while that’s not the exact truth regarding my process, it does shed some light on some of the things i go through when preparing for an exhibit. i thought it may help others to outline my process.

first of all, why should you care what i have to think on the subject? at this point, i’ve had a number of either solo shows or dual shows with other artists - six, in all. a couple of those dual shows have entailed roughly six or seven images printed, while the others have included up to twenty-five prints. one of the ways i “learned” how to exhibit was through an online class from a photographer that’s well known in the photography world. i also learned by viewing a number of exhibits in galleries, and through a lot of trial and error.

now that you either agree i’m worth listening to on the subject, or at least are too bored to look for something more interesting to read, i’ll get on with describing my process of preparing for a solo show - one where the concept, idea, color palatte, etc. don’t need to match up with another artist’s work.

step 1 - is there a theme?

i determine whether there will be a concept or a theme to the show? will it be all pieces from a certain location, all pieces that represent a certain concept, all pieces that have a similar subject, etc. or will it be a “greatest hits” of my work? once i’ve answered these questions, i go through all of my work and create a collection in lightroom where i copy each potential image into the collection - even if i deem it only a remote possibility to make the final exhibit, i add it to this collection.

step 2 - determine number of walls and space of each wall

i measure the wall space of each of the walls in the gallery, or each of the walls that i’ll be displaying my pieces on. this is hugely important because as i begin to thin down those images that i think i’m going to exhibit, i need to determine what sizes are possible. and here’s where i will potentially differ from others…i don’t believe having the same size image or same size frame is a necessity for all the pieces in the exhibit, though some do. that’s really up to you. i will say this - if you’re going to offer different sizes, presentations, black and white pieces and color pieces, portrait and landscape orientations, etc. ensure that it looks intentional. it is my opinion that the larger the gallery and the higher the walls, the more important it is to change up the sizes to provide interest and even surprise for gallery viewers. in smaller rooms or shorter walls, providing similar or same size pieces works better. D’art Gallery is a relatively large gallery with very high walls, and looks far better with an assortment of piece sizes.

step 3 - create sub-topics or themes for the different number of walls

i now plan which images go where. if there is a subject or topic, can it be broken down further into additional sub-topics? if so, which sub-topics are both interesting and themes for which i have images that fit? i need either one large image to take most of the wall, or at least three images to fill that sub-topic’s wall. smaller areas can also be broken down by subject matter, tonal values of the images, high contrast images, etc. but again, every decision i make when breaking this large collection into smaller collections should look intentional. i actually create additional sub-collections in lightroom under my original collection and start adding any possible images that fit into the sub-collections. i may include the same image in multiple sub-collections. (though i won’t use the piece in multiple locations)

step 4 - determine print sizes

there are a number of things that go into determining the print size.

step 4a - how do i want to present the piece? options include

• printed on paper and mounted without a mat, then framed

  • which paper type? (i use either a photo rag, baryta or bamboo paper)

• printed on paper and matted, then framed

  • which paper type? (i use either a photo rag, baryta or bamboo paper)

  • what size mat will be used? i typically mat 3” for 12x18, 11x14 or 12x12 and 4” for prints larger than that, but this is artist-dependent

• printed on metal, acrylic or canvas, with no frame

step 4b - what is the smallest size a piece needs to be printed to have the visual impact?

i don’t like presenting most of my images smaller than 12x18, 11x14 or 12x12 - there’s too much detail in most of my images, and that detail can get lost in smaller sizes. in Elements, i have a piece that i printed 24” wide and it lacked the visual presence i wanted from the piece. i held up that print inside a 36” wide frame and felt it still wouldn’t have the presence i wanted. this piece had to be printed at least 48” wide in order to have the visual impact i believe was needed. this minimum size may require some test prints at different sizes, keeping in mind that matting a smaller image will make it feel larger though the detail will still be difficult to see. one final note on image size - large pieces (such as the 48” wide piece) should be placed in spots in the gallery where there’s room for people to back up far enough to see it. placing it on a wall that’s too close is akin to sitting in the front row of the movie theatre - which, for us adults, is horribly uncomfortable and detracts from the experience of seeing the movie in the theatre.

step 4c - which images make the cut on each wall?

i like to use lightroom’s “lights out” capability to test different combinations of images for each wall - paying attention to tonality and flow from one image to the next. there are so many ways to consider how images can potentially flow from one to the next, that editing and sequencing of images is a topic that could take a lifetime to master. sometimes i’ll make 4x6 or 5x7 prints of the images in consideration and play with the combinations until i find one that i feel works.

once i have a combination i like, i determine if the smallest printed sizes plus potential mat and/or frame sizes plus distance between each piece (and distance from wall edge to first and last piece) fit on the wall. one consideration is the distance between pieces, and this distance depends on the size of the prints, frames, etc. themselves. the smaller the overall frame/print size, the less room required. my general rule is six to eight inches between 11x14, 12x18 or 12x12 pieces and eight to twelve for larger pieces.

if the combination i like with all spacing between and frame sizes is too big, i either need to remove image(s) or pick a different combination. if it’s too small, can i increase the size of one or some of the prints?

step 5 - order show cards

show cards are one of the most personalized marketing materials you can create for your exhibit, and when professionally done, can add a lot of credence to the exhibit. the gallery may create these for you, or if you’re working with another artist, you may create one together, or you may decide to create one on your own. each exhibit is potentially different, but i’d highly recommend the creation and ordering of show cards two months before the show. it will take a few weeks to get the cards and then you have a month or so to distribute them.

i use at least one, and potentially two or three images from the show to display on the card. typically on the back is the show information - a short writeup of the contents and/or concept of the show, important dates such as the show dates, artist opening, any artist talks or other high traffic days that may draw people. cards should also include the gallery information such as address, gallery hours and the gallery website url. i include my website and a QR code so people can be taken directly to my website.

cards can be sent to friends, family, and previous buyers. i also leave them in coffee shops, cafes, other galleries, etc.

step 6 - order show vinyl (if necessary/desired)

show vinyl is the black lettering applied to the walls that introduces the gallery visitor to the exhibit title and artist name. it can be done in any font and adds a nice, professional touch to a gallery setting.

step 7 - pr / marketing

pr and marketing for the exhibit can be done once the show has been confirmed, however i wait until i’ve selected which pieces will be in the exhibit. social media, email list communications, website communications, show cards, etc. are all be valuable parts of my pr / marketing plan.

one additional type of pr or marketing is local online calendars. often tv stations, newspapers, local magazines will have event calendars on their website. fortunately for me, the gallery does this when my shows are at D’art Gallery, but i’ve (or my wonderful girlfriend has) done this for some of my past exhibits. finding where to submit these entries, and doing them can be a relatively painful process. i’m not sure they’re as useful as the time required to request them, but the key to art sales is getting the right eyes on the right piece at the right time, and any method that can accomplish this, may be useful.

