“Three images go into making your final photograph. The first is the image you visualize—the story you are compelled to tell. The second is the scene you capture with the camera. The third is the image you refine in post-production. The better we are at all of these, the closer our final photograph will come to reflecting our initial vision.”
~David duChemin, Within the Frame: The Journey of Photographic Vision
We don’t get a lot of snow here in Georgia. Today I’m watching our second of the season melt away into mud and slush.
After our first snow, I drove past a field near our house and was struck by a large, isolated tree and the winding path that tire marks had cut into the snow leading past it. My camera wasn’t with me and therefore the scene wasn’t captured.
When it snowed yesterday, I took my camera and managed catch the image I’d sought the first time. Unfortunately, the snow was fresh; no path to draw the eye.
Although the snow was melting rapidly today, I knew the tire tracks would be there and drove back to the location. This is what I captured.
I brought both photos out of Lightroom and into Photoshop and created a layered image, aligning the trees in each shot. Today’s shot, with the tire ruts, was on bottom; yesterday’s was on top. I added a layer mask to the top layer and painted until the ruts in the bottom photo were revealed.
The lighting was much different, which made yesterday’s mud dark gray and today’s brown. I saved the composite image back into Lightroom and there converted it to a high contrast black and white image, emphasizing the starkness of the winter scene.
We get so little snow, I’ve got to milk it for all it’s worth. ;-)
Yes, the final image took time, energy, and effort, but photography is much more satisfying when I have a vision and work towards achieving it.
Do you shoot with a vision?
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
Wow – both of the photos were beautiful on their own and then the combination of the two (especially knowing the painstaking details that went into creating it) is really special. I think your “vision” statement is true of life in general, too, don’t you. And then there’s also much delight to be found in the spontaneous in photography and in life as well.
.-= Megan (FriedOkra)´s last blog ..Peabody Has Some Thoughts He’d Like to Share =-.
That quote so resonates with me…wow.
I don’t know how to use (nor do I have) either Lightroom or PS, and I didn’t even know you could do these tricks, but I’m looking at these photos and reading this post and practically drooling…what an amazing way to create art.
I hope it doesn’t embarrass you too much to tell you that I consider you a mentor to me, in so many ways! Heart you. xoxo
.-= To Think Is To Create´s last blog ..Wound Care =-.
Nicely done, Dawn. This is beautiful. Sometimes I have a vision, but not always.
.-= Dianne´s last blog ..Wordless Wednesday – Icicle =-.
Yes, Megan, there is definitely a satisfaction in an image that is just what you want, straight out of the camera. The joy in this one was being able to recreate, weeks later, the original image I had missed.
Arianne, the idea that you would consider me a mentor flatters and honors me. As for not having Lightroom or Photoshop, the Lightroom education discount (which you can get as a homeschooler) makes it $99. I’m working out a schedule to teach online Lightroom classes!
much to think about, dawn!
some of my best photos are ones that i sought out, ones that were purposeful. however, it can be very frustrating when you are searching for something in particular but can’t seem to find it.
.-= Marsha´s last blog ..Serenade at a price =-.
This is amazing! I had no idea you could do that. Both photos are beautiful and the end result just awesome. I am enjoying learning photography…. but am still stuck at the “how in the world do I adjust my aperture” stage. :-)
.-= Kim… and Her Coffee´s last blog ..Blooming =-.
Wow…beautiful photos, and absolutely stunning results! I try to be mindful of having a vision of what I want to capture–doesn’t always stay in my mind, of course, especially when I’m taking photos of my kids. I do better with nature shots..they don’t wiggle or try to talk you out of taking the picture. ;) My husband has said of several of my shots, “I would have never even thought to take that picture.” Every time he has said that, it was when I had in mind what I wanted. Thanks for sharing this blog post! And I hope you enjoyed the snow as much as we did! :)
.-= Amy @ Cheeky Cocoa Beans´s last blog ..Winter Wonderland =-.
Oh, yes, we enjoyed the snow!
Isn’t that interesting that your husband commented about the deliberate shots. :-)
testing 2
SUPERIOR editing job! :)
.-= Anita´s last blog ..Lists of giveaways =-.
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