I really enjoy photography but I also have a life that has a lot of other moving parts which means photography can’t always be my main focus. It puts me in the category of “enthusiast” rather than “professional”. In my mind (and life) one of the differences between those two categories is that I have to take the picture when I have the opportunity instead of setting up to go at a certain time based on ideal shooting conditions. My trip to Berlin near Christmas time is an example of this. I’d never been, do you think I am going to pass up the opportunity to take photos of the Brandenburg Gate? I can assure you that I did not. However, my chance to be there was on an overcast day at 10 in the morning:
ISO 500 f/18 1/60sec 17mm
It was every bit the iconic spot I’d read about and seen photos of even if this particular file doesn’t really seem to express that. Now what? I could have a bit of a moan about not having the right opportunity or gear but to be honest, I had a really good time in Berlin and wouldn’t want to have messed up everyone else just for the chance to photograph this differently, I also do not need one more piece of kit.
So this is my file and my challenge. What would I like to bring to it? A first edit focused on the warm tones I saw in the stones. The edit was fine but not too interesting to me as it turned out. I let the file sit for a few months then came back to it this week. This time I really saw the couple in the foreground, they seemed to be contemplating the spot in a way that I felt I could relate to, so that became the focus of my edit:
ISO 500 f/18 1/60sec 17mm
I’ve used a crop, mostly because the file had too much around the edges that wasn’t necessary. I went black and white and slightly grainy and not too crazy with any kind of sharpening. I feel like these edits made it more universal, more of a story than a news article. I’ve used a vignette to help focus on the couple. The center of the vignette is set right on them. In Luminar there is a slider within the vignette that is marked “inner brightness” this helped them stand out even more.
The end result is an image that I am happy with. Your thoughts on the edits or your approach to mixing photography and the rest of your life are welcome below.
Cheers!
Added to Tuesday Photo Challenge, City.
Photography Journal Blog 
I have the same problem. That’s one of the reasons why I discovered processing. 🙂
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Yes, that would be one reason I find processing very useful.
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I am often visiting places at the wrong time of day for photography. What can you do? Just go with the flow and register the moment as well as it is possible. I like you edited version in black and white. It is an iconic place.
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Thank you 🙂
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Normally an overcrowded and also hectical place sometimes, so you were quite lucky discovering this kind of sentiment. Cheers from Berlin 🙂
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Thanks very much 🙂
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The word professional simply means “engaged in a specified activity as one’s main paid occupation rather than as a pastime.” It has nothing to do with ability. When it comes to photography, the vast majority of us, including myself, are amateurs. Some of us have more talent than others.
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I agree, a person’s photography ability level is not always tied to if they are making a living from it.
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The whole point of planning is not to remove spontaneously and “in the moment story telling”. It’s to ensure that you are in a location where you are more likely to have a story than not.
Going to abandoned places late at night may not be the right place to find a story about people commuting to work. Similarly, a winter story is frustratingly difficult to photograph in the middle of summer.
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Very true.
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With my photography, I am usually looking for the story. Why am I at this location? Why did I take this photograph? My post-processing varies. When I want more dynamic range because the scene has areas of high contrast between light and shadow, I’ll auto-bracket the exposures for HDR. If I’m shooing water, I’ll use a neutral density filter. With the exception of street photography, the majority of my photography outings are planned – location, time of day, time of year, lens choice, tripod, etc. I walk around a location looking … looking.
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Interesting, so do you research places in advance on-line and make use of weather apps and such?
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I do as much planning as I can. I am usually travelling with family so I may. Not have time for random discovery.
It’s rare that I travel somewhere without knowing what photographic opportunities may be present including consideration of the weather. I usually have a shot list.
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I often have a shot list as well, something that I have been thinking about a bit more now that I have inherited a film camera.
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I think you definitely need more planning when shooting film. With 24-36 frames per roll you have to consider each shot carefully.
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Right, it’s a different mind-set than using digital, for me anyway. It’s been an interesting experiment. I do enjoy it, but don’t see myself giving up on digital.
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The universe is providing direction to my conversation. I found this article on Fuji Love after our conversation: https://fujilove.com/being-decisive-while-in-the-moment/
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Thanks very much for linking this article, I found it interesting.
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I think you succeeded so well.