step 8 - order frames (if necessary)

i typically have “standard” size prints, which get standard, minimal, black, metal frames. for non-standard prints, i often try to pick frames specifically for that piece. i feel this change in the frames as well as the sizes helps to provide a visual change that keeps gallery visitors from getting bored.

frames can take a while to assemble and get shipped. for gallery exhibits, i typically use minimal black frames with acrylic glazing with UV protection and anti-glare coating. the glazing increases the cost significantly, but for me it’s worth it. i order frames at least a month before i’m supposed to hang the show to make sure they’re in stock.

step 9 - order prints (if necessary)

i print anything 16x24 or smaller myself and i work with a local printer for larger prints (or metal/canvas/acrylic) that uses the same papers i use (and same brand printers, so ink should be somewhat similar). they’ve always done a wonderful job for me, and i trust them. it can take up to two weeks for my printer to get the mounted paper prints, or metal/acrylic pieces, along with a test proof so i can ensure the final print will be what i expect. i try to put in any orders a month before i’m supposed to hang the show.

step 10 - print those items myself that i can

as stated above, i print anything 16x24 or smaller myself. i do this once i have the image sizes solidified, and begin matting/mounting as needed.

step 11 - assemble frames (if necessary)

the frames i order often require assembly, or at least preparation of the glazing. the glazing comes with plastic paper adhering to the glazing to protect it - acrylic scratches extremely easy, though it’s next to impossible to shatter and is much lighter than glass. each frame will require prep work by removing any protectant from the glazing, and cleaning the glazing with plastic cleaner and a microfiber cloth. additionally, hanging hardware needs to be installed on the frames. i typically wait until the print is placed in the frame before adding the hanging hardware.

step 12 - sign pieces

i sign every matted print on the white border around the image in the lower right corner of the image. (i don’t sign on the printed area, but just below) i also include the image’s title and year (and editioning information if the image is editioned) in the lower left white border. i use pencil for prints on photo rag paper and pen for prints on baryta paper.

for items that are mounted and don’t have the white border, or metal or acrylic prints, i sign and title with a sharpie or silver pen on the back of the item.

step 13 - mat prints (if necessary)

my preferred presentation is either matted or mounted prints. when dealing with prints, i wear cotton gloves to avoid fingerprints and finger oil from getting on the prints. i often have aspect ratios or print sizes that don’t quite fit in a standard sized mat opening, so i have a mat cutter and cut my mat pieces and backing board myself. i won’t get into the matting process here - perhaps in another blog post.

step 14 - place spacers on glazing for mounted print frames (if necessary)

prints should never rest against the glazing of a frame. in order to avoid this, i either mat the print or include spacers between the glazing and the mounted print. spacers provide a bit of an air gap and typically have one side of a small plastic square that has adhesive. i cut the spacer slightly shorter than the length of each frame side, then remove the adhesive covering strip. i then place the glazing in the frame, and begin applying the spacer by placing the adhesive side of the spacer onto the glazing pushing it as far against the frame side as possible, slowly adding more and more of the spacer while pushing it against the frame side before pressing down on the adhesive side.

step 15 - place signed pieces into frame (if necessary)

i always ensure the glazing is clean and free of finger prints with no dust and that there is no dust on the print/mat itself. i keep a sensor blower handy to use immediately prior to placing prints in frames. put the print in the frame, put the frame together, turn over the frame and ensure there is no dust or any spots between the frame and print/mat/mount.

step 16 - place business cards on back using artist’s tape

i typically put business cards on the back of either the mat or mount so any potential purchasers have my contact information and website url to potentially purchase other pieces, or make guarantee claims.

step 17 - attach hanging hardware

if i’ve not attached the hanging hardware to the frame yet, i will do so at this time. i always hang pieces somewhere in my home for a couple of days, just to make sure the hanging hardware is attached properly.

i go through steps 8 - 17 for each piece in the show (though some of these steps may be combined such as ordering frames, prints). as i add additional completed pieces, i begin to feel a sense of doubt whether i’ve selected the right pieces, that the pieces go together or that the walls will work together. it is a guarantee that this will happen for every show, and i’ve come to expect it and merely fight the lingering doubts by saying it’s a natural part of my process and it will pass. usually by the time i’ve completed all pieces and hung them within my home, i feel relatively comfortable with the exhibit as a whole. when i told my co-worker i soil myself, i wasn’t lying. there is indeed a sense of doubt and imposter syndrome that always sets in.

step 18 - price the pieces

in general, i price based on my cost, (i include the work put into creating the final presentation of the print in my cost) adding any profit margin i require, plus factoring in any commissions. i create a single retail price for each print presentation so that no matter where or how the piece is purchased, the price is consistent.

step 19 - create writeups for the exhibit

there are a number of things i write for each show, though one or two are all that’s typically required - an artist statement of the show. this is a short, one-page essay on why i’m showing these items, what drew me to this as a subject and how i chose and processed these pieces to comprise the overall exhibit. some people include a “show statement” such as above, as well as an artist statement like the ones you see on many artist websites. since i often break up the overall theme of the show into sub-themes, i will often write something on what each sub-theme is and how it applies to the theme overall. occasionally, i’ll have a piece that needs a description of its own. if you’re like me, you may be an “OK” writer, but i always try to have my girlfriend read through and offer suggestions/edits for the things i write. if you think my writing is coherent, it is because of her and her suggested edits, (which i almost always take) which make the my writing far more comprehensible. i highly recommend having someone read and edit for spelling and grammar but more importantly, to ensure the writing makes sense to someone other than you.

step 20 - hang the show

the show is typically hung the week prior to the show’s opening. getting this many pieces to the gallery without doing any damage to them can take some doing. i know artists who have rented moving trucks. i make several trips with my suv. once the pieces are at the gallery, hanging can take some time. the middle of each image should be 5 ft high, or 60 inches. since i know which pieces go on which wall, and i’ve already calculated the distance between the pieces, it’s fairly easy to calculate where the next piece goes on the wall. this step also includes hanging the show vinyl, if there is any, as well as the pricing/title information and any write-ups.

step 21 - modify the lighting (if possible/necessary)

once the show is hung, i look at each piece from multiple angles and note any lighting needs to avoid glare or ensure good lighting of each piece. if i find pieces where a lighting change would benefit the piece, i bust out the ladder and move the lights so that each piece looks its best. since most of my presentations are framed with anti-glare acrylic as the glazing, lighting reflections aren’t AS much of an issue as typical glass, but i still may want to alter the lights slightly to avoid any hot spots, given a particularly important piece or viewing location within the gallery.

step 22 - enjoy the exhibit!

