Photography and Photo Editing

I’d Rather be Photographing

Maybe I’ll have a custom bumper sticker made.

President Theodore Roosevelt designated Devils Tower, Wyoming, America’s first national monument in 1906. I was unhappy with the quality of the light when I was there last week. This is a heavily edited photoillustration — All photos herein ©Charles G. Haacker, Author. All skies are authentic, not “canned.”

For comparison, this SOOC raw render shows the disappointing light, never mind the ugly fence.

Lauri Novak published the story below a while ago and inspired me to chime in because I very much do like her photos.

My audience doesn’t like my photos

I am one of those “floral, sunrise/sunset, and pretty scene photographers.” I don’t know if anybody likes my photos. Seriously, I kid you not. I don’t have much imagination or vision. I ain’t not no artiste. My stuff is mostly Wonder Bread™, but I like to kid myself that it’s toasted Wonder Bread™. I have a moderate readership, get a reasonable number of claps, and no one says they despise my stuff, but meh, I like my stuff, so there.

I have written that photography is life for me, all I have left at eighty-one and deteriorating. I would rather be photographing, but my health limits me more and more. Still, I went west with the family for a few days to visit some old haunts.

I flat-out love the act of doing photography. I am a photovore — a photographic omnivore. I will photograph nearly anything that crosses my line of sight. I am constantly interested and engaged. Everything excites me. Years of training and experience make it possible for me to photograph in situations that would have daunted me (to the point of putting the camera down) in analog days. I shamelessly love and tout digital. I have not exposed a single frame of film since 2006 and have zero desire to take it up again. Given my age, it’s mildly interesting that I am so committed to the latest tech. I’m lucky.

Devils Tower, Wyoming, USA. I am a documentarian, a photographer specializing in producing a factual record, yet editing for quality and impact.

Y’know, with me, it’s the craft.

I can’t describe the warm, fuzzy pleasure I get from deciding to photograph something — anything — and going through the steps, the process. I previsualize. I know how I will handle abysmal light in post. Post-processing is the vital, essential half of my picture. I grok the pure straight-out-of-camera folks; I just can’t agree with them.

The concept of previsualization in photography is where the photographer can see the final print before the image has been captured. Ansel Adams dedicates the beginning of his first book to previsualization, and is often quoted as saying, “Visualization is the single most important factor in photography.” — Graham Clark Photography

The act of photography alone is enough for it to never die. There’s a joy in the struggle and triumph of the taking and making of a photo. — Gareth Willey, Medium

Give your audience context: When posting images on social media, your own blog or sharing in other ways, you may need to add context. Many times it helps the viewer understand what you saw and why you were compelled to photograph it. — Lauri Novak, Medium

I am very good at adding context. Too good. I blather. I never shut up.

So, just how good is Photoshop’s new beta generative fill?

For example, Adobe just released an AI generative fill tool in beta. You need to have a subscription to get it, but surely Adobe’s competitors will quickly deliver theirs, and some will be free. I am astounded at what it can do and have only scratched its surface. By the ranger station, I liked this view but not the cars. I made the shot anyway, previsualizing how Photoshop Beta 2023's generative fill would (hopefully) seamlessly obliterate the cars. I am so utterly impressed that I can’t stop yapping about how awesome it is. Of course, we had content-aware fill, patch tools, clone stamping, and so on; this is frighteningly better. I have ethics and disclose. Some do not.

On the right side, an intrusive sign spoiled the scene. I could have moved or cropped, but I chose the composition I liked and let Photoshop AI generative fill (beta) seamlessly delete the sign. The app even completed the base of the tree and created the rock and grasses.

I wish I were ten years younger. I attempted the 1.5-mile (2.4 km) paved loop trail around the Tower, but I couldn’t get far with a rollator, so instead I looked for details. Bob (Walker) and I pulled off the trail and sat quietly, taking pictures of whatever I could see from my spot.
(EDIT: My son took a picture of Bob and me that I have added at the end. Bob is the red one.)

“Devils Tower remains a place of scientific study and public wonderment. We know that the Tower is formed of a rare igneous rock, phonolite porphyry, and is the largest example of columnar jointing in the world.” — National Park Service.

“Today, many tribes still utilize the park for traditional ceremonies. Visitors will observe prayer cloths and prayer bundles attached to trees around the park, especially along the Tower Trail. These represent a tangible connection which native peoples still maintain with this area.” — National Park Service

With a thunderstorm closing fast, I retraced my short route, stopping briefly to shoot this Western Tansy Mustard (Thanks, Google Lens!). I had to steady the tiny cluster from the rising wind with my left hand, but that lent it scale. I didn’t pick it; I shot it in situ, one-handed, with a 10mm extension tube.

📸As always, gratitude for looking in. I sincerely hope you enjoyed these pictures. 😊👍

Grampa’parazzo and Bob sit quietly at trailside sneaking pitchers. Photos by Matt Haacker with a Pixel 7.