For this week’s Friday image, I’ve decided to share an image I shot back in March 2010. Yes, it’s taken me just over 8 years to get around to processing this one. But that’s not the reason I want to share it.
When I shot this image, I realised there was a good composition and a nice scene. But when I tried to process it originally, it just didn’t work. I couldn’t make the image match what was in my mind at the time I shot it. To show you what I mean, here’s the original so you can see.
Each time I tried to process this it fell short of what I wanted to achieve so it’s sat on my hard drive since. Only now did I decide to edit the image again. Fortunately, my skills and the software have moved on and I quite like the result.
The reason I wanted to share the starting image is to show what you can achieve with a few relatively simple but careful adjustments. We no longer create great photography in the camera. The camera is only the start of the process. Image editing helps us develop the image and take it to a new level.
But we don’t create great photography in software either. We create great photography in our mind.
The Lightweight Photographer 
Excellent work on the image! May I quote you on creating in our mind.
Thank you. And yes, of course you can quote me.
You prove why snapshots are usually mediocre. Your processing yielded a beautiful image.
Thank you. I will probably revisit it in a few years and change my style again.
Am I right? Wastwater is the one that goes ‘straight down’ from the hillside?
My image of it is conifers to the waters edge, blue black water and …
bit threatening?
That’s the one. The hillside you’re talking about is called The Screes. This image was shot after we had walked along The Screes and were making our way back along the road at the end of the day.
A great source of inspiration, Robin. I have a lot of images waiting for my skills to improve so that I can process them with my vision. Partly with your books and tutorials, I feel as though it is time for me to start revisiting my raw archives.
Thank you for sharing your perspective and advice.
Jorge
Thank you. You must revisit your RAW archives. There’s often visual gold in there.
A great image followed by a great thought. It’s nice to see a good image from an old camera right after seeing some fancy new cameras being announced. It’s clear that the most important piece of the kit is the photographer. By the way, my weekend hiking in the south of Minas Gerais state (Brazil) resulted in a couple of good images. Here they are, just in case you want to have a look: https://www.flickr.com/photos/rodrigo_pc/albums/72157700940088544
Have a nice weekend. Greetings from Brazil.
Thank you. I’m pleased you had a good trip and the area looks beautiful. I like your wildlife shots there as well. I also snooped around some of your other albums and noticed you had been to Los Glaciares NP in Argentina. I really like your Fitzroy image. It brings back memories of a great trip I had there once.
Los Glaciares National Park is rally awesome, as well as Argentinian people (and food!). My girlfriend and I had a great time there last year. Let me know if you come to Brazil.
Thank you for your kind words, that Fitz Roy image is hanging on my parents’ dining room, I love it. Furthermore, it’s an honor to have you as my follower on Flickr, you are welcome. Have a nice day, greetings from Brazil.
I’m not surprised it’s hanging on his wall. It’s a great image. Brazil is on my list of places to visit in the future (Iguazu Falls) and then more of Argentina and Chile. Who knows, we may well meet in the future.
It’s a punch in the retina, colors are way too saturated.
I like it.
It’s a striking image, plenty of wow! but too rich for my taste; I feel that after the initial glamour wears off, it will all too soon be a tiring presentation. Also the top graduation is a bit unsubtle. I always feel you can get away with heavy handed tones in B&W but more difficult in colour where the viewer expects something more realistic.
I know it won’t be to everyone’s taste but when you have a low winter sun falling on bracken it will turn golden and bright. The fact the camera’s AWB mode sucked the life out of the image probably makes for a stark comparison.