at D’art, we typically have an artists’ opening the first weekend of the show. this is the date i like to invite friends and family. we offer refreshments and attempt to get people drunk so they’ll buy our art. it rarely works. but it is nice to celebrate the completion of the show with those that know the artist best, as well as some of the regular visitors of the gallery. the first friday of each month is also a big deal for the art district. all of the galleries are open and thousands of people come down to the art district to view art and hang out with friends. we’ll often see 1,000 people come through the gallery on a first friday in the summer. some of the artists may also do an artist talk at some point during the exhibit - it gives gallery visitors the opportunity to get to know the artists better, and the artists get to talk about their process and views on the art itself.

step 23 - take down the exhibit and prep the gallery for the next one

after the gallery closes on the final sunday of the exhibit, it’s time to take down the pieces that didn’t sell, somehow manage to get them home without destroying them, patch the holes in the wall, clean up any markings and paint any dings on the wall and remove the vinyl. for any pieces that did sell, it’s typical to ask them to come into the gallery after the show has completed. if they come in on the last day to pick up the piece(s), i’ll package them so they can transport them safely without any damage to the frame or glazing. if they can’t come in on that day, i’ll package up the items as if they were there, and leave the items at the gallery. i may give them a call at some point the week after the show to remind them of their purchase and try to schedule a time to have them pick it up.

it is usually at this point i never want to do another large exhibit. i just want to rest. but then i recall seeing the people interact with my work. the artist reception and first friday are the two best opportunities to see people interact with my work in a controlled environment. this isn’t people thumbing through bin prints outdoors, under a tent in variable and often poor lighting. they’re viewing the pieces in the exact way i want to present the pieces. it’s the single best aspect of showing my work in a gallery. i get to see what works and what doesn’t. i’ve seen people cry while looking at my work. i’ve had people talk to me about how they were moved by the pieces - how they lost their home in the fire i’ve photographed. i’ve wound up being invited to different gallery exhibits through shows while many of the artists i know have received commissions based on their gallery exhibits.

many people wish me luck in selling pieces for an exhibit, but i’ve never looked at sales as a sign of success for an exhibit. the reactions i get from people is the biggest indicator of success for me. did i move people? did i make people stop and wonder? did i inspire people to slow down and/or look closer at the things they pass by on a daily basis? that is the gold in a gallery exhibit for me. sales? they’re merely the icing on the cake.

first I like to determine how i feel when looking at the image. then, i consider what i want the viewer to feel at the end of processing the image.

i begin with a question: what is it i feel while looking at the image?

there are a few things i love about the image: those soft, white clouds above the ridgeline and how they somewhat mimic the summits and saddle between the summits; the contrast of colors with that beautiful, soft blue sky vs. the darker green grasses in shadow; that strong diagonal of lighter grass in the foreground and that beautiful spotlight of sun on the saddle between the summits. so i have to ensure that no matter what or how i edit, i maintain those things.

and i begin with a question: what is it i feel while looking at the image? a sense of quiet and calm. there’s a softness to the landscape, which i find i’m often attracted to when photographing nature. so i want to maintain, or even enhance, those feelings of peace, warmth and quiet that i feel.

there are a number of controls at our disposal, but there are a few which i find can really make an impact on the feeling of the image. i recommend the book The Art of Photography by Bruce Barnhaum to get an idea of how different aspects of a photo and the processing you do can affect the final piece of art. if you haven’t dug into that book and find this content interesting, it’s an excellent way to begin a study of the language of the visual arts - which is the language we’re using to communicate.

don’t forget that localized edits can make a huge difference in an image, so don’t make all of your changes at the global level

now back to the controls i use to affect the feeling i want to invoke on the viewer: white balance - particularly color temperature, (modifying the tint slightly can also have an impact, but easily turns landscapes into garish pictures in my opinion) exposure, contrast, highlights and shadows, (less so, depending on the image) dehaze, clarity, saturation, vibrance and sharpening. that’s not to say the other controls don’t also impact the feeling of the viewer - much depends on the image. the important thing to remember is that you should play with all of the controls to see how they affect your feelings for each particular image. and don’t forget that localized edits can make a huge difference in an image, so don’t make all of your changes at the global level.

so, what will help us move towards our goal of increasing the peace, quiet and warmth in this image? let’s start with color temperature - it’s one of the biggest ways to impart a feeling in the viewer. the grasses in the foreground and middle ground in particular feel particularly cold as items in shadows often do. we can warm those up by taking the color temperature towards higher, more yellow/red values. (and vice versa if we want to increase the coolness, go towards lower blue values) go ahead and play with this value making it warmer and cooler and looking at your image while noting how the differences make you feel. in my case, if i do it at the global level, i’ll also affect the beautiful blue sky - which is one of the things i love about this image. rather than making a global adjustment, i’ll use a graduated filter starting at the bottom of the image towards the ridgeline as i don’t really care if it extends above the ridgeline a bit - the lower sky is closer to white and devoid of color. you can see this edit to the right of this paragraph.

the important thing to remember is that you should play with all of the controls to see how they affect your feelings for each particular image.

one thing that i’m not fond of is the brightness of the clouds - you almost need sunglasses to view them and they lack detail in areas. in some respects that softness enhances the peaceful feeling, but the brightness contrasts just a bit too much. reeling the brightness in can have a big impact on the feeling of quiet while making the spotlight stand out even further. again, i could make the adjustment at the global level, but what would that do to the spotlight - one of the most important parts of the image? in order to maintain the spotlight, i’ll use another graduated filter - this time from the top of the image down to the ridgeline. in this filter, we’ll bring the highlights down until the clouds don’t necessarily pull our eyes from the spotlight. i usually don’t make big adjustments to large areas of shadow and highlight as you also lose dimension in the image - you have to make sure you don’t take it too far. one thing i like to do when editing, is look at a subject that’s not necessarily in the area i’m modifying and make the change to the slider - looking out of the corner of my eye to the area being edited. in this case, i’ll look at the spotlight, bring down the highlights of the sky to a point where my eyes no longer feel the immediate urge to move up to the clouds. i also just slightly cool off the upper portion of the image to further play up that color contrast between the beautiful blues and the greens/yellows in the grasses below. finally, i’ll add just a touch of clarity to give a bit more definition to the ripples in the clouds, but again ensure it’s not gone too far. i don’t want dramatic clouds as that won’t invoke the quiet, peacefulness i’m aiming for. you can see this edit to the left at the beginning of this paragraph.

