Sean Duggan Blog: And Now For Something Completely Different...

Mount Doom [Canon 5D]
August 6, 2007
(click in the larger to see it larger)

Flying home from New Mexico a couple of days ago under stormy skies, I remarked to my brother-in-law (visiting from Germany...his first trip to America) that the stark and desolate landscape below looked a bit like Mordor in Lord of the Rings. Of course, once that seed was planted in my mind, I had to follow it through to its logical conclusion...

Photographing out of plane windows is never ideal. Even if you get lucky and are seated next to a clean window that is not all scratched up, the lighting is frequently not the best and shooting through multiple layers of glass and plexiglass means the focus of the image is often not quite as sharp as you would like. But whenever I fly over the Southwest, I am invariably drawn to making images out the window. The landscapes are so vast and rugged and desolate than they compel me to record them. And since I know that a little bit of contrast boosting and other Photoshop techniques can go a long way, I am never deterred by flat or otherwise murky shooting conditions. I may not end up with a pristine aerial photo with great sharpness and rich color saturation, but I can capture some good source material from which I can make something else. Just as a potter can create beautiful ceramic art with a good lump of clay, or a woodworker can transform a simple piece of wood into a delicate carving, I often view the initial image as raw material for further creative explorations.

The original shot of this image was flat and lifeless, but all the elements were already there, waiting to be be transformed. I have included the original, unaltered shot below, followed by a version with a slight increase in contrast, just to illustrate how powerful contrast can be in rescuing a seemingly boring image.

The original raw capture of a New Mexico landscape.

The original raw capture after a slight increase in contrast.

I also used another photo in the same series for the cloud layer at the top of the final image:

Most of the interpretive transformations come from the conversion to black and white, as well as a significant increase in contrast and lots of selective dodging, burning and toning with adjustment layers. To really do an image of Mount Doom justice, however, one needs an impressive volcano. This was achieved by making a copy layer of just the mountain on the left and using Photoshop's transform command to change its shape and make it larger and taller. A layer mask was used to blend the volcano with the rest of the landscape. As a final touch, a plume of smoke was added to complete the photographic homage to the land of Mordor.

Images such as these are digital doodles for me. I love the challenges they present and I enjoy figuring out ways to create the image I have imagined. They are a good way to play in Photoshop, and often through playing around, you find new ways of doing things that can be applied to other images. The power of play in the creative process is significant and should be indulged whenever possible.

More New Mexico images (sans Middle Earth references) coming in the days ahead.

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Digital Photography Class this Weekend:

If you live near the San Francisco Bay Area, I'll be teaching a 2-day class called Real World Digital Photography at UCSC Extension in Cupertino this weekend (Aug. 11, 12). The first day covers essential digital photography concepts and working with your digital SLR. In the afternoon we go out to a nearby location to practice exposure techniques. The second day is spent in the digital lab going over essential digital darkroom skills for photographers. Click the class title to go to the class page at the UCSC Extension web site. There's still some room in this class.