by Tony Kuyper
This image was taken less than a minute after my last post, and I'm working to rationalize what I did to it. I'm having some success telling myself it's improvisation. Not the pure "make-it-up-out-of-nothingness" kind, but the musical kind, where one note leads to another, which then suggests something else, which then prompts a move in a different direction, and so on. I've never been good at playing RAW files note-for-note, but am beginning to understand that developing them isn't entirely random either. Color, contrast, saturation, and brightness change from one layer to the next, each resulting from what happened in previous layers while also suggesting additional changes. One thing leads to another like . . . musical improvisation. So that's the analogy I'm going with to explain this: Photography is like music. Same as Ansel Adams. But instead of performing a score (his take), I'm thinking more along the lines of on an ad-lib interpretation.
Your thoughts on music, photography, this image, or anything else would, as always, be appreciated.
5D2, 28-300@200, f/13, 13 sec, ISO 400, RAW file with auto white balance below.
Comments
17 commentsThere is no need, as far as I am concerned, to rationalize or explain your efforts here, Tony. You're on an artistic journey that leads to results such as this for you. It is certainly distinctively Kuyper-esque and I would have known immediately that it was yours even without your name attached to it.
I find it interesting that you feel the need to attach the raw file. I suppose that is one way to get a certain level of feedback and have some kind of teachable moment but I don't feel it is essential to your journey. It invites obvious comments about limits on pushing photographic (not artistic) envelopes when the art can merely stand on its own. At this point in time, it's not a direction that I would personally want to do and especially not "copy" but then I am on my own path, hopefully to somewhere as unique as yours.
I'm beginning to feel the same way about posting all of the basic tech info on our images. While it may be useful, again, for instruction, I sometimes find it gets in the way of the art. It would be like a painter telling his audience what kind of brushes and the brand of paint he/she is using. Who really cares? Do you like the image (art)? Does it engage your attention and create an emotion? I assume that is what we are all striving for as photographic artists.
Just some thoughts... I like the creativity as you've presented it. It may need a slight CC rotation though.
Before to be a photographer, I was, first, a cellist, I played for 30 years but I had to stop. If you listen at the Suite for Cello from Bach (suite #2, prelude), you will be able to follow the mouvement in your picture. I always ear music in landscapes and very often I can tell you who could have composed something for this scene. You can think about the Four Seasons of Vivaldi in which we can see landscape and mood of nature in every mouvement. I like your picture, the originality and the suggestion to how to see it. It's a very nice work.
Beautiful palette of colors, Tony. The dappling of warm light countered by the cooler temperatures works quite well.
I actually do appreciate you adding the RAW image to display your post processing journey. This is particularly important for budding photographers to actually visualize what is possible from their own RAW images. In fact, I tip my cap to you because much of my craft has been learned from your blog and tutorials, which always have had great photo examples. And, yes, they are a teachable moment, which the NPN is all about.
Hi Tony,
An interesting story from start to finish. This reveals how an image went from drab reality to your own artisic interpretation. Well done
...............................Jim
Tony, I like this one much better than the prior one. Somehow the light feels a lot more natural and draws me into the picture. It is still a bit too saturated for me, but that is just a personal choice! Beautiful image!
The saturation is high but so is the impact, Tony. Again, I can only marvel at your ability to bring so much color from so little in the raw. The musical improvisation analogy is perfect for the work you do. Doesn't matter if it's jazz, classical, jam, or even rap. If the artist is in a groove, it's always enjoyable.
A masterpiece Tony. Love it. The colours are beautiful.
Gary.
The dappled light and the combination of warm/cool colors that are faily dark overall makes this a very mysterious view, Tony. The larger images opens up nicely while retaining the mystery that would make this a pleasure to sit quietly in front of and view for extended periods of time.
Whether it's improvisation or a deliberate score, it's a performance that's yours and it's going to move people one way or the other and that should be what art does. Only you can determine if it is over the top or not and adjust it accordingly. Everyone else gets to determine whether they like it or not, no changes allowed. It isn't Photojournalism and was never presented as such so there are no rules IMHO. If you heard the "Grand Canyon Suite" for the first time without knowing the title, where would your mind take you? If you knew the title and the location, could you possibly go somewhere else? I don't know that it matters much, but, if it moves you somewhere, anywhere, it was worth the time spent listening. Same goes for your works. I try not to look at the title of "Art" until I've had a chance for it to take me somewhere (or not). It usually does and it is always unique to me, just as it was intended, it's Art. Title it "Badlands Glow" or "Eye Candyland", it takes me somewhere enjoyable. Just as it was intented. Thanks!
Very nice. I like the blue and orange colors; the saturation is nice. And I love the differential lines. It reminds me of waves crashing into land.
Just as music flows so does an image or scene. I could listen to this one for a bit.
Ron
I go trhough RAW files much the same way. I don't very often know exactly all the steps I want to do, but I always see which step should be first, and like you said, after that the other steps become clear by themselves. Rationalizing something like that would be difficult I think, I gave that up a long time ago, haha. I am not a musician (played guitar for some years, but sucked massively at it), but the importance with music is the feeling it gives me. I don't care about the technical aspects of it, or the how well the musicians handle their instruments, it's only the feeling that counts. Photography is indeed much the same.
About this picture, I can't say much other than that it is another one of your trademark beauties. Although maybe I would lighten it up just a bit this time.
This is beautiful and I very much enjoy looking at it. Wonderful work Tony.
Nick Bristol
HI Tony,
This image is just wonderful, and the artistic expression beautifully realized. Your composition to start this image is right on the money, and the following post processing is one of a kind. The color tones, textures, and contrasts are spo sweet. Thanks for sharing your original, and your work is very much appreciated.
Fantastic
photography!!!
Man, this is a killer.
I love the color palette and texture in this image.