The Lessons of a Photographer

This is Mount Moran (part of the Tetons in Wyoming) as seen from a plane.  The flight was horribly bumpy due to all the clouds causing turbulence something fierce, but eerily beautiful at the same time.  As a result, most of my pictures turned out blurry or too low quality to do much with them.  But a few seemed usable.  Now what to do with them?

Two weeks ago, I went to see the exhibit of Ansel Adams photographs that were being displayed at the Missoula Art Museum.  Stunning.  Moving.  Intimidating.  Yet I came away from the exhibit with something unexpected.  I had no idea that Mr. Adams manipulated his pictures.  How many years had I seen prints of his pictures and thought "Here is one of those unreachable artists who have a gift I will never be able to learn..."?  Dodging and burning.  The docent who guided us through the gallery let us in on this little secret.  Ansel Adams has been "photoshopping" his pictures... 

Perhaps I should say I came away from the exhibit with two lessons.  I now had a greater understanding of not only this artist, but also possibly all my favorite black and white photographers.  And I learned of my own immaturity in never bothering to read more about them myself.  I just assumed I could never learn of their greatness, so I gave up before I even tried.

Now, I'm not so arrogant to say that this knowledge lessens the greatness of their works in my eyes or that, armed with this knowledge, I can now go out and replicate their work.  In fact, I might go in the other direction and say it has esteemed them even more in my eyes.  I have seen a glimpse into that world to see that their greatness truly has a deeper meaning.  Not only can they see the picture, they know what equipment to use to capture it and then they know how to go back and make that picture a work of art.

So, my picture is nothing extraordinary.  Yet, by using some of the magic of the great masters, I can make it something better than it was...

The original: The whole picture is rather flat.

The first pass: I got the contrast a little too strong which also makes the picture look flat (to me.)  Maybe this would be okay as a pop-art picture, but that wasn't the look I wanted.

The second pass: I started over again with the original.  I liked the composition better this time.  The mountain has more depth.  I still thought I could do better though.

The third pass: Ah! Now that is starting to look like the image I had in my head.  I may come back to this picture when my skills are better, but for now, I am satisfied with this experiment.