Breath taking image manipulation
Written by John MacphersonLots of ‘controversy’ recently over the ‘manipulation’ of images and whether they bear any resemblance to reality. One commentator noting that if you want to manipulate your images “beyond what was in front of you then become a painter.”
I actually do work like that.
Here’s one I took a year or two ago for a documentary book project, photographing an island community through a year. It’s actually a collaboration of sorts. But involves no Photoshop trickery.
In the woods © John MacPherson
I walked into an island woodland on a sunlit day. And found a wood sculpture placed by an artist. It was beautiful and evocative in the dappled light. I thought we (the wood artist and I, a photographer) might collaborate.
So I did the mundane stuff that the painters do:
I erected an easel. (For me this is a tripod.)
I chose my palette. (For me this is ‘white balance’, a setting in my camera’s menu – ‘Cloudy’ was my choice – gives warmer colours, you see!)
I chose my canvas size. (RAW: large file, lots of detail).
I chose the time required to complete the work. (1/45th second @ f2.8)
And before I took the image I went in front of the lens and expressed my feelings about the scene in front of me, going “Wowwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!” all over the glass filter. It made the colours bleed and the light diffuse.
All as a consequence of my breath misting on the glass before taking.
Breath. Taking. Manipulation.
Must I now call myself a painter? A ‘real’ artist? That would be nice.
Author — John Macpherson
John MacPherson was born and lives in the Scottish Highlands. He trained as a welder in the Glasgow shipyards, before completing an apprenticeship as a carpenter, and then qualified as a Social Worker in Disability Services. Along the way he has cooked on canal barges, trained as an Alpine Ski Leader & worked as an Instructor for Skiers with disabilities, been a canoe instructor, and tutor of night classes in carpentry, stained glass design and manufacture, and archery. He has travelled extensively on various continents, undertaking solo trips by bicycle, or motorcycle. He has had narrow escapes from an ambush by terrorists, been hit by lightning, caught in an erupting volcano, trapped in a mobile home by a tornado, kidnapped by a dog's hairdresser, rammed by a basking shark and was once bitten by a wild otter. He has combined all this with professional photography, which he has practised for over 35 years. He teaches photography and acts as a photography guide & tutor in the UK and abroad. His biggest challenge is keeping his 30 year old Land Rover 110 on the road. He loves telling and hearing stories.
Discussion (2 Comments)
Nice shot!
Still can’t locate that particular filter- is it only with the new subscription Photoshop?
Thanks Stan. The filter? Yes when you find out the overall cost of ‘buying’ the Adobe subscription and go “WHHHAAAAAAT” just face the camera and there you go!