Variations on a Theme - Creative Process Blog

Rose Bud

I was a film photographer. It was not until college and Photography 101 and 102 which had access to a darkroom that I understood I could have control of my image beyond how I framed the image in the view finder of my camera.

Digital photography and the photo editing programs on computers allowed freedom to shape your image. And it also raised digital imaging up to an art form. But I am also enthralled with digital photography because it doesn't cost money every click you make.  Snap away to your heart's content. I was drawn to the rose against the icy green house window. And I took maybe a dozen pictures of it. Ultimately I like horizontal more because of the light through the leaves and the drops of water I added while misting the plants. But the vertical has the reflection of the rose.

Such details like ice and water drops often show up better in black and white so that was an immediate option I entertained on my computer.

But I also like to try reduced saturation, as in the variation below. It gives the image an antique feel.

Plumera fronds

With this image a crop was necessary first. The zoom lens did not cut out everything I did not want in the photograph. The light through the arrangement of leaves reminded me of an abstract painting and so I tried a more extreme filter.

But the lines and detail look great in black and white too.

Then there is my Butterfly Amaryllis which bloomed again.

The Vertical image in color and then black and white and a radical crop.

Then the horizontal image in color and black and white.

Two flowers and fronds. And the variations you take can change the impact of the image.