when trying to evoke an emotion from the viewer, it’s important to compare how you feel after each change

at this point, i haven’t touched any of the global controls - everything has been localized to a particular area. the image histogram points to it being closer to overexposed than underexposed, but decreasing the exposure too much would remove the feeling of peacefulness we’re going for - the darker the overall image, the “darker” the feeling of the viewer. so i only slightly brought down the exposure. i also decreased the contrast slightly - the more contrast, the less “quiet” the image is and the more “in your face” and dramatic the image feels. i brought the shadows up slightly - decreasing the darker areas of the image decreases the feeling of darkness and dread. i also upped the white point slightly while decreasing the black point a bit. these controls do more than merely change the white point (the point in the image where white is pure white) - they change the tonality of the image. the more compressed tones (white point closer to the black point) give a certain feeling while less compressed (white point much further from the black point) give a different feeling. i’ll leave which causes which feeling(s) up to you as an experiment i recommend you perform. you should play with these controls at different values on a number of different images to see the effects of them on how the images make you feel. look at the overall tonality of the image when you’re adjusting these items - and ensure you don’t take them so far as to be clipping. finally, landscapes can sometimes appear foggy from atmospheric haze - particularly when photographing things at long distances. dehaze can often help clean that up, although some haze helps our end goal. the same goes for clarity and texture. i’ve very slightly increased each to a point i feel helps show off the image while keeping the feeling we’re hoping to attain. the one global adjustment group i’m saving for the next paragraph is saturation and vibrance. so the above image still has neutral saturation and vibrance.

and finally vibrance and saturation…two controls that can kill the feeling of peaceful, quietness and solitude. i tend to keep modifications of these controls fairly small. on the left is an image where i’ve brought the overall saturation up slightly while still retaining a feeling of what i consider realistic colors - from 0 to +6. the image on the right side of the following paragraph has the saturation decreased slightly - from 0 to -1. the version on the left has a bit more “visual pop” as the color contrasts between the sky and the grasses offer a more visible contrast. that contrast is decreased ever so slightly on the image below with less saturation. the blues aren’t as deep, nor are the greens. but how does each make you feel - keeping in mind our goal is to create a feeling of peacefulness in nature? the increased saturation is causing a color imbalance with that richer blue that deters from the peace and quiet in the image. it also pulls my eyes ever so slightly from the primary subject of the image - the spotlight. i can tell this by looking at the spotlight and feeling the pull of my eyes up to the rich blues of the sky. that pull isn’t near as strong in the image in the following paragraph.

a number of small, subtle changes can play a big part in the emotional impact of an image

now, compare the image that evokes a more quiet feeling in you to the previously posted image prior to the saturation modification. when trying to evoke an emotion from the viewer, it’s important to compare how you feel after each change - has the modification helped increase the feeling you want to evoke, or has it detracted from your goal? this is an incredibly important concept as each change you make impacts the changes we make further down the line. this is an interesting example because i feel the higher saturation image is overall, a more visually attractive image. however, the decreased saturation enhances the feelings of peace, quiet and solitude more to me. that may not be the case for you, but it is for me, so i’ll proceed with the lower saturation image. saturation and vibrance can make a difference between your image “talking in an indoor voice” (lower or perhaps even negative values) to “shouting” (higher positive values) at the viewer. i guess, in the end, i’m just more of an “inside voice” kinda guy.

there’s one more modification i’d make before moving the image to photoshop, (where i’ll fine tune some elements, remove dust spots and add some overall dimensionality) and that’s to add a bit of texture to the grasses in the foreground. this should help in our quest to achieve a bit of the dimensionality that we’re looking for. so i’ll add a graduated filter to bring the texture up only in the lighter grasses in the foreground. when we look at things in real life - we see more detail in the items closer to us, and less in the items a long way away. one way to get additional depth in this image is to make this first ridge have more detail, texture and depth. as is always the case - you can take the modification too far, so take steps to ensure you don’t make that depth too deep - drawing our eyes to it rather than the spotlight.

compare the above images. the upper contains all of the changes we’ve made while the lower image is the cropped image with none of the adjustments. to my eyes, the bottom image is a bit “flat.” there’s more dimensionality in the upper image with the adjustments. it’s also a more calming image for me - in large part because the clouds aren’t so bright as to really contrast with the darks of the forest on the second mountain. there’s still a softness to the clouds while offering a lot more detail and dimension with the modifications. and if you lock your eyes on the spotlight in the middle of both images, you’ll likely find your eyes are drawn up to the bright clouds for the original whereas it’s easier to “lock on” to the spotlight with the adjustments. i feel the modified image is an overall better image, while enhancing the feelings of solitude, peacefulness and the quietness of the landscape. some may say the changes are subtle, and they are, but a number of small, subtle changes can play a big part in the emotional impact of an image.

that’s enough for this post. i’ll cover the steps i would take in photoshop to fine tune elements and hopefully continue down the path of evoking a bit more feeling from the viewer. one thing i didn’t discuss here, and i’m sure no one is actually reading any longer, but if you are - there’s a concept used in mixing music that i like to take when editing images. (i’ve brought a few concepts from music mixing to my processes on image creation) it’s said that one should rest their ears every half hour or so while working on mixing elements of a musical song. it allows our ears to recalibrate and gives them much needed rest when they’ve been working harder than normal. the same can be said for our eyes - especially since looking at screens isn’t particularly good for our eyes. so be sure to take occasional breaks and allow your eyes to return to normal. you may be surprised to find how differently you see your image (along with the modifications you’ve made) after taking some time away.

he stopped speaking, slowly turned his head away from lydia to face me, gave me the “WTF eye scrinch,” then slowly turned his head back to lydia, and proceeded to speak as if i and my question didn’t exist.

i was recently in the gallery hosting my latest show, hydrodynamics when i overheard a conversation between two painters. one of the painters had a piece in a different show in a different section of the gallery, the other was a member of the gallery’s co-op, a friend, and a wonderful artist in her own right - lydia riegle. the conversation was driven by the artist (whose work was in the show) explaining to lydia the differences between his abstract painting and the work of an abstract painting that won an honorable mention award from the show’s juror. he felt his piece was too structured, and apparently others had mentioned this to him as well. he then showed how much more “free” the abstract painting that won the award was. there certainly was more structure in his piece - not mark rothko-level structure, but in comparison one would notice more structure in his painting than the other.

he told lydia, “i need to be more free in my painting - to be less structured.” and i replied with a simple, “why?”

he stopped speaking, slowly turned his head away from lydia to face me, gave me the “WTF eye scrinch,” then slowly turned his head back to lydia, and proceeded to speak as if i and my question didn’t exist.

now, i’ve experienced plenty of what i’ll call the photographer prejudice in art galleries, and i think in part, some of his reaction may have been due to that prejudice. photographer prejudice in the fine art world is when painters, illustrators, print makers, drawers, etc. think “down on” the “lowly photographer.” there is a common misconception that all we do is merely point and click our little cameras, which in turn, does everything for us. yet i’ve seen the attempt to hide the surprise on the face of these other artists as i talk about color theory with them and how i apply it to my photographs. i see their faces go from bored to lit up as i explain the compositional difficulties we often fight as we strive for the best landscape photograph. but alas, i’ll end the tangent here.

to change one’s work based on the results of one show is akin to chasing our tails.

i think another reason for the reaction was because he’d implied to lydia just a moment prior that his work should be less structured in order to win prizes, acclaim and recognition!

