I blew it yesterday. I had a great weather opportunity and I blew it.
I grabbed my camera and headed out to get some great outside photos. I was literally so excited to be out there under the Seattle sunshine - cool and crisp. I focused on slowing down, framing the photo and looking for the right angle. I made myself take time, not be too fast. I was so focused on being out there and what I was doing... that I FORGOT. I forgot to check and adjust the settings on the camera! How can this be!?
I walked happily around the UofW campus catching photos of daffodils, pink blossoms, camellia flowers...all the signs of spring. I was totally engrossed. It never occured to me that the settings were off. Now, I have to admit that if I had been checking my histograms I may have caught this - nope.. just pure bliss - lost in the moment kinda stuff.
All the photos were over exposed and 98% of them were not good. Really, unfortunately - not good. There were a handful that were OK. And, thanks to a little creative PhotoShop work, I was able to salvage a few. This was one of the lucky ones. Its really adjusted in levels to the point the color looked a little surreal - so, the saving grace? Faded photo colorful center in PSE. I admit that I usually don't use PSEs canned photo effects. I prefer to do my own. But I have used this effect before and have found that it can fit the bill. Here's the sequence: photo, levels layer, faded photo colorful center and a background copy layer 100% soft light.
The good news about all of this? Forgetting to check the camera settings - it won't happen again.
I grabbed my camera and headed out to get some great outside photos. I was literally so excited to be out there under the Seattle sunshine - cool and crisp. I focused on slowing down, framing the photo and looking for the right angle. I made myself take time, not be too fast. I was so focused on being out there and what I was doing... that I FORGOT. I forgot to check and adjust the settings on the camera! How can this be!?
I walked happily around the UofW campus catching photos of daffodils, pink blossoms, camellia flowers...all the signs of spring. I was totally engrossed. It never occured to me that the settings were off. Now, I have to admit that if I had been checking my histograms I may have caught this - nope.. just pure bliss - lost in the moment kinda stuff.
All the photos were over exposed and 98% of them were not good. Really, unfortunately - not good. There were a handful that were OK. And, thanks to a little creative PhotoShop work, I was able to salvage a few. This was one of the lucky ones. Its really adjusted in levels to the point the color looked a little surreal - so, the saving grace? Faded photo colorful center in PSE. I admit that I usually don't use PSEs canned photo effects. I prefer to do my own. But I have used this effect before and have found that it can fit the bill. Here's the sequence: photo, levels layer, faded photo colorful center and a background copy layer 100% soft light.
The good news about all of this? Forgetting to check the camera settings - it won't happen again.
Oh, I've had exactly the same thing happening to me - SO frustrating! But it can result in some happy accidents though, like your image here - it turned out beautifully.
ReplyDeleteLast time I messed up my settings, I overexposed without wanting to and got a beautiful image in spite of it, so I learnt that deliberate overexposure can be a fun tool sometimes :)
littlescribe/jennifée
These times can be "happy accidents" but also good reminders. Can I just tell you all of the wonderful photos I took at the top of a Swiss mountain with ISO800? Yeah. Settings. Need to keep those in mind. :)
ReplyDeleteI think it happens to all of us. It's been a problem for me as I have been trying new settings and then forgetting to go back to the normal ones. It is so frustrating to miss capturing a beautiful day, but there will be others, no?
ReplyDelete