Learning Not to Rely on Auto

Digital photography means adjustments with photography software. In my case that means a program so complex that I use only a few key commands. But . . . I do not use Auto Levels, Auto Contrast, or Auto Color. I used to, only because I didn't know how to do anything else. Then my friend Greg showed me a few things, and since then I have relied on my eyes and Shadow/Highlight, Brightness/Contrast, Exposure, Hue/Saturation, and Photo Filter. 

Take color. I went out today to shoot some pictures on an assignment. 

Here's the raw image right out of the camera:

It's a little light.

Here's the Auto Levels version:

It's too golden sunny.

Here's the Auto Contrast:

The sky is too turquoise.

Here's the Auto Color:

There's way too much sun.

Not one of these represents what I actually saw (or what I think I saw),

which was more like this:

I'm not sure any of this matters to a reader of this blog (if there are readers). What matters is that I am beginning to exercise more control over what I bring home, and that makes me almost as happy as this view from the old cloister.

Now I need to branch out.