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Thank you 🙂
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I think the edit is far superior to the original. It’s got soul. My travel photography mentors are always encouraging me to plan my photoshoots in advance of my arrival but I still prefer showing up when it suits. You’ve shown me once again that magic can be created at any time
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Thanks very much Lisa. I do understand why some people do plan their photoshoots, it’s just not where I am in my life right now. Your images tend to be very strong in the moment storytelling images, I think you just have a natural knack for that, personally, I really enjoy images like that.
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Thank you finding my in the moment images ‘strong’. Still so much to learn (which is one of the reasons I come here!).
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Honestly, I love looking through other blogs because I think there is so much to learn, so many new ideas to consider. It’s pretty exciting if you ask me 🙂
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You should definitely be happy with the end result. You made a strong image out of something that could have ended up being quite drab, because of – as you point out – the rather dull weather. The way you processed the photo really brings the two people at the front in focus.
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Thanks very much.
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I also do like to travel.
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Having a camera along means that you will have the opportunity to re-live those travels.
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as a fellow photographer I agree well done . we all have those times, when the weather sometimes isn’t in our favour . . so thumbs up !
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Thanks very much 🙂
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Takes one to know one, Amy. As a fellow ‘enthusiast’, I’ve learnt to grab the, often fleeting, moment. It requires great patience to wait for a coach load of tourists, all trying for the “money shot” 😉
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Yes, that’s true, it does require a lot of patience to wait for tourists to clear, turns out that muttering under your breath at them is not a very effective method.
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Because it’s such a historic spot, I think the black and white effect adds a lot to the photo, giving it authenticity. The graininess and other edits you added, also give an element of drama to the photograph, that is not present in the colour shot, which, when I look at it again, looks more like a standard tourist photograph.
Great ideas for adding edits to historic locations.
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Thanks very much. I think this would be a great spot to photograph using a film camera as well, just because of the history here.
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Agree!
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Oh I really like how you edited this. The story rises to the top. The edits add an air of mystery as well. I sometimes appreciate cloudy days because of the even light.
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Yes, I know we aren’t supposed to like so-called “flat light” but it can have its charm as well.
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I agree (I didn’t know we aren’t supposed to like flat light!)
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Yes, it’s a thing I’ve heard, but just like everything with photography, in my opinion, it’s not 100% true.
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Great photo. I especially love the black and white render! Keep up the good work.
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Thank you very much.
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Wow! that’s one hell of an edit – that really makes it stand out, nicely done.
I know what you mean about photography having to fit in around everything else – I’m exactly the same. When I go travelling, I just have to make the what’s in front me – regardless of weather, time of day or how busy it is. We had quite a hard time in Wales when we were photographing the castles – I got quite good at taking shots without bystanders in the frame, either by timing or careful cropping in the viewfinder (it’s amazing what you can hide behind a wall.
Yes it would be great having the time to shoot a location in great light etc. – But I’d argue that having to make do probably improves your skills as a photographer.
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Yes, that’s a good point, I do think it forces the creativity a bit when you have to just work around the time of day, weather, or busloads of tourists.
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I do think so – it’s almost like documentary photography, trying to record whats in front as best you can.
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H, Amy. I’m in the same boat. It is a difficult situation when you have limited time to shoot. I’m often relying on post processing to optimize less than ideal shooting circumstances!
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Yup, exactly. I also find the digital format to be quite liberating in that I can feel free to go ahead and try shots in less than ideal conditions and even if they are not salvageable, I can still comfort myself with idea that at least I gave it a try.
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Absolutely. I totally agree, Amy. It’s liberating.
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I always thought the word professional, as defined in the dictionary, referred to people who a living from doing a thing – e.g. computer professional – and not to amount of time or effort dedicated to an activity and it certainly does not relate to skill.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/professional
The word you are looking for is amateur.
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amateur
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I think I posted a response to another blog on here. Aargh. The dangers of typing in the WordPress app on the crappy Apple iPad Keyboard with one eye taped shut while trying to recover from eye surgery.
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So, I think you left the comment in the correct spot, but you had left something similar previously. I published the comment because I think the point you are making about word choice is an important one. If you do not want the comments up, I’m happy to take them down
I hope that your recovery is going well. All the best to you, Amy
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