Art is a funny thing. Somehow we think there’s some sort of standard, a rule book for success that we’ll finally be given access to once we’re ready. Really though it comes down mostly to personal preference.
This image is something a little different for me – darker, more atmospheric. For that reason, I was happy with how it turned out. This was shot on a bright, sunny morning but in the shade along a local path north of Boulder, CO.
In the color version I used Fujifilm’s default color setting, which mimics the life-like colors of Provia film. The only changes I made were to slightly brighten the exposure and the colors. For the monochrome image, I converted the RAW file in-camera to the Acros simulation, with a little adjustment to emphasize the shadows and highlights.
This is another shot from my adapted vintage Takumar film lens. This lens with my X-Pro2 continues to astound me, and to challenge me to find unique perspectives. Instead of generic images that could be taken with any kind of digital equipment, it helps me to express what I find the most fascinating in a scene. As time goes on, I am drawn to images that convey gorgeous detail, but also a feeling of mystery and wonder. So much about this complex world we don’t understand. So much is interconnected, so many factors make up a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. This is a feeling I hope to express in my photography and writing, so that others might be inspired to take a second look at the ordinary magic in our world.
Often, I also find myself in a dilemma over how much color should be included in a scene. Should I keep the stunningly life-like colors of the camera’s default mode, which I have left on Provia; should I alter those tones to the lushness of Velvia or the softly faded Classic Chrome; or should I let Acros take over with its shades that are not color but are vivid all the same?
As artistic struggles go, this is one I’m more than happy to deal with. Chime in below: do you prefer this scene in Acros, in Provia, or maybe neither?
If you like one or both of these photos, they are for sale on my page Fine Art and Nature Photography. Yes, both of them, because I can’t choose just one.
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