May 9, 2006 | Comments (2)
Warming
This is the kind of shot I dread processing the most. I spent 2 hours masking and tweaking and getting everything just perfect for the "straight up" version, and then blew it all away by slapping an effect on it in 10 minutes. Sometimes you put an effect on a picture and it completely transforms it to the point where you can't go back. The "straight up" version of this just seemed hollow and empty to me after I added the effect. This one conveys what I was thinking with the shot so much more...I just wish I could have discovered that sooner.
From this photo I think you made the right choice in your processing. This is fantastic for the reason you describe - desolate. Any photo that evokes an emotional response other than "this is nice or pretty" is a success. You have done that so well here. I love the starkness and the feeling of emptiness and lonliness. Beautiful.