How (and Why!) I Process my Images: Confessions of a Digital Manipulator
By: Steve Zigler
Photography has always been a journey for me. Whether it is in the literal form of a trip to a new location, learning a new processing technique, or doing something as simple as printing on a new paper, photography is always a discovery process.
Some of my most significant photographic journeys began with simple questions. The journeys toward the answers have taken me in many unexpected directions and yielded some surprising revelations. I’ve studied topics ranging from how we perceive images to how we can edit them. I’ve gone down more rabbit holes than I can count, but eventually some concepts came together that ultimately changed my entire approach to photography. In short, I began to learn to create original, self-expressive images. As a result, I can confidently say that I’m happier with my photography now than ever before. And that’s saying a lot coming from an OCD perfectionist control freak!
Of course, learning is a never-ending process and I’m still at it. However, I’m at a point now where I can share my journey and I’m looking forward to doing that during my program, which I have entitled “Confessions of a Digital Manipulator.” I believe Ansel would be proud of me.
While we’re together, I’ll consider three simple questions:
1. Is it OK to process my images?
2. Why do some images work?
3. How can I make original images?
I hope you find some meaningful tidbits that will help you during your personal photographic journeys, regardless of whether you’re a digital manipulator or not!
Bio for Steve Zigler
Steve Zigler has never been a professional photographer and rarely sells a photograph. Instead, Steve makes his living as a chemist at Siemens PETNET Solutions in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he helps develop and commercialize radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic PET scans. Steve thrives on the combination of art and science that creates a photographic image, but he promises not to use the word “photon” anywhere in this program. He travels extensively, focusing on amazing landscapes wherever he can find them in east Tennessee, the US, and across the globe. His simple mission is to touch the hearts and minds of people around the world through photography to help them connect with themselves, the planet, and the universe. When he’s not in the field with his camera, behind a computer processing images, or planning his next trip, Steve shares his infectious enthusiasm for photography through educational programs at the University of Tennessee, the Tremont Institute, and as a photography evangelist.
You can learn more about Steve and view his work at his website (www.stevezigler.com) which is in serious need of an update. Also, check him out on Facebook, Instagram, and his blog at https://stevezigler.wordpress.com.