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The making of 'APART' by Bonciu Toma

Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 11th of December 2024

A creative edit inspired by deliberate camera movement singles out a special tree.

Canon 50D . Canon 24-105mm f/4L . f/8

I admit that the idea for the final image was not in my mind the moment I took the photo of the tree with yellow leaves. A few months after I took that shot, I started to experiment with intentional camera movement (ICM) during exposure, and it just so happened that I was back in a wooded location. After creating a few vertical movement photos, I began to wonder how it might look with a combination of motion blur and a clear, sharp subject. Unfortunately, it was the start of summer so the forest didn’t look all that appealing. Then I remembered the photo shoot from the same location (back in autumn), so I started to look for a photo that had the right composition and coloring to suit this type of effect. I chose this photo specifically for the pop of yellow in the tree.

The resulting image comes from one single shot in the forest. The initial photo is a straight shot (without camera movement) that I cropped a little to create a slightly panoramic effect, which helped draw attention to the subject. I didn't have my tripod with me the day I took this photo, and I soon realized that was a mistake: I continued to move deeper into the woods, and the mist and low light forced me to keep increasing my ISO setting. If I had had my tripod I might have used an aperture of f/16 and ISO 100 since there was no wind. There wasn't any special setup for this photo, it just happened. Walking through the forest, I found the yellow tree standing out in high contrast to everything surrounding it.

"My point here is that the simple image recorded by the camera is not enough to compensate for the moment I experienced back in the forest when I first saw this tree."

I believe that when you are in front of a scene, you not only see it, but you also focus your mind on a subject in a particular way, and you feel a range of emotions and have thoughts particular to you, as a result of who you are. Each person is different and each of us will experience a given location in a different way. My point here is that the simple image recorded by the camera is not enough to compensate for the moment I experienced back in the forest when I first saw this tree. Of course I could have retouched the original image, leaving out the blur; everyone would have known that the subject was the yellow tree. But I decided to go a few steps further to emphasize this special yellow tree. It is not only a chromatic contrast, but also the feeling I had that this tree in particular was in some way special, different and apart from all the rest, and not just in color and a higher light value.

So in the end the photo not only highlights the tree, but it also tries (and hopefully succeeds) to make you think beyond the plain reality of a simple tree in the forest. I’m sure your feelings and emotions upon seeing this image are completely different from mine, but if I managed to cause you, as a viewer, to experience more than just an image of a simple tree, then my goal was achieved.
I'm excited to go back into that forest as soon as autumn returns and brings another foggy day. Next time, I'll take a tripod!

Post Processing

All of my images are post-processed using Lightroom 3 and Photoshop CS3.

1) I use Lightroom 3 to open the RAW file and edit the exposure and noise in the image. It’s much easier to do this with a RAW file and I prefer doing it in Lightroom before exporting the JPEG for further processing in Photoshop. In this case I had to slightly increase Fill Light since the image was a little dark. In the Develop module, I also applied a Graduated Filter to the bottom part to increase the exposure a little. I then exported the image as a JPEG to Photoshop CS3.

2) I opened the JPEG, unlocked the background layer and made a copy of it. (In my post-processing workflow I like to merge all the modifications into one new layer, while keeping the rest intact. You do this by selecting all the layers and using the PC shortcut ALT+CTRL+E. If the original layer is locked, then the modifications are saved into that layer, which is not what I wanted.)

3) I duplicated the new, merged layer to apply a Motion Blur filter. If you need to use high filter values, the extremities (in the direction of the motion blur) will become a bit too transparent. For this reason it’s best to have an identical image in a layer beneath the one you're blurring to fill in the transparent gaps. The settings for the Motion Blur filter were Angle: 90 and Distance: 366 pixels. The distance you set depends on the resolution of the photo, so you’ll need to experiment to get the effect you want.

4) After applying the Motion Blur, I created a layer mask on the duplicated layer and painted where I wanted the yellow leaves to be visible, without blur. After this I sharpened my high resolution image using a simple method: duplicate the layer, set the new layer's blending mode to Overlay and apply Filter > Other > High Pass with a Radius of 2. I then merged all of the layers and continued working on the photo.

5) I applied three Photo Filter adjustment layers. The first one gave the fog a blue tone; I used a Cooling Filter (82) with 25% Density and painted on the layer mask to apply the blue tone only to the fog. Then I applied a Green Photo Filter with a Density of 32% and again painted on the layer mask to apply the green effect only to the top of the image. The third Photo Filter was Deep Yellow with a Density of 37%, and I painted on the layer mask to apply the effect to only the leaves of the yellow tree.