i was merely looking for him to expand on his reasoning, so i could make the argument that chasing his assumed reasoning for not winning and the other piece winning was about the worst thing he could do as an artist - at least in my extremely humble opinion.

first of all, his piece was bright and cheery using bright colors that contrasted against the other colors in the piece well - giving the piece a good amount of “pop.” the other piece was more subdued, not near as happy - it evoked in me a slight sense of melancholy. the colors in much of the piece were similar, almost resulting in a feeling of drabness. but the artist added somewhat subtle pops of color in less prominent areas that caused the muted colors elsewhere in the image to now appear. perhaps it was this emotional difference that contributed to her piece winning and not his. perhaps the juror enjoyed her constrained use of color to bring out the colors in the rest of the painting, and felt less impressed with the “pop” of the colors in the artist’s painting. maybe it was just how the juror felt on the given day that contributed to the piece winning while his did not. the truth is, we’ll never know why the juror selected one piece over the other. but one thing i’ve always kept in my mind is that a juror’s acceptance or non-acceptance of a piece says nothing about the artistic quality of that piece. at the same time a juror presenting an award for a piece is also not any indication of the quality of the art within that piece. it merely reflects how that juror, or group of jurors feel about the piece.

to change one’s work based on the results of one show is akin to chasing our tails. what happens when we apply to the next show and also don’t win. what then will we attempt to do in order to get that coveted honorable mention or best in show?

chasing results will lead us only to a lesser form of self-expression

i have a dear friend, and fellow photographer who has a particular image processing style adored by some and abhorred by others. but i continue to recommend him to just be him - to make images that represent how he felt when taking the image, to hell with representing reality - represent yourself. some may argue the masters would never dream to do such a thing, but i’ll argue that ansel adams did exactly that by putting a red filter over his lens to completely darken the sky over half dome. the sky in the final negative and prints was NOT that dark in comparison to half dome in reality, but this unrealistic image turned out to be quite the consequential image. and i’ll get into in a future blog post.

the artist in question continued to excitedly explain his light bulb moment to lydia, perhaps with dreams of becoming an “award winning painter” in the near future. he may very well attain that title if he makes the changes he suggests. perhaps he’d get that title without making the changes. but one thing is in question, and it’s something i asked him at the end of his theory explanation: “will your new work still express you?”

lydia agreed it was a point that should be considered. meanwhile, he again failed to reply to my question.

only time will tell what the results of that day will be for my new friend. but there is one thing i can say with certainty - chasing results will lead us only to a lesser form of self-expression. and art should be, as i mentioned previously in a blog post - a form of self expression.

i was wrong…

and somewhere out there, all my exes (and perhaps my current) are singing “hallelujah,” stretching their arms to the point of dislocation while holding up their margaritas, daiquiris and martinis.

it’s tough to admit.

it happens so rarely. (that’s a huge exaggeration)

but it’s true.

the majority of the images i’ve made in the past have been attempts at showing you a representational image - doing my best to re-create the scene as closely as I could to how I saw it. and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that.

the joy i get in nature is not to get to some vista - it’s to find something all those others pass by without noticing, and making it beautiful.

then i started reading guy tal’s book more than a rock. guy begins by explaining what art is, what an artist is, and how it applies to photography. it was really eye opening stuff - stuff that made me do some soul searching, because as it was, i was not expressing myself artistically through my representational images.

i realized i need to answer some questions. do i want to express myself artistically through my photographs? the answer is yes. in fact, for an introvert such as myself, who doesn’t enjoy conversing with people or expressing myself vocally, i’ve discovered i actually need to express myself in some manner. my alcoholism recovery has helped reinforce that notion. and i’ve not found a more fulfilling method to express myself other than photography. another question - why do i enjoy turning my color images to black and white so much? the honest answer is and has been, because i have felt more freedom to use expressive creativity when creating black and white images. the world is not seen in black and white, so i’ve always taken more creative liberties in creating the black and white worlds in those images. those “trophy landscape” images i used to enjoy making, thrill me less and less with each click of the shutter. they are the near absolute definition of non-expression for me - lining up along twenty other photographers or taking an image with a composition photographed millions of times before, as proven by a quick stroll through social media. i’ve hiked with a purpose to “get there” foregoing stopping occasionally to look around, and i’ve never once found that i’ve enjoyed one of those hikes. the joy i get in nature is not to get to some vista - it’s to find something all those others pass by without noticing, and making it beautiful. it’s a much more expressive form of photography for me. i find it results in far more unique images. it just suits me and my thoughts right now on what i want my photography to be.

and that is what i’ve discovered in this time of soul searching - i want, dare I say, I need my photos to be fulfilling to me.

while i haven’t posted many new images of late, i likely will in the near future. and as i do, you may notice a change in the images. you may hate them, strongly dislike them, or not really care about them. you may also not notice the difference. i fully expect a few fewer fans as these new images will not necessarily be as palpable to the general public. i hope they’ll be extremely meaningful to a few, but even if they’re not, they’ll say more, while saying more about me and being more expressive. they’ll fulfill me more, and that is what i’ve discovered in this time of soul searching - i want, dare I say, I need my photos to be fulfilling to me.

you won’t find me swapping out skies, adding items that weren’t in the image or the scene originally, but you will see more expression through my images - particularly my color images. you’ll still see images that reflect a realistic scene, although it won’t reflect the way i saw the scene. instead i’ll be attempting to show you the scene as it made me feel at the moment the shutter snapped. you know, expressing myself more than merely through composition, focal length choice and shutter speed. it turns out i’d been missing out on fully expressing myself. and i’m finding my latest work to be the most fulfilling. it just so happens that i needed guy tal to give me permission to not have to show the viewer the scene as i saw it. for some reason that was a mental block for me, that’s now been broken wide open.

so i guess i’m happy to say i was wrong.

as we spoke, the conversational turned towards to those who use photoshop to swap out skies, add sun rays, etc. this, he said, can’t be done with film. while i agree with him about not wanting to use photoshop to change out skies or add things that weren’t in the initial composition, he was completely wrong when saying these “photoshop-only” tasks couldn’t be done with film.

there is an artist by the name of Jerry Uelsmann who was “doing photoshop” with film negatives and prints before many of the photoshop developers were born. he uses multiple enlargers when combining two or more negatives to create his prints. his work stands out as largely ethereal, incredibly beautiful and thought-provoking - even when one may think that photoshop was used to combine the images. when one considers his application of the art of printmaking from film negatives to incorporate his composite images, the respect level goes through the roof.

as is always the case, i prefer to respect copyright laws by not posting the artist’s work on my site. i also believe that the best way to learn is to do the research oneself. his website is here, but i highly encourage you to do some searches on both he as an artist and his work. you can also find an excellent book of his work here. not only is Jerry an expert print maker, but an artist of expression in his composite prints. i hope you enjoy exploring his work.

