Antelope Island Revisited
One of the benefits of cheap computer memory is that you can store enormous amounts of data on multi-terabyte drives. This means thousands of digital images can be accessed, that is, if you remember to keep them! No, this is not a sad story of memories lost or wistful regret at lack of forethought. In fact, as I have been practicing some new post-processing skills, I was delighted to remember that I always save the original image files on a separate hard drive! This post is about revisiting some of these old captures to see if I can make them "sing" when viewed through new eyes and with advantage of more than ten years experience.
In 2009, the year my mother was diagnosed with an odd form of dementia, we were fortunate enough to host her along with my wife's parents at our house in Salt Lake City. One afternoon, we visited Antelope Island situated in the Great Salt Lake. It was late afternoon as we were returning home and the air was calm, warm light diffused the beautiful earth tones of the land, and yet the sky was full of beautiful soft clouds. I pulled over to the side of the road when I noticed the reflection of this island peak in the lake waters. Mr Seagull also was kind enough to pose for me. Not an image of special significance, just a beautiful scene and I wanted to share it with you here.
Antelope Island Revisited
Nikon D5000, Nikkor 18-55 @ 48 mm, 1/125 sec, f/22, ISO 200
This started out as a rather blah image, the light was very flat and the exposure was not quite optimal. That being said, I started in with a complex series of luminosity masks (thanks to Tony Kuyper) and relatively simple curves adjustments. Layer by layer, I built up the image to increase the contrast, bring out the subtle colors and the structure in the sky, all this without destroying the lovely ethereal mood. After more than thirty layer adjustments, I knew I was finished, at least for the day! Reworking this photograph brought back pleasant memories of time well passed when Mom was still with us. She was gone from us in less than two years.
This reminds me of one of her many paintings. Wish she could see it. Life is ephemeral. Enjoy.
ADDITION: I found that I'd shot a second image a few moments later, same beach, a little further down the road, and at a wider angle setting on the lens. This one was processed with the same approach strategy, but in its own unique way. Each image has a different mood, I think. But this is how post processing an image becomes a dialogue between the photographer and what he sees as the photograph speaks to him.
Antelope Island Reflections
Nikon D5000, Nikkor 18-55 @ 18 mm, 1/640 sec, f/11, ISO 200