In the last part of this series I talked about starting the process of pre-visualization in the field, you can read the first part of the series here: http://www.photocascadia.com/blog/pre-visualization-part-1-starting-the-process/#.VB9OpksyPiM Just as important, is continuing the pre-visualization through my digital processing workflow. In this segment I’ll talk about how I use my pre-visualized idea to control my image throughout the workflow.
Just like in the field, I want to have a roadmap to help guide me through the processing. I remind myself what I’m trying to achieve with this image and what I’m trying to communicate. This helps to guide me while processing. Typically, this leads to a lot of problem solving, trying to figure out what tools and techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop will help me realize my final vision. I usually experiment quite a bit. Along the way I discover what is working toward my final vision for the image and what is not. A lot of times I like to walk away from processing and come back later, this gives me a fresh perspective and a chance to re-evaluate how the image is turning out according to my vision.
This is just a guide however. During this process I’ll often evolve my overall vision for an image. If a particular technique is working really well and starts to take the image in a new direction that I find compelling I’ll consider adjusting my pre-visualized ideas. It’s common for images to turn out even better than I had imagined, of course it goes the other way as well. I’ve had many stubborn images that just don’t turn out the way I had anticipated, but most of the time they come pretty close to my pre-visualized idea.
Here is an example of carrying the vision I had for this image in the field through my digital processing workflow. The color, tone, and overall mood was being lost in the Raw capture. It took a lot of work in Lightroom and Photoshop to bring out the potential I had seen in the field. Having that pre-visualized idea in my head helped to realize my vision for this image. Even though this was a single exposure capture, I used many of the tools and techniques that are covered in my Tonality Control Video, you can learn more here: http://www.zschnepf.com/Other/Videos2
Raw Capture
Final Master Image