Regal Raptor
The Arcanum’s Creation Wars last night (see yesterday’s blog post for more information) resulted in an excellent battle, with the lion image tying for second for Master Laurie Rubin’s Arcanum cohort.
The winner’s photograph was amazing and well-deserved for the top honors. It’s a conceptual image, and I was so impressed with the photographer’s imagination, vision and creativity, along with her artistic talents.
If you have a moment, here’s a link to Lucia Ferreira’s blog post with the winning photo as well as the process she used to create it. So amazing!
The Masters critiqued my lion image and offered some super suggestions on improving it, so I took some time last night to incorporate their changes. Their primary advice was to remove the cyan cast on the white areas of the lion’s face and to desaturate the overall photo slightly for a more realistic look. To emphasize the eyes, they also advised me to tone down the brighter areas of the lion’s mane.
Here’s the new and improved image:
The Look
Having my image front and center in the Creation Wars was a great learning experience. Hearing their comments on the other images was also incredibly educational, as there were a variety of images presented and critiqued, from landscape to architecture. It was refreshing to see that there were so many suggestions and viewpoints, and the Masters didn’t always agree!
While I watched the Creative Wars’ after show, I was so inspired that I re-edited a few images, including the raptor photo above. If I had to pick one aspect of my photography that’s improved the most since I began at The Arcanum, it’s in post-processing. In addition to the new tools I’ve discovered and learned to use, it’s the increased freedom to experiment and create that’s liberated my vision. I still have a long way to go, but that’s what The Arcanum is all about: enriching the creative journey.
If you are interested in watching The Creation Wars Show #3, it will be published later this week on Trey Ratcliff’s Youtube Channel.
Tricia Booker Photography 
I’m curious about your experience with the Arcanum. I looked at it a while back and it sounds like an interesting idea.
Hi David,
The Arcanum has been more than I expected. I was invited to be in the beta testing, and so I went into it knowing it would only improve as time went on, and I have to say it’s been an amazing experience even from the get-go. Meeting so many knowledgable Masters and like-minded fellow students has been great. If you are thinking of expanding your photography skills and networking with fellow photographers, this is the place to be. Feel free to email me if you have more specific questions!
Thanks, Tricia. I appreciate the response 🙂
Regal raptor – very impressive. I also like your tweaking of the lion with the eyes standing out more.
Thanks so much, David. Always great to get someone’s input and fresh eyes. Once the flaws were pointed out it was so easy to see them and make the fix. It’s all a learning process!
Both images are stellar portraits of majesty creatures.
Thank you, Sally!
Thanks for sharing your images and process. I love to hear your excitement in sharing what you are learning. I looked at the winning shot–very interesting creation. Hard to imagine melding so many photos into a one new creation. Loving realistic nature as I do, your shots are magnificent! Have a great holiday season.
Thank you, Patti. Yes, Lucia’s image was pretty amazing and the creative process she used was so cool. Thank you for the kudos on the animal images! I do enjoy learning how to improve the photos I take in post-processing, and the fact that these days you can do so much with software is fantastic. The learning never ends! Happy holidays to you, too!
The lion truly does take on a new persona with your editing AND congratulations on 2nd place. I clicked on the link last night but never found the live show. Your talent continues to amaze me!!!
Thank you, Lucinda! The show will be available on Youtube in the next several days once they get it edited. When it comes out I’ll send you a link. Hope you’re having a great holiday season with the family!
Hey Tricia! Loved your image of the lion, I’m obsessed with felines and I think you did a terrific job with that image, so different than the original they showed!. I feel we all won just by being there and having the opportunity to have such great photographers take a closer look at our work. I’m new to the Arcanum (sill in level 3!) but I love to see how much inspiration and kind people you can find inside it, I feel I learn as much from all of the apprentices as from the masters. Hope I see more from you 🙂 stay inspired, Love, Lu.
Hi Lu! Thank you for visiting! I totally agree and feel so honored to have been included and to have my image critiqued by the Masters. It was fun to watch and listen as they went over each image so thoroughly. I enjoyed checking out your blog and your photos, and I’m glad you’re enjoying your time in The Arcanum. It’s been a fantastic addition to my creative life, and while I’m kind of sad to be graduating soon and leaving my original cohort, I’m looking forward to the next phase. Take care, and I’m sure we’ll see one another as we go along! Tricia
That was a very well deserved second. I went through to Lucia Ferreira’s blog. Is it the lady in the green dress that placed first? It is very interesting and extremely well created but I must admit I loved your lion and the emotion you have caught better. Thank you for posting the results.
Thank you, Pauline! Yes, her lady in the green is the image that won. I wish I had that kind of creative mind, to envision something and create it. But I do feel my creativity had been improved/expanded since I’ve been more focused on that part of the photographic process. After 25+ years of producing images for editorial purposes, it’s been challenging to see another way 🙂 But it is fun!
Well done!! I think such a great image deserved some credit 🙂 Interesting to read the advice that they gave you. Love the raptor too 🙂