Catherine Pickle's Digital Imaging

 While being able to choose my own direction feels great, I will admit I'm overwhelmed at the endless amount of possibilities I could pursue for this project. Having gotten my second vaccine shot (lost 3 work days due to side effects) and with the portfolio review coming up, I was having trouble getting started with ideas, so I decided to just jump in head first, completely blind to an end goal or purpose.  These are some fun first iterations- may change my mind and start over! Going to see where this takes me first. Using these two images to begin with:

 

  I wasn't happy blending the bridges into the space image, so I decided to try blending the space image into the two bridge iterations. It still felt unfinished, so I decided to play with disorienting filters to show how little we really know about the experience of passing on and how that reality may work. (using mezzotint, mosaic and pointilize) (using crystalize and mosaic) (using tiles, oil paint and emboss) (using solarize, facet and fragment)

 Moving forward, I decided to add some symbolism. I added an angel and devil statue, two icons/symbols of Christianity (from my knowledge; I am not religious so I tried to pick very broad/general symbols.) \ and then blended the one of the previous layers of space (the purple variation) with pin light (top) and divide (bottom.) I additionally blended the angel and devil statue into the layers to make the image more cohesive/seamless.

 I decided to ditch that iteration (for now) and try something new.  I used the bridge picture from my earlier selection of bridges, then selected an area of the forest in the back and inverted it to give it a whimsical/trippy look. In this iteration I'm trying to hone in more on the concept of afterlife and passing on, as bridges are sometimes used as metaphors for this. I then tried blending two different layers of space into the bridges by putting it in the layer behind the bridges (top layer hard light, bottom layer pin light) using these two different space variations (in  order with the images above):

Added space to the portal along with a spaceship- thinking of making maybe 2 other photos to go with this in a series, loosely around the idea of combining two worlds/themes.  

 The found a better image (fit the tabloid size! I got lucky.) Edited a portal at the end of the bridge. Not sure where this is going, just messing with ideas.

 Starting off I really like the idea of using a bridge to portray the passage of time/sequence. I think this would be visually and creatively interesting, additionally, people sometimes use bridges metaphorically as a link between differing dimensions, or perhaps the afterlife. I believe there is a lot of creative potential! Here are some example images.