EDIT

Color grading is a fascinating process in film production that gives raw footage the cinematic look making the film color feel warm & fuzzy. This can also be applied to still images. Click on the buttons below to watch videos about color grading and then see how I've applied it to my images.

SELECTIVE COLOR

Using selective color is an effective way to add focus & drama to an image, helping to make the subject "POP!" See examples below.

TURN THE ORDINARY INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY

In the first 4 examples below, I captured a dragonfly on a tree root. The background was blah. So, I used the background of the butterfly image as a backdrop for the dragonfly in the final piece. In the end, what matters is your vision and the interest it draws in your viewer, not the technical process. The next 2 images are before & after of a piece of steel partially in the sea water at a dock in New England. I was hooked when I saw the potential of the orange rust meeting the green algae. An overlooked scene for sure but a nice image for someone looking for these colors in their living space. The next image is the exterior of the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas designed by the amazingly talented architect Frank Gehry. It's a mind-boggling structure. The individual shots I took were nice but not very interesting by themselves so I created a collage, carefully aranging the images to flow throughout the poster. Old Car City is a fun place to shoot. Another poster was made from many visits. Cargo tankers to me are like barns of the sea. Old, rustic, worn by the harsh elements. An ideal subject for interesting colors & patterns. The 3rd image of the red & orange tanker was made with the app RollWorld. The vodka image will make your viewers thirsty and is a colorful addition to a bar area. The doorknob at the Ausin, Texas State Capital is an interesting detail in itself, often overlooked.

OUTPUT

There are so many printing possibilities these days. Step out of your comfort zone and see how beautiful your work is when you print on aluminum & True-Life Acrylic on fujiflex paper. If you print on canvas, consider adding a float frame. I think of a canvas print like a business suit and when it's float-framed, it steps it up to a tuxedo. Fine art papers are the more traditional output media but I prefer the aluminum & acrylic media because it sets your work apart from the crowd. Printing on aluminum & acrylic also leaves you with a larger print. For example, if your wall space is limited to a 24x36" sized print, an aluminum or acrylic print will give you an IMAGE SIZE of 24x36". Yes, it is a little more expensive but so matting & framing. And, you end up with a much smaller image when printing on paper due to the diminsions of the frame & mat.

Below is a macro image of a car's patina at Old Car City. I liked the colors & textures so I created 2 vertical 24x36" crops from the main image. Printed on fujiflex paper and face mounted to True-Life Acrylic (nearly no reflection), it was hung as a diptych.