Photo: Firefighter
Taken by: Craig Goldie
Nikon D5100, 18-105mm, 1/8sec at f/5.3, ISO 100
Before: As a composition and a story, this is extraordinary
This is an extraordinary picture. The fire is depicted wonderfully, while the action of the firefighter helps us to understand the story. There’s a lack of black and white in the picture which, usefully, lets us know there is smoke in the air, but a little more midtone contrast would help to lift the elements of the scene and make the detail a little clearer. I want a bit more definition in the subject, so I’ve added a midtone curve to separate the middle tones but preserve the absence of extreme tones. This has added some depth and shape to the smoke, and makes the firefighter stand out a little more.
After: The picture just needs some definition, which has been applied by adding a midtone curve
