The power of the digital darkroom

When I began my career, the photography world was on the brink of moving into the digital revolution. Film forced me to learn the technical aspects of my camera since I couldn't instantly see my results and errors cost lots of money. The disadvantage was the planning that was involved. I'm not one who enjoys the challenge of thinking ahead. After purchasing my first digital camera I quickly felt a positive impact. I was able to take ALL the photos I wanted plus decide later how I wanted "develop" them.

Since my passion for graphic design is a close second to photography, the digital darkroom became the ideal tool for my expression. I've come to love the production on my photos just as much as taking them. I can take one session and express a different mood with each photo. My vision is formulated from studying the colors, the emotion and the environment. The result is whatever I want it to be. That is powerful!

I recently photographed a few sessions at Crystal Cove. Since it was a beautiful evening I had a hard time stripping the photos of all the brilliant colors. Rather than converting the photos to black and white, I processed the photos in a vintage look by subduing the colors, and slightly blurring the image. I was able to achieve the same overall nostalgic feeling without losing the color.

Take risks and have fun with your photos on the computer. You'll be surprised by the great results.