DPP Part 3 - Creative Interpretation - Exercise 1:Interpretive Processing

DPP Part 3 - Creative Interpretation - Exercise 1 Interpretive Processing

This exercise is about making interpretations for a creative purpose.

I've selected this image, below, as a RAW file prior to RAW processing and will make 3 different versions of the image.

Each will be detailed with:

a) an explanation of what I'm trying to achieve

b) how successful I thought I was

Version 1

My intention, particularly as this was taken in the final golden hour, is to create a warm image emphasising the colours of the sunset.

I've reduced the whites to help reduce the obvious highlight clipping caused by photographing directly into the sun. I've increased the colour temperature to 8000. I've increased the saturation to 20 which also emphasises the rim rim lighting of the subject's hair back lit from the setting sun

I believe this has been successful, possibly the image looks a bit too orange but the rim lighting of the subjects head does make the subject clear as the key subject in the image.

Version 2

My intention for this next image is to focus on creating a warm blue sky with the subject the horizon which I want to put into silhouette. However whilst I want the viewer to initially focus on the sky and the horizon I want the viewer to still explore the image to find the girl in the foreground, hidden amongst the shadows.

I'm happy with blue sky and the horizon but I feel the girl is too lost on the image

Version 3

In this image I 'll try to create a balance of the two versions above e.g. retain the baby blues in the sky and the warmth of the sun and bring out the subject more, as opposed to version 2 where she appears hidden and retain the rim lighting of the hair.

To achieve this I've reduced the colour temperature increased highlights, shadows, vibrancy and decreased exposure slightly.

I'm quite pleased with version 3 but I think I may have too much shadow in the foreground. However I have retained warmth from the setting sun, wonderful blues in the sky, rim lighting of the subject's hair and the subject more visible in the image. However this is somewhat removed from the original image

For anyone who views my blog please do confirm which image you prefer.

Exercise Learning's

a) The amount of post processing can be a dilemma the degree of what post processing should be performed. It can be one of photographers pre-visualisation, amending an image to display what the photographer originally saw, or simply to recover the image if the initial was was not say correctly exposed. However there can be a social dilemma in that the processed image was not reflective of the actual moment in time. Reportage photography does carry an element of responsibility

b) There needs to be a visualisation during post processing of what the final image will be used for and what the visualisation of that final image is to be

c) Experimentation is required with the elements of the raw processing tool and the post processing tool to fully understand what each can