"The creative process is not like a situation where you get struck by a single lightening bolt. You have ongoing discoveries, and there's ongoing creative revelations. Yes, it's really helpful to be marching toward a specific destination, but, along the way, you must allow yourself room for your ideas to blossom, take root, and grow."
Carlton Cuse
For those of you that have followed my blog for any length of time you probably already know what's coming next. Yes, it's winter and winter is the time when I start digging into my past digital files, which goes back to about 2006. Prior to that I was a film photographer and listened to all the new digital photographers yell about how much distain they had for the new digital craze...that was about the year 2000 and on. Luckily I missed that fray.
Anyway, gallery work slows down in the winter, so when I'm not out shooting pics I'm digging in old files. Why? One would think I would tire of rehashing old stuff since I have plenty from the last year to work with. A sensible question and answer, but as time goes on the people behind the scenes in digital apps creation have been churning out new products, new ideas, and new possibilities, and add to that the professionals photographers out there (bless 'em) have put their own spin on how to use certain apps or processes. Of course all of this just cranks up the learning curve for the rest of us!
Way back in 2006 and beyond the digital tools were in short supply or lacking, a little clumsy, or just cantankerous. If you bring those old files forward into todays processes and digital platforms one will find jewels that many years ago were duds in our minds.
The above image is one of hundreds of shots of pelicans that I had to comb through. I didn't realize I was in love with pelicans and at times I wonder what the heck I was thinking of. They don't seem to be the most photogenic animal one can think of. A lion, or horse, or hippo seem to be a bit more interesting, but apparently not in my world.
So, here's this shot of a group taking off in the early light of morning taken with my first camera, a Canon Rebel XT, a little backlit, and all IN FOCUS! A shallow depth of field (larger f/stop, meaning f/10) makes the background less obtrusive and also ramps up the shutter speed (1/360th) a bit so this action can be mostly stopped. For those of you suggesting in your mind that I should try a creative blur...I wasn't at that stage yet. In fact, if my memory serves me correctly, I'm not sure purposely blurring images was even on the scene yet or I hadn't picked up the right magazine.
There's a lot of new stuff in these, like removing a pelican that was causing confusion in one area, tweaking up the backlighting on wings, bills, and feet...etc. I finished off by putting it through a digital painting process and then reduced the effect down to about 5%...kind of a softening agent. I also enhanced the warmth of the lighting through another process, and then I told myself to quit. I don't often follow the suggestions of my brain. If you haven't figured it out yet, I sometimes take the long route to get to where I want to be...it's called experimentation!
Thanks for dropping by and I hope you're starting to enjoy some winter warm up, which leads to a little melting, which WILL lead to Spring.
Still looking for a gallery! But, I'm retired so no rush.
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