ARNOLD JOHN KAPLAN PHOTO SCENIC OF THE MONTH - DECEMBER

[Andy]

90 plus year young, Arnold traveled to Vermont for a week in October. I had to laugh when he sent me his 2009 shot of Waits River. I have made two trips there to get that shot with nice, full, colorful foliage in the background. Not much luck.

Maybe God has simply reserved this one for you, Arnold

Here is Arnold's most recent personal "take" on his own "WAITS RIVER PHOTO SCENIC"

[Andy]

ARNOLD'S NARRATIVE:

Description:
This scene is known as a perfect composition when takeen from the right angle. It consists of a very small village along the main highway (Route 25). There is a small road off the main highway which makes a leading lineup to the white church and barns for the famous composition but you can find other angles if you look around. The best time of day to shoot this scene is from morning to early afternoon with the sun on the front of the church and barns.



Directions:
Located approximately 12 miles west of Bradford, Vt., on Route 25 West from either Route 91 or Route 5.Stop in front of the Waits River church on Route 25. Just oposite the church, there is a small road going down a hill. Drive or walk down beyond the bottom of the hill. Look back and you will see the famous Waits River scene.. Then drive or walk up the remainder of the hill for a different angles of the road and thru the trees.



Problem:
There is one big problem with this beautiful scene today. The telephone company was not notified that it was an Iconic Vermont photo scene and they have installed a couple of telephone poles and several wires in the sky area of the scene. However, if you take the time you can easily clone out the poles and wires. The photo of this scene here, originally had the poles and wires in it.

[Andy]

And I (wouldn't you know??) just had to add my own comment:

The original iconic scenic was more "rustic." Since Arnold first captured this image, The house in the background on the right has had its original roof (with its weathered "patina") redone with a bright green standing seam metal roof. Ugh!! (sorry, homeowner, I am sure you proudly picked it ). The bridge rails were recently re-done, which means they need a couple years to weather. And power lines and gas stubs are everywhere. I know--from my own personal experience--that a significant amount of photoshop clone and cleanup work is necessary to make this photo look as it does here.

Which begs some questions. As a photographer, how much post-processing are you willing to do -- or do you want to do?

And, where is the line drawn between perjorative "manipulation" and just post processing to make the photograph presentable? I know where I stand. You can see that I have done just as much "work" cleaning up on MY Waits River IMAGE.

Thanks for this month's image, Arnold!

[abby]

Thanks for sharing your latest Waits River shot Arnold. You had a nice blue sky day to photograph this scene. It's interesting to see other photographers shots of the scene. Unfortunately, the day I was there was a showery overcast day. As you can see in my photo, I have also done a lot of cloning out the wires and the STOP sign. This was probably the biggest job that I have ever done cloning out distracting objects.



To answer Andy's question about photo manipulation, I think if it's going to enhance the overall image, I don't have a problem cleaning up any distractions to make the image more pleasing. I know others have a problem doing this, and think the scene should be kept "as is".

I enjoy every apsect there is about photography. I enjoy being "out there" finding and taking the photographs, and I enjoy processing them almost as much as taking them. I get so much joy taking a "good" image and doing a few minor adjustments (ie: levels, curves etc) and seeing the image "pop" right before my eyes.

I recently learned how to do layers/layers mask (Thanks again Al) and it's a lot of fun, and I also recenly purchased Viveza which is a total blast. So, to answer Andy's other question, "Hoiw much post-processing are you willing to do or want to do?"..........my answer is as much as it takes. I really enjoy it, and for me, it's not a chore but yet another enjoyable part of the whole photographic process. I'm looking forward to learning even more!
Carol

[faxmachineanthem]

You did a great job cloning there abby. I can't see where you did the work. Sometimes cloning is so easy, and sometime nearly impossible! It's all about the background.

[abby]

You did a great job cloning there abby. I can't see where you did the work. Sometimes cloning is so easy, and sometime nearly impossible! It's all about the background.

Thanks FAX. Well, at this size you can't tell, but there are a few flaws, especiallly around the church. I spent about two hours working on that photo if I remember correctly.
You're right about the background being important when cloning. It does make a big difference. I was just working on a few photos that I took today and cloned out a few signs........I don't think anyone would be able to tell.
Carol

[Andy]

Carol: I am not surprised you spent 2 hours. I probably spent at least that long on my own. This shot has lots of distracting, man-made elements and they are all "fiddly." In my shot, there was an orange gas pipe vent in the foreground, power lines (they may have been the most difficult), the stop sign, an open door on the barn of the left with some modern toys showing, some new wood on the big barn, and the new roof of the white house. There was also a temporary electric fence with those yellow screw on insulators on metal posts. Heck, it probably would have been easier to clone out the church and barns

Nice, intimate "take" on the scene, Carol.