How to turn (photographic)
disappointment into triumph.

Everyone has them: photographs that didn't quite live up to our dreams. If they were pictures of your last bowling party you might not be too disappointed. But let's say the picture was intended for use in your company's brochure or catalog. Or what if it was a photo you'll never be able to get again, and you had to have it? Now there are implications. Career implications. Don't panic. Call Lumigenic Media at (831) 335-4849 or email us. We'll turn your disappointing image into a triumph.

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When author, photographer, and Marine Biologist Dan Gotshall finally found a Popeye Catalufa it was in the net of a Mexican fisherman. But he needed a picture of the fish for his book, Marine Animals of Baja California. So he put the unfortunate animal on a light background and took a quick photograph. The image wasn't up to his usual standards for beautifully lit, live fish photographed underwater in their natural habitats. But at least he could include the species in his book, and so the original image appears on page 25 of the second edition.

But for the third edition, Dan wanted something better. He still hadn't seen another of these rare fish, so he had to work from the photo he had. Dan called Lumigenic Media, and in a few days had this illustration back in his hands. Popeye Catalufa, Pseudopriacanthus serrula How did we do it? We converted the old image to a high-resolution digital file, then separated the fish from it's grim looking background. We created a blue backdrop that would suggest water, without risking the mis-impression of a photograph taken in nature. To set off the subject, we added a subtle shadow (the harsh shadows above the head in the original had already been removed). Finally, we reduced the distracting flash reflection in the fish's eye.

While working on the third edition of Marine Animals of Baja California, author Dan Gotshall caught up with a very rare Rooster Fish. (It wasn't that hard to catch up with once he spotted it, this one was no longer swimming, either.) But photography conditions were even worse: the only available backdrop was the widely spaced boards of the fishing dock. The resulting image was not only unnatural looking, the details of the fish's extraordinary upper (dorsal) fin were lost in the background.

Dan sent his photo Lumigenic Media, and after a few hours of digital image wizardry, he had this attractive illustration to put in his book. Rooster Fish, Nematistius pectoralis How did we do it? As with the Popeye Catalufa, above, we converted the original, rough image to a high-resolution digital file. The challenge here was in the early part of the process: separating the dark edges of the fish, and especially its dorsal fin, from the equally dark background. After that was accomplished, we reused the same blue background created for the other image, and applied a subtler shadow, which matched the more evenly lit original. Finally, we removed a distracting spot on the upper tail fin.

Marine Animals of Baja California by Daniel W. Gotshall will soon be released in its third edition. These retouched illustrations, as well as a few of Marc Shargel's underwater photos, will appear in the book. The publisher is Sea Challengers, which also publishes and distributes many other excellent and beautifully illustrated books on marine life. Their books are the best naturalists' references available on Pacific Ocean animals, and are often used by academic scholars as well. For more information on their publications, contact:
Sea Challengers
4 Somerset Rise
Monterey, CA 93940
(831) 373 6306
or send them email.

The above fish photos and the retouched images are
© Dan Gotshall
all rights reserved.

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