Adding Life to an Image.

There are times when the scene before you looks much better than the picture you just took.  Sometimes it is an issue of field of  view.  Other times your camera isn't able to capture the dynamic range of the scene as well as your eyes and brain can.  This scene looked flat and uninteresting straight from camera.

This is the merged HDR file.  You'll note the numerous dust spots in the sky.  I realized after this trip that my camera was in desperate need of a good cleaning.  Processing of the merged file consisted of cleaning up all the dust spots, minor straightening, and running through PixelBender's Oil Paint filter.

The oil paint filter is my go to when I'm looking for a more abstract look.  It has several sliders that are very useful in determining how you want the final image to look. 

I knew from the start that this would end up being more of a digital painting than a photograph.  The term digital painting is used very loosely when it comes to this because there are people with the talent to actually paint a scene like this instead of applying a filter.

With an abundance of dead space in the sky it felt like the perfect opportunity to add a poem or verse. Choosing Psalm 119:105 was obvious as the lighthouse provides guidance for ships.

By choosing to stray from reality a little I felt that punching up the colors wouldn't take away from the overall image. 

Technical data for this image. Nikon D700, 70-200mm f/2.8 @ 180mm, iso 200, median exposure 0.8 seconds @ f/14.0

The American Adventure

The American Adventure is a long-standing iconic attraction at EPCOT.  Add in the Voices of Liberty performance pre-show and you have a recipe for an incredible way to travel from founding to today.  The show itself is a combination of video and audio animatronics.  The music throughout fits perfectly with the different times and scenes.

Adding to my love of this attraction is the memories associated with it.  I grew up making trips to Disney World and we always made time to get there early and listen to the Voices of Liberty.  My Dad was especially fond of this attraction because of his great love for history and this country.  The final track, Golden Dream, was one of my Dad's favorite songs.  It has also become a favorite of mine.

I love how Disney has combined pivotal times in America's history with original dialogue to tell the story of the formation of our nation.

Washington and some of his men at Valley Forge.

The story of a family where the two brothers fight on opposite sides during the civil war. Another great song during this section (Two Brothers).

President Roosevelt at what would become Yosemite National Park.

Men discussing the hardships of the Great Depression.

The great Chief Joseph when he famously said he would fight no more.

Representation of Rosie the Riveter as women increasingly took over jobs previously held by men during WWII.

Benjamin Franklin and Mark Twain help bring the show to a close standing on the torch atop the Statue of Liberty.