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Tradition?

Seek more creative and unique imagery and break free from the past

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Winter, Yosemite Valley, California

I’m including two of my efforts here to share with you. The broader, more classic view was created from three vertical frames using Photomerge in Photoshop CS4. I have photographed here before, but never found the same excellent conditions! Also, I think that the panorama format is important to this image.

The tighter view, from the same location, was made using Photomatix with four different exposures. I made these images with my Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III, and this image probably could have been created with one exposure, given the high image quality. However, it would have taken a good deal of “pushing” and “pulling” in postprocessing to reveal the same highlight detail and clean, open shadows seen in the HDR version. I feel that the tonal gradations are smoother, and the blacks have less noise. This will be hard to appreciate in a small magazine reproduction, but it makes a big difference in a large print. In terms of its composition, I found a way to push past the classic framing while still portraying the scope of the view and the essence of the moment.

I think it’s vital for photographers to spend much time and energy seeking out more creative and unique imagery. Even still, when visiting a place like Yosemite, I see no need to close one’s eyes to the classic views. On that winter day in the great Valley, I tried many options, including traditional ones. These two show two similar images, from the same spot. The wider, more traditional image is one I like very much and, in fact, I published a poster of it! But the tighter-framed image shows that, with a little push beyond the obvious, we can expand our options, and our vision!

To learn about William Neill’s new ebooks, Impressions of Light and Landscapes of the Spirit, visit his photoblog or sign up for newsletter updates on his courses with BetterPhoto.com, go to www.williamneill.com.

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