Always Envision the End Result

Images © Rick Sammon. All rights reserved.

When you are composing a picture, always try to envision the end result - the image that you will create in the digital darkroom. Think about how you can control the color, contrast, sharpness and brightness of a scene. Also think about all-important cropping.

Here is a before-and-after example that illustrates this point. I took the original shot in Guizhou, China on my recent photography workshop.

Here are steps I took to create the opening image for this post:

• Opened the image in Adobe Camera Raw and made some basic enhancements.

• Changed the image to a pano in Photoshop by going to Image Size, unchecking Constrain Proportions, and then typing in a longer width.

• Converted the image to a B&W in Photoshop using the B&W adjustment.

• Used the Midnight filter in Nik Color Efex Pro.

• I did something else. Can you see?

Like the Midnight filter effect? You can get a discount on all Nik products (as well as some other plug-ins) by clicking here.

Explore the light - and explore your creativity,
Rick

P.S. All my workshops are listed here.

Perception and Imaging

One night in Beijing last month: Our workshop team is on the way to a restaurant (Chinese, of course) when I spot this ad out the window of the bus. Because we were on a workshop, I thought it would be fun to take a quick snapshot of the billboard - which appears to say Work Shop.

After the 87 course (seemed like it anyway) dinner, we went back to the hotel to check out the day's images. Upon closer examination of my snapshot, I realized the creativity that went into the ad - and the techniques (plural) that the art director used to draw attention to the ad.

Look closely. :-)

This is the kind of thing my friend, Dr. Richard Zakia, who taught at RIT, talks about in his wonderful book, Perception and Imaging. It's a must for all photographers. You will see the world differently after reading his book. You may shoot differently, too.

Explore the light,

Rick