“We do not evaluate the result but the starting point of the creative process.”
–Ludwig Mies van der Rohe
In his thoughts on Photography, Ernst Haas said “the camera only facilitates the taking.” To what degree is a source of great debate. Some believe photography is only about capturing the moment and no extra processing is necessary. On the other hand, many feel, myself included, that the image captured on film or on the digital sensor is only a step in the creative process; a starting point or a sort of photographic underpainting.
That is why, even when I do not capture a perfectly sharp or composed image, I look for colors and shapes or moods and emotions, before I decide if the raw photograph is worth working on or destined for the trash. Case in point: this shot of water drops on an orange lily. I’ll save you all of the details, but I will say that trying to capture a macro shot of a flower without a tripod on a breezy day in the shade makes it difficult to get things anywhere near in focus. However, I love, love, love the color, the shapes, and the abstract yet familiar lines.
To process the photograph, in Photoshop, I added several natural textures to create a bit of detail to the large areas of color. Then I used a couple of my own presets in Topaz Impression to add to the abstract look. While I did enhance the color and contrast a little, what you see here is pretty much the way it was.
So don’t be so quick to trash what you think are out of focus or poorly composed shots. You may have a gem there, or at least the beginnings of one.
Day 290 of my 365 photo a day project.
This image and most of the others from this project are available as prints and digital downloads. You can also check out the rest of my portfolio here. And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss anything.
