The Raw file is just your Starting Point

I am fairly certain the majority of our members embrace the idea of the RAW file being a starting part- with editing being the essential component to bringing the file to life. I certainly embrace that belief, and this is NOT just a belief that came about in the digital realm.
Ansel Adams had a famous quote saying "The negative is the equivalent of the composer's score, and the print the performance." He would radically transform his negatives in the darkroom to match his artistic vision.

With this image from our recent Adventure Travel Group excursion to Monument Valley I was shooting the Sun's Eye with a flat raw profile. As I was culling my images at home I nearly deleted this file. But I had seen a great image Mike McGovern had shot from this location and decided to see if I could bring it to life. Here is the before and after.

Raw file versus finished image- The Sun’s Eye at Monument Valley

Through the selective use of masks, and adjustments to shadows, highlight, exposure, texture and vibrance the image is transformed into something that far better reflects what my eye saw and how the location made me feel. The full resolution image can be seen at https://flic.kr/p/2s8Radh‍ ‍

The Enchanted Lens Camera Club offers workshops throughout the year to aid our members in growing their editing skills. Check us out at https://enchantedlens.org or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/enchantedlens