one of the great experiences photography has given me is finding like-minded individuals and forming friendships over the course of time and shared interests. one of these new-found friends is Siddhartha De. he’s an incredible photographer, an equally incredible writer, and he photographs landscapes and scenes throughout the world, but primarily in India. not only is he an incredible talent in photography and writing, but he came up with a wonderful idea to ask a number of interview questions to photographers to learn how others think and what their photography workflow is. i’m humbled that he asked me to be one of those providing answers to his well thought-out questions.

rather than repeat the interview here, i’ll just provide a link to the interview on my friends website. but i’d also recommend that you take the time to enjoy some of his other content - both in photographic and written form. it’s truly uplifting and incredibly beautiful work. the link to the interview can be found here.

bruce makes photographs that really, really move me. his photographs have a minimalist feel and he concentrates heavily on shape. you can view some of his work, including his blog and photography books here. sometimes he shoots in black and white and sometimes color, but even the color images are often more subtle in tones. i believe he’s still shooting with medium format film cameras, and he’s friends with michael kenna so it makes sense that i’d worship him. :)

so why love him? i’m a huge fan of minimalism in photography. it can be difficult to accomplish in summer in the mountains. i believe it’s much easier in sparse terrain or in winter. strangely enough, bruce spends a lot of time in winter locations or in desert areas. it’s apparent from viewing his work that busy-ness in the image and emotional impact on the viewer can be inversely proportional when done well. i also love bruce’s use of shape and subject relationship. he’s particular about the flow in his images and composes to maximize that flow of vision. his color tones are oftentimes near monochrome, but are pleasing tones along the kodak portra range of tones - at least to my eyes. there are very few photographers whose work i can browse through without finding a few that don’t really move me. bruce is a very rare exception in that i cannot recall an image of his i didn’t really appreciate, if not love.

so without further ado, please do check out bruce percy at his website: https://www.brucepercy.co.uk/. do some research on him and check out his blog. i hope you find him as inspiring as i do.

i've decided to call february film february. i'm only shooting film this month, unless i have a client obligation, and will only be posting film images on my personal social media account(s).

while most, if not all of the images offered for sale here were taken with digital cameras, i really love photographing with analog film cameras. i have a few analog cameras, and a few different formats: 35mm, medium format and a 4x5 large format camera. i develop all the black and white film at home. sometimes i'll develop color film at home as well, but i find i shoot so little of it that it's not worthwhile. i have an enlarger to make black and white prints at home, and i've been experimenting with handmade alternative process printing methods for film or digital images. but most of the time i digitize my negatives by photographing them with a macro lens on a light table. it's a pain in the butt to be honest, so why do i do it? because i love film.

i love the look of film - it's completely different than digital. there's a softness to it - the gradation of tones is different, the darks are different and the incredible detail and clarity in digital just isn't there in film - at least not the way I typically shoot it.

but the real reason i love film is workflow. i slow down when i photograph with film. i become more contemplative about what it is i'm photographing and how best to express what i'm feeling. i don't feel like i'm having a quickie with a woman whose phone number i've gotten off a card on the sidewalk in vegas (not that i've ever called a phone number i've gotten off a card on the sidewalk in vegas).

shooting on film limits the number of photographs I can take (be it 36, 24, 12, 10 or a sheet or three). there's no viewfinder to see the image i just photographed - no display of a histogram to check the exposure for the image just taken. you have to get these things right in camera, the moment you press the shutter button. so i double check, and i triple check, and when i have the chance i actually put the camera down and pull out a light meter to check what shutter speed i need (or aperture - depending on what my priority is). and while i'm checking, i'm still considering the photograph i'm about to take and asking myself questions.

• why am i taking this photo?

• what is it about this photo i'm about to take that makes it different?

• what is this place or subject about?

• will the light be better if i hold off for a while?

• what if i move over there?

• how can i make my expression of the scene better?

i don't know why, but when i have my digital camera, i still take it out, take the photo from whatever vantage point i saw the subject with very little consideration to some of the questions above. i'm getting better mind you, but habits are hard to break for old people like me.

so i'm finding film february to be particularly fun as it's a complete change in how i photograph. shooting with film cameras has made me a better photographer when shooting with digital cameras. and i'm going to go out on a limb and guess that as i continue shooting with film, the slowing down process and the questioning process will become more ingrained in my pea-sized brain, and i'll continue to take better and better images period.

and that - is why i love shooting with film.

“the single most important component of a camera is the 12 inches behind it.” - ansel adams

if we try very hard to remember back to our biology classes where we learned about vision, we’ll recall that the eyes take in the light into tiny receptors, pass them to something called an optical nerve, which passes all this “data” to the brain. the brain is actually the thing that puts together all this “data” into the scene we actually see. and no two brains work the same, which means we all “see” differently. the scenes and the subjects in scenes that move me will be different than those scenes you see, and the subjects in the scene that you see. when someone tells you that you have a great eye, what they’re really saying is your mind works similarly to theirs when it comes to the scenes you’ve photographed.

and what does this have to do with what lenses and filters are in my bag? pretty much everything. i photograph with the equipment that helps me produce images that my mind finds compelling and interesting. and you should photograph with the equipment that helps you produce images that your mind finds compelling and interesting. the odds that both our minds are going to find the same exact scenes and see the same subjects in those scenes are extremely slim. what you really need to do is get out and make photographs - all kinds of varying photographs with all kinds of different types of lenses, filters, flash settings, etc. and then you’ll have all the information you need to find out which gear produces the most compelling images to you. if you use what i use, (or anyone else uses or tells you to use) you may just make images that are of no emotional consequence to you.

by all means, if you’re new and looking for recommendations for potential lenses to try, look to these people explaining what’s in their bag. give their recommendations a try, but try some other stuff too - things they didn’t recommend. and once you figure out how it is that you “see” and know what it is you’re passionate about photographing, spend time focusing on how you see - maximizing your vision of the scene. the lust for new gear isn’t going to make you a better photographer, and having the recommended set of lenses, filters or strobes for your preferred photography genre(s) isn’t going to make you a good photographer. the end goal should be to find and use gear that makes images that provide your mind with an emotional tug.

first of all, he is a film photographer, shooting large format film, so his images have a tremendous amount of detail. his most prominent work was photographed in suburban or small-town new england. the emotion he’s able to evoke in these images is amazing, but what’s truly wonderful is the multiple facets of stories that can be deduced from the images. while i highly recommend purchasing or at least spending some quality time with his photo books: Cathedral of the Pines and Beneath the Roses are two of my favorites, i even more highly recommend watching the documentary about him while shooting Beneath the Roses. the documentary is titled Gregory Crewdson: Brief Encounters directed by Ben Shapiro. the reason the documentary is so interesting to me is not only do we get to see the scenes he photographed, but more importantly the process of how the scenes were set up. the intense planning, the set creation, casting for subjects, waiting for the natural light, the decision to move a glass on the counter over a couple of inches. he knows exactly the story to be told and how he needs to photograph it, and no detail is spared. his depictions of small-town, suburban life show both the monotony of life for many in these scenes, but also show a humanness that’s so often lost. if one could take a feature-length movie and compact it down to a single photograph without losing any meaning, Gregory Crewdson is the one that could, and would pull it off.

