"Alone in Patoka"
(Patoka, Indiana)
I like to think I was channeling Andrew Wyeth, just a smidge, when I edited this photo. 😁
@see_the_sus
Wow, that's gorgeous! 😍 😎 I love how you brought out the intensity, without losing the subtlety.
Ansel Adams always said the darkroom work is half the work, and I think the photo editor is the modern equivalent.
Grazie 😊
I wish I could have found out what the store had once been but there was nobody around to ask.
I agree with Adams that the image-making process doesn't stop when the photo is taken. Hell, when shooting film, the image can be altered during the development phase.
😂 *ahem* You're talking to one of those who disparage digital photography.
Well, not quite as much as I once did but it still vexes me. In large part, my Dyscalulia creates a lot of difficulty in learning how to edit on the computer. I've been using Photoshop since '05 & it often takes me hours to use simple tools: sharpen, clone, etc. I understand grain. I don't understand pixels. I work best when I can touch the object; adjust the darkroom gear, see the image appear on the paper.
@see_the_sus
Whoops! 🤦♂️ 😂 Well, digital only attempts to reproduce what film gave us. 🤣
Gotta admit I was a film puritan for a long time, and part of me still is. Knowing the difference between what you get with Fujichrome vs Kodachrome, for example, was all part of the art. And I do miss the smell of the darkroom chemicals.
Gaaawwwd I miss the smell of the darkroom!! When I was in college I'd spend hours working, sometimes even eating; one hand swishing a print around in fixer, the other noshing on an apple. Which, yeah, was a pretty dumbass thing to do. 😂 
Shooting with a film camera requires me to be aware of how many frames I'm popping off, mainly 'cause I can't afford to buy copious amounts of film. But it forces you to pay attention, be present. Digital is too easy to delete & move on.
@see_the_sus
I know what you mean! When I first got into digital, it was really liberating. I could finally shoot freely and experiment, without the cost of film and development. But after a while I realized it does lead to a certain sloppy attitude. Suddenly each shot is less important, you don't focus on perfection. Now I try to slow down and channel a little Annie Leibovitz. 😉
Soooo, when are we going to get to see your shots?
@see_the_sus
That's what I don't get about some peoples' attitudes toward digital photography. Darkroom work, filters, even the film itself all affected the image. The only difference I see with digital is that I don't have to change film for different lighting conditions.
And yeah, I'd love to know the history of that store!