After getting requests for more photographs from the wedding at Leaping Deer Ranch near Sapello, New Mexico two weeks ago, I decided to do an "encore" blog.  I have also been working with the "new to me" photo editing software "Luminar 4", learning my way around it and the features it offers. That, along with putting together a Blurb book of wedding photographs and using their updated software, my brain felt like it was in another galaxy.  But because of the work, I am much more comfortable with the software and am anxious to put together another book and experiment more with my current photographs.

You have read these words before from me, but they are worth repeating.  I have always felt that the best thing a photographer can do is to take a good photograph that needs no more adjustment than what could be done in a darkroom - cropping, dodging, burning, applying a filter, etc.  It is a little like my friend, Lena, who gave me advice forty-five years ago about making flour tortillas.  Handle the dough as little as possible.  Put a bit of flour on the surface, pat it out or roll it one direction, then the other.  You are done.  That is how I feel about developing photographs, whether in the darkroom or digitally. However, I could not resist using some of the presets in Luminar, and make small adjustments within their structure.  The first portrait of the bride is in black and white.  

Below I used a wonderful preset called "film noir", with slight adjustments.

The next two photographs are of the groom in black and white and film noir.

The two of the bride were shot before noon and the covered porch area on which they were taken was filled with southeastern light. The two of the groom were taken in early afternoon on another covered porch facing northwest, producing notably different effects.

The couple, newly married.

I like this particular shot with the couple and the groom's father because it has a spontaneous feel to it.

A nice visual, post-ceremony

Thanks again, Jessica and Joseph for allowing me to share the images I shot at your wedding!

until next Monday,

DB

a passion for the image@