some believe that exposure to others’ art opens us up to copy others, sometimes even subconsciously. i believe it shows other ways to express ourselves. i don’t photograph the same types of subjects, and i certainly don’t see the complexity of the scenes that Gregory Crewdson does, but his attention to detail to pull every bit of emotion out of the viewer has made a huge impact on me and my photography. his ability to tell a story is at a level matched by very few in the photography world. on top of it all, his work is hugely entertaining. if you’re looking for a photographer to research, a new book to pick up, or a movie to watch (it’s on either netflix or amazon prime) perhaps you’ll look in Gregory Crewdson’s direction, and hopefully be as moved as I have been.

it was a question posed to me by a fellow artist as we were talking art. it’s something i hadn’t considered and caused me to think deeply about my answer. finally, i came to a conclusion that surprised even myself.

“I don’t. I love nature.”

i may have been understating my love for photography - i actually do love it. i find great joy in the challenges to make an image of a place at a given time seem unique - to capture the essence of the scene at that time. i love the challenge of finding a compelling composition that showcases the subject of the image while minimizing the distractions. i enjoy learning and applying new post-processing techniques to lead the viewer’s eyes where i want them, while taking them away from the elements i’d rather they not dwell on.

but the truth of the matter is that i don’t go into the mountains, the beaches or the desert in order to photograph. i go to these places in order to feel, to re-charge, to get in tune with my spirituality. i just happen to have a camera with me.

and i hope this comes across in the images i make. i’ve noticed i’m not making nearly as many images of places lately, so much as I’m making images of nature merely being. i’m trying to make nature the star, not the place.

so many landscape photographers these days seem to be “trophy hunters” sharing their work of iconic landscape locations with great light. but in general, they seem to be going after the social media likes, trying to become the next social media darling. i was once one of those people - gotta get an image from all the iconic spots in beautiful light. buti found myself not enjoying my time in nature. i was spending all my time concentrating on getting to that location or finding the perfect composition that i stopped looking around and actually experiencing nature - the quiet of the breeze blowing through the trees, the occasional bird chirping and the overall nuances of nature that are so often missed or ignored by so many. sometimes, i find joy merely looking for those things - even when i don’t find them.

is my way the right way? it is for me, but may not be for you. maybe you find that peace and the resonance in your inner being at these iconic locations next to a handful or a hundred other people. there’s no doubt the beauty that those locations possess. but i was told early on in my photography journey to photograph what i was passionate about and my audience would find me - don’t let an audience dictate what it is you photograph. a surefire way to guarantee your images are soulless is to begin photographing, painting, drawing (or any art form) something you’re not passionate about.

chasing likes and followers - it only leads to less important images. perhaps they’re technically correct. perhaps they’re beautiful to some, but the odds are that they won’t have staying power. becoming addicted to the dopamine rush from the social media posts will only reinforce to you that you should continue taking these images. for some, it’s their photographic purpose - and that’s ok. i’ve found that for me it's not, and it’s also quite unfulfilling.

this capability - adjusting tonality, and potentially contrast, is available by adjusting the color sliders in your post processing software. in lightroom, look in the hsl area of the develop module. (note: when working with a black and white image it just says b & w) silver efex has a color sensitivity section in the film types section. each of these sections has a number of sliders - one for a specific color: red, orange, yellow, blue, purple and perhaps magenta. moving the slider to the right increases the brightness of the tones of that color within the entire converted black and white image, while moving it to the left decreases the brightness of that color’s tones. this is how tonality of the overall image is modified.

this method can be used to affect the overall contrast, but it’s particularly useful to increase contrast between portions of the image you want emphasized, and to decrease contrast for those items of less importance. if your subject is a dark red fire hydrant surrounded by concrete in the shadows of the sun, (similar tonality) you can increase the contrast between the fire hydrant and concrete by boosting the brightness on the red slider, or reducing the level of the concrete’s tone.

don’t forget that in lightroom you can use the picker in the hsl panel to select the color/tone you want to adjust and it will modify the combination of colors/tones up and down as you specify.

let’s use the following image of a leaf with water drops as an example:

as you can see the tonality of the leaves blends in with the out-of-focus background area. to show more contrast between the leaves and the background i can make the leaves lighter or darker, or the background lighter or darker. (or a combination of the two) as the leaf is the subject of the image and the non-leaf portions are out of focus, i’d rather adjust the tonality of the non-leaf portions. notice in the image below, the red square around the picker in the hsl (now the b & w) panel. if i click on that circle, place the cursor over the item i’d like the tones to change, (the out-of-focus background area) click the mouse and drag up, i’ll brighten the tones. on the other hand, if i click the area i’d like to change tonally, and drag the mouse down, that area will darken. you will see that multiple color items in the b and w panel have changed.

below is the image and the resultant b & w panel after lightening the background using the above method.

as you can see, the leaves, at least the primary leave which is the subject of this image now contrasts a bit better with the background. the resultant b & w panel with the adjusted color levels is shown below.

i like the above image, but i’d like to see what it looks like when the background is darker than the original. so here is the darkened background image shown below:

and its corresponding b & w panel with the updated adjustments:

i actually prefer this version, however you’ll notice the stems were also affected with the tonal changes, making them look a bit unnatural. remember that these adjustments are global so any yellows and greens will be affected throughout the image when the yellow or green slider is modified. you may want to tone down the changes so as not to impact portions of the image you don’t want adjusted, or you might want to use alternative methods other than the b & w panel. (perhaps photoshop with masks, localized brushes to dodge/burn, increase contrast, etc)

in my last post, i discussed contrast in general, its purpose and my contrast preferences in photography. in this post, I’ll go over one of my two favorite ways to increase contrast other than the tone curve or the contrast slider. first things first, i’ll be discussing filters in this post, but not graduated filters, infrared filters or neutral density filters. i’m not talking about the filters you physically place on your camera, between your camera’s sensor and the object you’re photographing, but rather software implementations of color filters that are added while processing.

