Everyone has a digital camera… so what is different about my images? Two things that I focus on are shooting (composition and light) and the post processing.
Digital cameras capture pixels that describe one point in an image. Cameras are capturing more and more of these pixels with each generation of cameras, hence better pictures. Cameras capturing these raw pixels of information use built in algorithms to adjust many aspects of the picture quality such as white balance, exposure, contrast, color correction, color saturation etc. Most cameras do a very good job of these adjustments and produce a "jpg" format image file, ready to use.
Professional
photographers, generally use the highest resolution cameras available
(most pixels) and shot in what is called “RAW” format.
That means that the camera does none of the above adjustments and
only delivers the raw pixel information in a file.
The processing of the digital image is then done by the
photographer using manual methods… the theory being that a better job
can be done by adapting the adjustments to suit each situation and by
using powerful tools and the lifetime skills of the photographer.
Each image is processed using techniques that go back hundreds of
years such as dodging, burning, toning, exposure control, filters etc.
All these techniques and more are available using powerful software
such as Adobe Photoshop. Photoshop
also provides in depth color management, blending techniques, retouching
tools, many new filters and hundreds of other tools.
This processing can take from a few minutes to many hours for each
image. To effectively use
these incredibly powerful tools requires considerable training, study and
learning through use, but in the right hands the results can be stunning.
In general, I do not
add anything to an image that was not already there as it was shot,
however, I do go to great lengths to make the best possible image by
bringing out colors and emphasizing areas through selective exposure.
One of the techniques that I use most often is bracketing. I take
several pictures of a scene at the same time with varying exposures
settings (or focus settings). The result is that one exposure may have a great sky, one
great trees, etc. The I take the best of each and combine them into
one great photo. The result looks unreal, but it is very real.
I like my colors to be vivid, even to the point where some photographers
would be critical. I love working with the camera and equally
love to make the best possible picture with the post processing.