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My processing philosophy is to keep things as simple as possible. I want the least amount of technology between me and the image. I do this for two reasons: first, simple is always easier and second, simple means there’s less to go wrong.
I use six steps in Photoshop. Nothing else.
No plug-ins, no extra programs, no anything. I don’t even use layers! (don’t know how).
I’ve been meaning to ask, what is a good (and accurate) way to map colors to gray tones? I think I’ve seen a color wheel in gray scale in some of your presentations, but I cannot find anything like that. Any recommendations for those of us still learning to “see” in black and white? Hope you are well and really regretting not going on that trip to DV now.
Admit the truth: Harbinger #1 is your favorite photo (of that delightful series AND of all your photos…or, maybe I am confusing my viewpoint with yours?!). Care to comment?
I do use that grayscale color wheel in my presentation to show how different colors translate into shades of gray, but I only use it to illustrate that point. I never did use that in practice.
In practice, I simply use the back of the camera to see what the captured image looks like in black-and-white, and then in Photoshop I use the color sliders in the black and white conversion program to change the gray value if needed.
Or put more simply: I just shoot it and then tweak it to how I like it!
Hello Cole,
Nature is Art in itself, so when photographing a particular subject do you have a theme that you are looking for or while photographing do you see the image and build the theme or topic around that image?
Certainly Harbinger No. 1 is my favorite from that series. It also happens to be my first Harbinger.
However, I don’t think I would say that it’s my favorite of all my images. But the truth is that if you pressed me, I’m not sure I could say what my favorite is from all my images.
It would be like asking me which of my five children is my favorite.
But I might say that The Angel Gabriel is my favorite image, or at least my most meaningful image.
I generally see something that triggers an idea, excitement and Passion, and that causes me to pursue a series.
We were just talking about the Harbinger series, and it all started when I saw that first single cloud. After I photographed it the first word that popped into my mind was Harbinger: an omen of things to come.
That kicked off the series and sent me looking for single Harbinger clouds.
Never have I had an idea at home, thought about it, planned it out and then went out and executed it. I need to have a spark that lights a fire and gets me excited.
That’s how I got started on the Ceiling Lamp portfolio.
I was standing in the lobby of a hotel in Akron Ohio, waiting to check out, when I happened look up and saw thIs ceiling lamp that just fascinated me. I pushed the table out of the center of the lobby and laid on the floor and just looked at that lamp. I got excited and that was the beginning of the ceiling lamp series.
I must feel the Passion which propels me to do a series.
But that’s just me. Others work in the exact opposite way.
The best way to work is the way that works for you.
Hi Cole. I got myself in a bit of a rut with what to photograph. Went weeks without any inspiration then saw your Lone Man series and loved it. I would like to do something similar but slightly different in my local area. Is it acceptable to do this or should I just try and come up with a totally new project.
Hi Cole, long time follower. I’d like your recommendation for a Canon full frame camera, with a 24-105 lens. Economy is important this time around. I use to have a Mark II, which I loved. But alas, it’s out of my price range now.
Michael, I would say that 99% of the time when I am standing at a scene, I have a Vision of what I want to create. That Vision is my roadmap and everything I do after that, taking the shot and the post processing, is driven by that Vision. My goal is to produce an image that matches my Vision.
Do I ever experiment and just play around, Hoping to stumble upon something?
Yes.
But I don’t think I’ve ever had one of those images “work“ for me.
reading the topic to make sure nobody else has asked the same question first, before you ask. 
