March 26, 2009.............................................................................HOME.............................................................."Reflecting On Your Work"
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Technical Data
Camera: Nikon D2x
Lens: Nikon 18-200 f/3.5-5.6
Capture: NEF
Metering: Matrix
Release Mode: Aperture Priority
ISO: 250
Shutter: 1/2000
Aperture: f7.1
Focal Length: 75mm (115mm relative)
I intentionally underexposed this image to make the figures become silhouettes and to bring the very highly reflective water values down considerably, to make the water much more interesting. Later in Photoshop, I desaturated the image to givea the scene a monochromatic effect.
Camera: Nikon D2x
Lens: Nikon 18-200 f/3.5-5.6
Capture: NEF
Metering: Matrix
Release Mode: Aperture Priority
ISO: 250
Shutter: 1/2000
Aperture: f7.1
Focal Length: 75mm (115mm relative)
I intentionally underexposed this image to make the figures become silhouettes and to bring the very highly reflective water values down considerably, to make the water much more interesting. Later in Photoshop, I desaturated the image to givea the scene a monochromatic effect.
Deja vu.
Yesterday I was working on a new presentation and needed some additional photographs from a specific travel destination. My recollection was that I hadn’t shot much that trip, as I was teaching and don’t shoot as often when I make myself available for students. Going back to the files, I found this image from early 2007 sitting there undeveloped. When I looked at it yesterday I immediately thought it was surreal and quite beautiful. How did I miss this the first time around? The answer is the message of the post... taking second looks through your work.
The process of choosing selects from a large volume of images is not easy. It is actually a crucial step in the photographic workflow, but one whose importance can be overlooked. Reviewing images, at the undeveloped stage, is more art than science and as such can be strongly influenced by emotion. Your mood at the time has a great influence on how you interpret what your eye is processing. Even the timing of your review can have an impact. A busy shooter, immediately critiquing shots just taken may be so focused on one concept that they subconsciously filter out great images that don’t meet the criteria of the moment. This has happened to me a number of times, and while I don’t re-review with formal regularity, I do know that if the thought crosses my mind it’s worth following up.
Another argument for revisiting your archive has to do with RAW files, the unprocessed image format that almost all DSLRs today include. Several times when a client has requested an image taken more than a couple of years ago, I have discovered that development of the file at that time is suboptimal by todays standards. For one thing, I know more today than I knew then. My skills have simply evolved. And along with them the technology has improved by leaps and bounds. The bottom line is that I can take that several year old RAW file and redevelop it, often with remarkable improvement.
.
Yesterday I was working on a new presentation and needed some additional photographs from a specific travel destination. My recollection was that I hadn’t shot much that trip, as I was teaching and don’t shoot as often when I make myself available for students. Going back to the files, I found this image from early 2007 sitting there undeveloped. When I looked at it yesterday I immediately thought it was surreal and quite beautiful. How did I miss this the first time around? The answer is the message of the post... taking second looks through your work.
The process of choosing selects from a large volume of images is not easy. It is actually a crucial step in the photographic workflow, but one whose importance can be overlooked. Reviewing images, at the undeveloped stage, is more art than science and as such can be strongly influenced by emotion. Your mood at the time has a great influence on how you interpret what your eye is processing. Even the timing of your review can have an impact. A busy shooter, immediately critiquing shots just taken may be so focused on one concept that they subconsciously filter out great images that don’t meet the criteria of the moment. This has happened to me a number of times, and while I don’t re-review with formal regularity, I do know that if the thought crosses my mind it’s worth following up.
Another argument for revisiting your archive has to do with RAW files, the unprocessed image format that almost all DSLRs today include. Several times when a client has requested an image taken more than a couple of years ago, I have discovered that development of the file at that time is suboptimal by todays standards. For one thing, I know more today than I knew then. My skills have simply evolved. And along with them the technology has improved by leaps and bounds. The bottom line is that I can take that several year old RAW file and redevelop it, often with remarkable improvement.
.
Sometimes shots I had visualized but simply couldn’t realize in the digital darkroom become possible. Panoramic photography, where you combine multiple overlapping images to create a wide view, can now be created with relative ease. What took hours of painstaking effort and technical mastery can be done automatically in minutes. This panorama of the Golden Gate bridge (taken at the same time as the surfers on SF bay above) also didn’t get processed. Yesterday, Photoshop CS4 made it so easy I finally followed through, and found yet another image for my presentation.
Don’t throw away pictures (unless they are technically flawed beyond salvage).
Don’t shoot JPG instead of RAW because you think it’s too difficult (it’s not).
Don’t think you’re done after you completely finish choosing selects from a shoot.
Do revisit your archive of unprocessed images occasionally.
Do give promising files a first (or second) chance.
Do reprocess your best work from the original file as your skills and software evolve.
There may be amazing results in your reflections.
.
.
Don’t throw away pictures (unless they are technically flawed beyond salvage).
Don’t shoot JPG instead of RAW because you think it’s too difficult (it’s not).
Don’t think you’re done after you completely finish choosing selects from a shoot.
Do revisit your archive of unprocessed images occasionally.
Do give promising files a first (or second) chance.
Do reprocess your best work from the original file as your skills and software evolve.
There may be amazing results in your reflections.
.
.
Mark Alberhasky is a Nikon Mentor for the Mentor Series Worldwide Photo Treks.
Join him as he travels and share his enthusiasm for photography and learning.
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