Spirit of Mongolia
Mongolia 2014
As I told you in an earlier post, I have hundreds of photos of this woman whom Jim Zuckerman hired for a highlight photo shoot. Despite our group being the most polite group of photographers I’d ever been part of, I had to quell the feeling that I was missing out on the best angles and viewpoints. But, dear reader, let me put your mind to rest for the day when you, too, are in group of photographers: You will have many perfect shots if you just keep shooting. Your viewpoint might just the perfect viewpoint. You won’t know until you are back at home in front of your computer.
I can’t tell you how much I like this shot. Here’s why: it’s sharp, her expression is lovely, the viewpoint makes the most of her, her costume, the sky and the endless grasslands of Mongolia. But, I’m never satisfied. I have to make it mine. And I do that in Photoshop. I added luminance to the reds in her costume. I deepened the blue of the sky. I removed any red tint from the grass and I added clarity to her eyes, lips and nostrils. To my eye, she has become more queenly, might I say spiritual. She reminds me of a deity: the essence of Mongolia.
I will show you other variations of the photo shoot tomorrow and the next day. You will see what a difference angle, viewpoint and Photoshop can make to shots that at first glance seem identical.