spring trash the dress event

this is a picture that was taken at last sunday's spring trash the dress event, coordinated by melissa diep. i wasn't really happy with the original shot, i like to have an idea of what the picture is going to look like in my head, and then try and move lights and adjust things until i've created the picture in the camera. with this setup though, i never really had a chance. it was a clear sunny day, mid-afternoon, nothing to provide shade, hard bright sunlight...... everything i avoid when choosing a setting or location.

so i didn't like my shot straight out of camera. after taking a hard look at it, i decided i would do a joyce tennison type treatment, cut the subject out of the background and treat each one separately, and maybe do some extensive toning and darkening of the background.

i'd never tried anything like that before, and it was a bit tricky, but ultimately easier than i had expected it to be. just one mask to separate, and then a lot of tweaks to make it look the way i wanted it to. it was a more design-like process than anything else.... you add an element, see if it adds or detracts from the overall image, and then try another, ad nauseum.

so yeah, not my usual style, but that's part of the charm. i might start trying this approach on pictures that i have more initial control over, instead of letting this be a "save the picture" approach.