Mark Goodhew uses computer software to enhance and manipulate nature photography, creating vividly colored and highly contrasting imagery. Visit his website to view more of his work.
“River Rock” Digital Photography, 24” x 36”
I have been a nature photographer since I studied graphic design and art in college. I would spend a day shooting pictures with film and another day in a darkroom seeing what I captured.
“Autumn Sunset Ride” Digital Photography, 40” x 21”
Digital photography has opened new ways to shoot photographs and manipulate and enhance the imagery. I enjoy exploring the technology and the new ways it allows me to present the images I shoot.
“Autumn Blue” Digital Photography, 27” x 48”
These photo software tools allow me to enhance colors, heighten contrasts and create my “Photo Paintings” as I refer to them. When I look at the images I photograph, I picture them as paintings on a canvas. Nature is so gracious in giving me many wonderful landscapes, waterscapes and imagery to choose from.
“Morro Bay, CA” Digital Photography, 24” x 36”
The natural beauty of the outdoors is my studio for so many of my “Photo Paintings.”
“Olin Lake Island Abstract” Digital Photography, 40” x 25”
I would say that most of my photography leans more toward “Impressionism” in style versus photorealistic, but there are those times where nature presents itself in such a beautiful way, that you simply capture the moment without much manipulation.
On Left: “Dirty Window Light” Digital Photography, 25” x 36”, On Right: “Dirty Window Light” in situ.
Most of my work needs to be viewed from a distance to see the “Photo Painting” imagery I am referring to. In “Dirty Window Light” a dirty window reflects a prism of colors like paint on a canvas. When seen in situ, it looks less like a photo and more like an impressionistic or abstract painting, but you can still feel the presence of nature and where it came from.
On Left: “Storm Cloud Abstract” Original photo, On Right: “Storm Cloud Abstract” Digital Photography, 28” x 40”
Capturing an interesting photo is only the beginning of my process. When I take a photograph I see something there, but do not realize its potential until I am able to manipulate it in computer software. Some of my post picture images appear to be gray without much color, but there is color there, captured by the camera. It just needs to be enhanced, brought out with computer software. An example of this is “Storm Cloud Abstract.” On the left is the original photo, which appears as a black and white. On the right is the finished image I created by cropping and using the computer software.
“Fall Trees on Muskegon River Morning” Digital Photography, 36” x 24”
I sometimes use a technique of layering portions of the same photo on top of each other, manipulating and enhancing the image using the software effects. In “Fall Trees on Muskegon River Morning” my camera and photo software programs become the medium I use, like a painter uses brushes and paints.
Left: “Water Colors” original photograph showing cropped area used for finished image. Right: “Water Colors” Digital Photography, 36” x 24”
Lately, I’ve been further exploring another type of abstract photography. I look at smaller areas of my photographs and crop and combine those areas to create a unique abstract design. In “Water Colors,” I have cropped out a portion of the water and layered and enhanced the image using computer software, to create an abstracted image filled with sharp contrasts and color.
“Blue Sky” Digital Photography, 36” x 24”
Digital photography is a new kind of medium I am continually exploring and learning about every day.
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