6) At this point, I needed to darken the rest of the image while keeping the tree and the upper portion of the image bright. To do this I applied several adjustment layers (Levels, Curves and Brightness/Contrast), and on each of them I painted on their layer masks to achieve the desired effect. In the end I applied another Curves adjustment layer to increase the contrast and the intensity of the light on the tree. In doing this I created a gentle blowing effect over the tree. The final step was to apply a Hue/Saturation adjustment layer to make the colors pop.

Tips

1) This kind of effect is more likely to be successful using forest images or any other environment that is mainly comprised of thin, vertical elements. This creates a more interesting effect when applying the Motion Blur filter. It also helps to have a chromatic contrast between the subject you want to emphasize and the rest of the surrounding scene.

2) Since the effect creates a dreamy/moody/fairytale kind of image, I think it works better in environments that we normally associate with stories, fairies or other magical creatures â€” places such as forests, plains, mountains, gardens, castle ruins and so on.

3) In the process of retouching the photo I used my Wacom tablet extensively, but you can achieve the same result with a mouse â€” you just need to be more careful and have more patience.

Biography

I'm from Romania. Photography began as a hobby back in 2005, and from that moment I’ve improved my skills and my understanding of light, composition, color and the ability to express emotions with my photos. My goal is to continue learning something new every day.

I have a passion for nature photography. I think that it has helped me look at mother nature in a different way and taught me how to better respect the surrounding environment. In addition to nature photography, I enjoy taking architectural photos, and I like to create interesting images that in many cases go beyond the simple and actual appearance of a place. I try to make the viewer go a step further than just look at the simple two-dimensional image they have in front of their eyes. If I manage to evoke an emotion in the heart or soul of the viewer, then my goal has been achieved.

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Konglingming - In pursuit of perfection

by Yvette Depaepe
Published the 9^th of December 2024

Konglingming excels in architectural photography. He constantly strives for perfection to enhance his passion for creation. As a professional who builds stairs, photographing them became his goal. He quotes: 'It is often said that architecture is solidified music. I think we should add another sentence: the spiral staircase is the violin in the orchestra, and its curve is the most beautiful curve in the world. Compared with other kinds of photography, architectural photography has great creative potential and can show the photographer's imagination and creativity. This is also the reason why people are fascinated.'
Discover more through this very interesting interview...

'In the conch'

First of all, please introduce yourself and tell us more about yourself, your hobbies and your relationship to photography!
Dear Yvette, thank you very much for inviting me to this interview. It is a great honour for me.
I am an architectural photographer based in Shanghai. After graduating from university, I worked in a government organisation. With the deepening of China's reform and opening up, I left my government job in 1991 and set up my own construction materials and engineering company. Like most photography enthusiasts, I took up photography after I retired and improved my photography skills through self-learning. My photography is my entertainment and enriches my life.

'Look up'

After retiring, I started learning photography while travelling to enrich my life. I wanted to capture the beautiful moments of my travels and fell in love with photography. I started learning photography to take better pictures. From then on, my hobby became a part of my life. Now photography is an important part of my life. After retirement, I started to learn photography while traveling to enrich my life. I wanted to record the beautiful moments of my travels, and I fell in love with photography. I started to learn photography to take better photos. From then on, my hobby became a part of my life. Now, photography is an important part of my life.

'Look Down'

What would you say is the most important experience that has influenced your steps in photography?
In 2018 I travelled to the United States. When I photographed the sunrise at Mesa Arch, I couldn't handle the high dynamic range of the sunrise very well. After that, I learned about exposure bracketing and realised that taking travel photos also requires certain photography skills. So I began my journey to learn photography. For about half a year, I started systematically learning about photography and PS technology, reading more than 50 photography books.

'Three Musketeers in Shanghai'

Could you please describe in a few words your philosophy as a photographer?
Striving for perfection is the key to my constant improvement and passion for creation. Just like climbing stairs, one step at a time, there is no end. John Fan (johnfan), a leading figure in the Chinese photography community, encouraged me to stay focused: "It's very hard to do just one thing well. I was a professional who built stairs, so I should take good photos of stairs. That became my goal.

'Shanghai Oriental Sports Center'

How do you maintain and develop your passion for photography?
Before a photographer picks up his camera, he has to ask himself two questions: What to shoot? How to shoot? These questions are inseparable. "What to shoot" focuses on aesthetics, interest and artistic concept. My philosophy of photography is influenced by the Eastern Confucian culture, focusing on subtlety and elegance.

