Beyond Raw Capture to Reinterpretation with Bobbie Goodrich

An image is perceived, the shutter is depressed and the photo appears in camera. In this advanced digital era, however, initial capture is only the beginning of the creative journey of possibilities that exists for transforming our initial impressions into dynamic works of art. We all experience joy and disappointment when reviewing our work; rarely does an image possess all the components to qualify for the award-winning category without some effort in post-processing.

The “original” and “redefined” image shown here illustrates my typical workflow:

Working in a Photoshop CS4 layer palette on a duplicate layer, I apply a specific filter or gradient to soften or obscure a distracting background. I then add a mask to the layer and paint back at 100% opacity the important elements I want to retain. Next I open Nik Viveza 2 plug-in, the filter I use to make my all my exposure adjustments (the shadow slider is fantastic for detail and light in underexposed areas). When satisfied, I open Nik Color Efex 3.0 for a multitude of fabulous color combinations that can be painted onto my image. Among my favorites for dramatizing lighting effects are: graduated neutral density, darken/lighten center, graduated filters, and tonal contrast. To complete my process, I use Define 2.0 if noise reduction is required and then move into Sharpener Pro 3.0 to sharpen selectively or globally.

A successful image never happens haphazardly. When all the elements work together harmoniously to captivate and intrigue the viewer—you have a winner!!!

Learn more from Bobbie in her workshop
Romancing the West
July 18 - July 24, 2010

Visit her website www.bobbiegoodrich.com to see what she’s up to.