We are all aware of the challenges that this COVID-19 poses.  If you are over 60 or have any health issues, then you are just that more fearful.  

So what have you been doing with your time?

I have gone back to black and white school.   I missed it greatly and the more images that I have of late worked on of late as black and whites, the happier I have been.   Yet, I am overwhelmed with the number of ways that one can process an image.  From the myriad of Photoshop tricks to the endless number of plugins that some of us have bought and maintained over the years.  

One photographer who I know (though have never met) is Cole Thompson. I have enjoyed Cole's images for a good number of years now, and have written him letters to discuss both his creativity and vision as well as technical issues. Cole keeps it smart and keeps it simple.  He converts his images to black and white in a basic way and then dodges and burns with a Pen and Wacom tablet.  His results, as you can see on his site, are stunning.  However, you can have the most perfectly exposed and perfected photo and it can end up saying nothing.  Cole's work always seems to have a message and always seems to have meaning.     

So this is what this post is getting at.  While we were in Bulgaria we went into the mountains outside of Devin.  A very light snow had fallen at the altitude where we were but a more significant dusting covered the higher peaks.  I loved how the snow streaks flowed down the mountains.  When I showed Eva the RAW file on the computer.  she shrugged her shoulders.   However, I felt that there was something here, something that brought back the memory of the mist and quiet as well as wind and cold.   It took some time, but after a huge crop to the sky (sorry sky), I saw what I had been looking for.  I ended up doing a great deal of dodging and burning and took out distracting elements.  

When I saw the image on the screen, it made me feel good.  Made me happy.  Made me think of that walk and my excitement when I saw the clouds wrapping themselves around the mountain; changing shapes in the winds that at our altitude were so strong.   I showed the image to Eva on my screen with great excitement.  She shrugged.  I love photography!