what is a color filter? a color filter lightens colors that match the color filter while darkening any complementary colors - colors opposite the filter color on the color wheel. what the heck does that mean? let’s say i’m using a red filter on my image. the reds in the image will now be lighter than without the filter. what about the complementary colors that are supposedly darkened? well, looking at a color wheel, we see green is opposite red on the color wheel - meaning greens will be darker when using a red filter. but notice also that red-orange and orange and red-violet and violet are close to red! so these colors also will be somewhat lightened with a red filter. and blue-green and blue and yellow-green and yellow are close to green! so these will be somewhat darkened with a red filter. apply the same concept to any other filter - yellow, green, blue or orange and you’ll see the colors that are lightened and the colors that will be darkened by your filter. (and if you don’t have a color wheel - now’s a good time and this is a good excuse to purchase one, or at least bookmark a good one online. color theory is your friend in photography and this color wheel will come into play in a number of other areas in your post processing journeys)

some of you may be wondering why on earth we’re talking about color filters when discussing black and white photography, and how on earth lightening some colors and darkening others has an effect on a black and white image. well, the masters of old black and white film used color filters when making their images. as a matter of fact, ansel adams’ son michael, said that ansel adams decided to become a professional photographer after switching his filter from yellow to red while photographing half dome. keep in mind it doesn’t matter if you’re shooting black and white film where the resulting image is in black and white, or color digital where you later convert the image to black and white - the concept is the same! the color of the filter, as seen by the black and white film, (or digital sensor) will be lighter and the complementary colors as seen by the black and white film (or digital sensor) will be darker.

let’s take a look at an example. below, you can see the original color image as well as the image as processed in black and white with no additional processing in nik collection silver efex pro. following those two images are the black and white images in the nik collection silver efex pro with the following filters applied at seventy-five percent: red, orange, yellow, green and blue

which image above do you prefer? why? which shows the most contrast? is the image with the most contrast your favorite? i prefer the red filter - it provides a bit more contrast and the most natural look for me. the orange filter displays a bit more drama in the buttes with higher contrast but the shadows are too dark for my liking. the yellow is even more so dramatic and too dark in the shadows. the green filter darkens everything too much overall, actually lessening the contrast within the subject,

in general, i find the green filters are typically the most natural for the images i take, but i often prefer red, orange or yellow to some degree depending on the image. it may be the fact that blue skies are darkened with each of these filters which i tend to prefer. i rarely ever use the blue filter unless i’m really going for an artistic look for a particular image - it’s just not something that usually agrees with my images stylistically.

oftentimes, depending on the software you’re using to process your images, you can increase or decrease the percentage of the filter’s effect. in silver efex pro, i’m able to adjust the tone of the color being filtered as well as the percentage of the filter applied, and i can use both those settings to fine tune the filter and the contrast i’m looking to achieve. make your filter choice based on the subject(s) in your image you’re trying to make pop. try numerous filters to see which gives you the best image. don’t be afraid to mix and match with layers in something like photoshop or capture one.

while i can’t go into detail about each piece of software out there to provide ways to use filters in your black and white images, i will delve into those i’m most familiar with: silver efex pro from the nik collection and photoshop. it is possible to produce filter-like images with lightroom using the color sliders after converting to black and white - but adjustment of the color sliders is something i’ll discuss in the next blog post.

in silver efex pro, there’s a “color filter” section - the third item down in the adjustment panel. it has a number of colored circles as well as hue and strength in the details portion. the first circle is no filter, the next is red, next is orange, next is yellow, next is green and the final is blue for those that aren’t the best at seeing colors. don’t forget to modify the hue and strength to fine tune your filter!

in photoshop there are probably about a thousand ways to do anything, but the way i’ve used the filters is add a photo filter layer, then select the layer you want: red, orange, yellow, green, cyan, blue, violet, etc. you also have the option to select your color outright in the color picker. you can add multiple photo filter layers if you want or warming filters or cooling filters. then add a black and white layer on top of that, go back and fine tune your photo filter layers. experiment with preserving luminosity or not to get the final image contrast you’re looking for.

finally, some things to keep in mind when using color filters on black and white conversions. first, the color filters won’t improve contrast if your image is already lacking in color or converted to black and white. this is only going to work when you start out with a color image and an image that has a decent amount of colors and complementary colors. (opposites on the color wheel) second, look for the areas you want to stand out in your image, and determine the colors of your subject and immediately surrounding it. if your subject is the yellow light of the sun on a mountain surrounded by a blue sky - you likely want a yellow or blue filter. choose your filter so that it enhances your subject(s), not the rest of your image. by increasing contrast and darkening areas that weren’t previously darkened - you may find your sensor needs cleaning, and that you missed some sensor dust spots once you’ve added the filter. be sure to go through your image zoomed in, once again looking for sensor dust spots or dust. finally, and related to that, you may now find areas where your processing is a bit too precise and needs to be feathered, so look for that as well. if you discover it, it’s best to just go back to the color image and modify it there and get it right rather than trying with the black and white image. i’m speaking from experience. ;)

contrast in images is an interesting phenomenon. it can make an image feel harsh, it can make an image feel lush and soft, it can calm the viewers emotions or put them on edge. and it also makes an image “pop.”

increasing contrast is making the lighter portions of the image lighter and the darker portions of the image darker. decreasing contrast does the opposite and brings the lighter portions darker and darker portions lighter. notice, this is not the same as adjusting the white point and black points - that is taking the point that a pixel is pure white (no detail) and making it brighter or darker. (or pure black with no detail) contrast merely takes the darker or lighter areas and adjusts their luminance. (how light or dark they are)

i’m going to start with an example of contrast in both a color image and a black and white image. so first things first, this image of a waterfall in the indian peaks wilderness area in colorado has been processed as the best possible color image to represent how i saw it.

here’s the same image with a much stronger contrast

there comes a point with contrast, where it becomes too much. the darkness or lightness of the colors due to the increased contrast become unnatural looking in a color image. for me, that point is as shown in the image below, with the tone curve below it. notice how much darker the rocks are and the difference between the whites of the water and darkness of the rocks feels unnatural. also, the color has started to change in the red rocks.

yet, if we take that same image with that same tone curve for a high contrast image, and convert it to black and white in lightroom, we’re left with the image below. and that image does not look overly unnatural to my eyes.

as contrast increases in color images, the colors begin to morph into different colors rather than just lighter or darker versions of the color. at that point, leaves are no longer the color of a leaf we’ve ever seen, or in this case rocks no longer look like rocks we’ve seen. but black and white can handle those higher contrast scenarios because we don’t typically see in grayscale. every tone and luminance value is translated to a shade of gray, and since we don’t see in shades of gray, it doesn’t look unnatural. in essence, we have more liberty to increase contrasts in black and white images before being called out for “over processing” or “overcooking” our images.

now that we have some basics on what contrast is, how it effects images - both color and black and white, how do we get contrast into our images? there are three primary ways i get contrast into my images: contrast slider(s), tone curve(s) and color filters. i rarely ever use the contrast slider(s) in lightroom, although i will use both the amplify whites and blacks as well as the soft contrast in silver efx pro. (part of the nix collection and my primary conversion tool for black and whites) i prefer however using the tone curve(s) because i can better define which points in the luminance and color spectrums i want to fine tune the contrast. and finally, i absolutely love using color filters as a method of increasing (or decreasing) contrast where i want it. (or don’t want it) i’ll dig into color filters in my next blog post.