Traci Arney Photography

“You don’t take a photograph, you make it.” - Ansel Adams

What goes into making a photograph is a ever-changing formula that starts with the original composition but then must be manipulated to really bring out the artist’s original vision.  In the example below, I took a series of images of The Boy throwing the caber (always with help) at the Scottish Highlands Festival .  I was compelled by his body language and stance in this particular image but found the crowd around him very distracting.  After I removed the people and the cars in the background, I felt the image needed more brooding drama so I brought out the sky and emphasized the stormy clouds.  One of the benefits of shooting in RAW is that the camera is actually registering more information than you can see.  The result is a dramatic and hopefully compelling image that I adore.

Of course, not all images require such extensive manipulation but every image can be improved by working with it.  Just as in the days when all images were printed in a darkroom, the hand of the artist can and should greatly improve the final print.  In the example below, the exposures are practically the same but there are subtle changes that help to emphasize  the main subjects, the bride and the light.  These small changes, removing a distracting pole and part of a person, brightening the bride, and slightly changing the color of the image help focus the attention onto the bride.

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