wet sand and lost the initial focus and included too much in the frame. Even as I look at it now, my eyes are randomly moving through the frame.
When pulling the original file up this morning, I knew that I could do better.
Processing:
- I straightened the horizon, then cropped to square to emphasis the sea stacks, cloud framing, and reflection.
- rather than a visual cacophony of bright clouds, fog, graphic reflections, and high contrast, I did the following:
- Selected the seastacks, saved the selection and darkened to silhouette.
- Inverted the selection and slightly darkened the sky and sand reflection.
- In the sky only, I burned in the darker parts of the thinly clouded sky, which separated and accentuated the bright clouds, creating a sense of depth and movement.
- In the sand only, I slightly darkened the entire reflection.
- Then, in the reflection only, I burned in the darker areas around the white clouds reflection to create more separation, then burned in detail in the clouds reflections.
- Finally, added a small global contrast increase.
The final image reflects a more mature, focused process. Cleaner and more organic.
It’s not a bad idea to get in the routine of practicing processing, in general, but also in reprocessing older images, which can be quite enlightening.
Workshop UPDATE:
Our first workshop of the season is our Smokies Winter Shootout, Feb 21 – 25.
It’s a great time to be there. Gallery 1 and Last year.
Please visit our 2016 Visual Artistry Nature/ Landscape workshop schedule
Also, Check out our new “Visual Creativity Seminars” DVD (HD download) from MasterPhotoWorkshops.
Thanks for taking the time and have a great holiday season!
Tony and Sue!
p.s. We have a “like new” Tamron 150-600 for sale. Email if interested.
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A Fresh Perspective, a new blog post from Tony Sweet Photography
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