Taken last fall on the farm. This is a prime example of those photos that we all have. You know, the ones we passed over the first time around. Then we stumble upon them accidentally and decide they might be worthy of the light of day.
Eva Went to the Ball
I’m really not the best at Photoshop. So, on rainy days like this one, I sometimes pick out a photo that had potential but didn’t quite make the grade. I give them a go in Lightroom first and then port them on to Photoshop for the heavy lifting.
So it was with this photo of Eva. In the before, you can see that there is quite a bit wrong with the photo from exposure to those ugly metal chairs. The event is a Civil War ball in a historic building. Why fill it with modern metal chairs?
In the after, I’ve used the clone tool and paint brushes to remove the offending chairs and added adjustment layers with masks to make tonal and color corrections.
Now, the rain has passed and it’s time to go out and play…or take a nap. I could go either way.
Have a great Saturday, folks.
Debbie, spinning at the window
There is nothing quite as relaxing as the quiet whirl of a spinning wheel in action. It’s a treat to go to the farm and see Debbiw working her magic. Debbie can spin thoughtlessly while carrying on a conversation or looking at the world out the window.
At the farm, they spin the wool shorn from their own sheep.
As a bonus, the last image shows Debbie using her drop spindle. It was hand made just for her and is simply gorgeous.
three of the man
If you are lucky and didn’t turn out to be a terrible parent, you are rewarded by having a kid that will grow up into a fantastic adult. My son, Josh, is a perfect example. I am very proud of him and the person he has become. He is kind, generous, thoughtful, adventurous, fearless (except for that heights thing), and for all of you young ladies out there, he is single as well.
For me, the best part is that he is wonderful to be around. We might be just hanging out, eating lunch at Willy’s, or out for a day of shooting. He is a good conversationalist and is comfortable talking to people.
Yeah, I am really proud of him.
the evolution of a great image
Step one: take the picture. I saw Debbie standing at this window and knew the scene would be a great image. So, I adjusted the camera and took the shot. I wanted to have some sense of what was outside of the window and also wanted to use chiaroscuro in the image. It’s helpful to have an idea of what results you want before you press the shutter button. I find it’s much easier to make the heavy adjustments in the camera than in post processing.
Step two: post process the image. My typical process with an image of this kind is to convert to black and white, so that I can get a handle on the tones. I can see them better without the distractions of the colors. I then switch back to color to make my initial adjustments. I could tell that I would have to lighten up the image quite a bit. I made my initial adjustments in Aperture. On the Mac.
Step three: step back and re-evaluate the image. In the case of this photo, I thought the brightness and contrast still needed adjustment. I also sought the advice of some fellow photographers. I was unsure of how far I should brighten up the image. Advice in hand, I had another go at the image. This required me to switch to PhotoShop. I would need the power of adjustment layers and layer masks.
Here, you can see the final image adjustments. I’ve significantly brightened the image overall, especially on her back. However, I was sure to keep the dark shadows under the window. This was done to force your eye upwards and away from the floor. I did leave the highlight on the floor to give some balance, I just didn’t want your eye to stay there. Notice that I used the contrast between the shadows on the wall beyond her body and the highlights on the front of her to make her stand out from the background.
I think the result is an effective image. We can’t see what she is looking at, leaving the subject of her gaze to our imaginations. We get to interpret the image, making up our own story.
I applied the same process to a second image from the same shoot. Getting two nice images from the same moment is as successful as you can hope to be. As much as I like the resulting images, I enjoyed the collaboration with other photographers even more.
You should take part in your own photo community. Chances are that there is a photography group in your area. Chances are even better that you can join a vibrant community online. Give it a try.
Also, don’t be afraid to re-visit an image. I slept on this one before making the final adjustments. Sometimes having a fresh look at the picture is what you need to take your work to where it needs to be. Most importantly, have fun all along the way.
tim mcmurdo 