'Think Deeply'

Why are you so attracted to architecture and abstract photography?
It is often said that architecture is solidified music. I think we should add another sentence: the spiral staircase is the violin in the orchestra, and its curve is the most beautiful curve in the world.
Compared with other kinds of photography, architectural photography has great creative potential and can show the photographer's imagination and creativity. This is also the reason why people are fascinated.

'Curve'

What is more important to you, the mood/story behind your images or the technical perfection?
Of course it is emotional. Technology is a means, not an end. Just like when we try to reach the other side of the water, technology is just the boat and the expression of emotion is the destination we want to reach.

'Swan'

What is your relationship to your subject in general, beyond being an observer?
My subject is my mirror, a mirror that belongs only to me. In the mirror, only I can see the light, the shadows and the space. This is the key to my own photographic style. Of course, it is difficult to find and present beauty in a chaotic environment.

'Spiral Staircase'

Do you prepare carefully the places you want to photograph?
I don't usually do much preparation, let alone planning. I just decide where to go with the map on my phone. I pay a lot of attention to the first impression of the object. I am always looking for new objects, which is the source of my creativity. After shooting, I look at the large images on the computer. If there are some details I am not happy with, I will re-shoot or wait to re-shoot when I have new inspiration.

'Shanghai Oriental Sports Center'

What gear do you use (camera, lenses, bag)?
I have a Nikon Z8 camera and a drone, a LAOWA 10-18 mm lens, and a Nikon 14-30mm 24-120mm 100-400mm lens. I usually use two wide-angle lenses to shoot ladders.

'Spiral Staircase'

What software do you use to process your images?
All my post-production work is done in Photoshop. I use very few plug-ins. I like to manipulate the image manually rather than letting software do it for me.

'Honeycomb'

Can you tell us more about your workflow?
I don't have a workflow, I just do whatever my heart desires at that moment. If I do the same photo twice, I won't get the same result.
Usually, when I start post-processing, I look at the original photo for a long time and think about how I can strengthen the idea I had when I took the photo. But I often run into situations where I can't realise my ideas or the effect isn't good.

'Glass Arch'

What is your main advice to a beginner in architecture and abstract photography and how do you get started?
I started learning photography from scratch, from travel photography to landscape photography and then to architectural photography.
The following four points are the most important in my learning process:
1. Master certain photographic skills and take as many beautiful photos as possible.
2. Use your imagination to create innovative images from unique perspectives.
3. Think constantly and you will inadvertently make good work full of emotion.
4. The concept of landscape photography is the same as that of architectural photography. If you are a landscape photographer, the knowledge and equipment you have will be sufficient to support you in architectural photography.

'Spiral Staircase'

What would be your favourite photo of the last few years? Please tell us the story behind it.
The one below is my favourite. Two years ago, my wife and I took our granddaughter to a children's play centre. When we saw this colourful staircase, we told her to go up. I took out my phone and took a picture of it. Now I have enlarged it and put it in a beautiful picture frame.

'Upward'

Who are your favourite photographers or mentors whose work has influenced you and your photography?
Chinese photographer Dr John Fan (johnfan) was my mentor. He gave me a lot of help and guidance when I first started learning photography. I also like the work of two Chinese photographers, Larry Deng (larry73) and Bingo Z (niditop). I must also mention my good friend Leah Xu (leahyu), who is also an excellent landscape photographer in the 1X family. Three years ago, while we were chatting, she reminded me that Shanghai has rich architectural resources and that I could try to photograph buildings. Her advice opened the door to my architectural photography.

'Eggshell'

We are almost at the end of this interview and I would like to ask you to tell us about your future plans or photographic projects you would like to be involved in.
It took me two years to photograph buildings and stairs in Shanghai, and I plan to spend the next three years photographing buildings and stairs all over China. Then I will publish a large and exquisite photo album to present my works in paper form. Of course, during this period, I will also go to different parts of the world to photograph some beautiful buildings and stairs.

'Double-Helix Staircase'

Is there anything else you would like to add and what do you think of 1X as a home base for your work?
1X.com is the best photography platform in the world. It is a great pleasure to share my work on this excellent and friendly platform. I am an architectural photographer who grew up with 1X and I am still trying to get better.

'Dome'

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joanaduenas PRO

Magnificent gallery, a pleasure to read all the explanations, thank you Ivette once again for searching and presenting these articles.