Quarantined Gardens [March 2020 Portrait], 3.22.20
March 2020, Ratha David Loun (2020)
After what was a spring-like Saturday, Sunday felt more fall-like. An overcast was out, and it was mid-50’s no humidity. Both types of days bring out different emotions in me, and I love both for it, but I prefer to shoot under the clouds rather than under the sun. With the month coming to a close, I needed to shoot my monthly portrait. Because I had nothing planned, on the fly, I took my camera to UNCC’s Botanical Gardens. When I pulled into the parking lot, there were two other cars parked towards the back end of East Lot. I grabbed my bookbag, took my tripod from the trunk, and began exploring for a portrait setting.
While walking around the gardens, I noticed two girls taking photos by the pond. I was hoping more flowers would be blossomed by this point, but the garden seemed barren. I spotted a few white flowers and set up shop to shoot. 80 photos later, I wasn’t satisfied. From there, I made my way to the Asian Gate to scope out more scenery. I thought of taking portraits by the Japanese Maples to add some color to the background, but I saw where things opened up at the edge of the garden. There were steps, and I set my tripod at the bottom while I stood at the top. 30 photos in, when I checked the playback, I was pleased with the results. The angle was different, the lighting was abundant, and of course I thought the photos of myself were honest. I find it difficult to take self-portraits because I have to be conscientious of many different aspects and how they fit into the puzzle of composition I’ve envisioned in my mind.
2 hours later, after a trip to Walmart and a walk with Bagel, I opened Lightroom to edit my newly taken portraits. There are many styles of photography I enjoy, but in post, I usually add contrast to my photos as I feel it looks best and brings each color out as a separate entity. This is how I appreciate all aspects individually in hopes they will complement each other in totality. Today though, I challenged myself to do the opposite. I wanted muted colors in a dreamy composition. I wanted the present to feel like the past, yet the past to be present. It took me a few hours, but I think I did a good job. The colors are faded, much like the bokeh. There’s a bit of grain, but the clarity remains intact. All in all, taking my March 2020 portrait was a productive way to practice social distancing. Not to mention a challenge to expand the limits of my creativity in post.
Below are a few more photos from today’s session. What are you busy doing in quarantine? Any idea when this will end? What do you think of my new editing style, good or bad? Let me know in the comments!
March 2020 Alternate Portraits
(Click on the photos to enlarge and right key progress through photos. If photos appear pixelated while enlarged, wait a few seconds for the display to adjust. Thanks!)
