I took nine photos at Nature Park in Rexburg, Idaho. My husband, who is in the Professional Imaging course, was able to give me some helpful tips for landscape and wildlife photography. Nature Park is a place that means a lot to both of us and I am continually in awe of how beautiful Rexburg can be when you take the time to look a little closer.
The subject (or constant) in these photos is the same body of water. To humanize the landscape, I photographed the bridge (photo 6) and my texture blend was where I completed a mask with dark clouds (photo 9). The biggest challenge for the added texture was to hide any light edges. I used the clone stamp in the water to remove any blue skies and desaturated the image. I was impressed with how well Photoshop could mask the tiny leaves on its own, but it was hard to make the image not look photoshopped. I think I did a good job as a beginner!
In fact, that is what this assignment taught me: to look a little closer. I crouched down and looked through bushes, bridges, and water reflections as if I was going to create an art piece. I realized that photography in itself is a form of art because it is a way to share a new perspective. I think this assignment taught me just how much I love landscape and wildlife photography. The perfectionist in me doesn’t love all of these pictures, but I think they are an important document of how my skills are progressing.
Above are the before and after of my photoshop processing, as well as the free image I used from Unsplash.com.
Isabelle Justice 