ABSTRACT

This chapter explores the science of making good photographs even more memorable. It discovers how to add drama to photographer's landscape images using the ‘Fingers of God’ tool. Clear blue skies are great for holidays on the beach but the best natural lighting for photography is provided by broken or filtered sunlight through partial cloud cover. The most memorable of all lighting is when shafts of light break through the clouds. Finding partial cloud cover when the sun is low is relatively easy; being present when shafts of light flood photographers selected vista, however, can be an elusive and rare event. This final ingredient requires patience, persistence and good fortune – or a good helping of postproduction editing courtesy of Photoshop Elements. The aim of editing the gradient is to make the stripes irregular widths with soft edges to emulate the nature of shafts of light.