by Editor Michel Romaggi in collaboration with the author Roswitha Schleicher-Schwarz
Edited and published by Yvette Depaepe, the 14th of December 2022
 

 Roswitha, you have your very own style.  Each of your images wears your artistic and painterly signature.
Thanks for revealing us some more about your workflow.

You are using some interesting creative processes to modify some of your photos. What are you looking for and how do you choose them?

My personal goal is to create pictures with a painterly expression. I look at the raw images as a material I can use to convey what I felt and saw at the time I took the photograph. Reflecting on reality is not important to me. I would much rather elicit emotions in the viewer. My favourite part is finding new ways of processing raw images. Sometimes I can spend hours editing just one photograph and end up not using it in the end. But I don't mind. I consider it as practising if I'm not happy with the result. 

'service is coming soon'
 

Talking about 'service is coming soon', how did you make it?

This photo was taken in November 2022 during a short trip to Venice with my daughter.
I liked the scene, but I have an issue with photographing people without asking their permission and then publishing the photograph. Therefore I choose a way of editing that makes the people in the photograph unrecognizable.

The picture was taken in raw format and was processed in image and processed in Photoshop.

• First, I converted the image into a PSD file using the raw converter. By doing this, I removed strong contrasts from the image.
• Then, in Photoshop, I take out all the colours I don't need. In this case green, cyan, blue and magenta.
• Then I search for a yellow tone that I add to the colourless sky area on a new layer. I multiply this layer and reduce the opacity until I feel the effect is right. I merge the two layers into one layer.
• I duplicate this layer and use the scaling via transform. I use 101%. I set the opacity to 30%. Offsetting remains at "normal". I do this process four  more times, always using the version previously enlarged to 101%.
• Then I duplicate the lowest layer and scale it to 110%, opacity to 30% and normal offset.
• I move all 6 scaled layers to the baseline and move the layers 3 steps to the right or to the left.
• I cut the scaled planes to the size of the image.
• I create another copy of the bottom layer and use the filter:I set the horizon line to the upper edge of the sunshades and move the centre to the left, to the height of the waiter. I set this layer to approx. 40 % opacity with normal adjustment.
• I copy the bottom layer one more time and move it to the top layer with an opacity of approx. 40 % at normal offset.
• Finally, I use the Nik filter 'analogue' and create a subtle colour version with a slight grain.
• Then I merge all layers and save them as a JPG file with sharpening via Filter, Sharpening Filter, Selective Sharpener at 200 %, Radius 1 px.

Can you tell us how you came to photography?

I put down my paintbrushes and picked up a camera for the first time in 2006. I had no training in photography and just learned by doing. However, it was never my intention to become a professional or amateur photographer. Additionally, I also became a self-taught digital image editor. 

'Koenigsplatz'

'Advent season'