With new pages added to this site, I’m more able to post images and messages while out and about. When I post to Instagram and Facebook, they will now appear here as well as a running collection over time. Over time, this content will post less frequently to social sites, but here instead. The farther I go and the more I learn gets added, the more relevant and timely content gets produced for this site.
After a few more lessons about processing images for better resolution, expression, and range, I’ve further experimented with large photos in both raw and jpg to see what would happen. Under different lighting conditions and color depths. With a few images, some of the adjustments were over-pronounced and edited, but the exercise was largely about seeing what the tools would do along with their visual effect.
In this image of Yosemite Valley, the subtle changes made were around light intensity, shadows, highlights, and exposure. Nothing added or removed from the original composition.
Most of all, a key principle I’ve learned is about where a scene begins. What meaning and intent is meant or said at the outset in a visual way. From there, the creative process extends to a crafted image that leads a viewer wanting to be there or wanting more.
Sometimes the best place to be is in an open field under the shade of swaying branches. While in a slight breeze and in the warmth of the sun. With just the whispering wind to vanish and reappear again. If you listen carefully, it speaks to you.
Today was an especially productive day. The whole effort was about transferring many wilderness photos over to my phone for more direct use with Instagram. Today, the total number of images downloaded, copied and transferred from this site was about 17,000. A majority of which was transferred to my phone in about 130 wilderness albums. My phone has a 256GB microSD and it serves as a storage card for numerous images to post and share. Both for current exploration and prior outings as well. Quite different than Pinterest as a comparison. In that all photos posted are only to be originals that I’ve captured over time. Much to learn, see and do.
Along the Merced River
Many upon many photos of adventures were loaded onto this site over the last two weeks. Numerous galleries and journal entries of wilderness unsaid and explored. Yet there are still so many more to go. I will not let up until I’m current.
“I only went out for a walk and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
― John Muir, John of the Mountains.
The Unpublished Journals of John Muir
All those wilderness miles moved. Altitudes gained and lost. The wind, the cold, the wet, the color, and the beauty. All for the fear and the love of what comes by so much risk and hardship again and again. So what was the point? What is the drive and what do these seasons bring?
Far fared with far more to go. I fear it will never be enough and I’m okay with that.
A few miles were explored today underfoot while at Mariposa Grove. Well above the trail entry and quite some distance away from folks seeing the grove just as well. A very large grove spread out a sizable distance.
Time well spent. Among the lupine and the bumblebees, the towering conifers and the light that brings us energy and life.
Today was a new day in Yosemite with the wonder and inspiration that goes with it. Always a new perspective and place to explore. Step after step and place by place we were out and about to experience the absolute and incredible beauty of this place.
Tomorrow is a new day and a day of renewal. A time redeemed because these days will one day be gone. As all the others that went before them, but only in these places of beauty. Today I smiled and laughed more than I ordinarily do. Not because of those I’m with, but because of what and Who is here.
So what did I do with this time given? And with the decisions about how I choose to think and believe. Mile by mile and one step at a time.
Tomorrow, a new day. A fresh start with anticipation about what’s next. Up at dawn, tomorrow we go higher in elevation.
Today’s time was spent at practicing the switch over from program to manual and back again with a one or two-stop change. Experimentation with various ISO settings, priority modes, and live-view. It was along about a 3-mile trail in Kings Canyon where the light was strong and unforgiving.
We went to Comstock Meadow where the forest beauty was complemented by the piercing light, even and pleasing temperatures, and strong aroma of the Sierra air. Today was time well spent to experiment, but to also again get a full immersion in these mountains I call home.
Further lessons and practice today centered upon sharpening and retouching techniques. Not so much about the outcomes but largely about the controls, tools, panels, and dialog to better understand limits and best practices. To get more thoroughly familiar with Bridge, Photoshop, and Lightroom and their relationships with each other.
Today’s time was spent on blending practice. Several different images where some came out very hideous. This one was a final practice image for the day. Some photos I took quite some while ago.
Combined the same image across numerous layers to get an adjusted image with lens correction. Interwoven between two images a soft-light algorithm was applied with 50% opacity. Selective erasure and sharpening by an entirely different methodology. What you’re seeing are actually two copies of the same image combined and re-sampled together.
The depth of learning continues to better automate workflow through Actions. At least for photos that come together in quantity for outings. The manual process will stay indefinitely and with greater attention simply to get more from the creativity that follows. There is so much more to learn and practice.
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