The applications I use to edit photos just keep getting better and better. [BTW, I am not affiliated with any of these, I just like what they can do, so no shameless plugs here.] I mainly use Adobe Lightroom and occasionally Luminar Neo. Lightroom is awesome for removing objects like people and other things and Neo is pretty good for doing edits that need layers, like adding something to an image for a composite, that sort of thing. I did both of those things for this image
I took this photo of the Lincoln Memorial 16 years ago with a Nikon D90. It held up pretty well but the photo was pretty flat due to the overcast sky and there were a LOT of people on the steps going into and out of the memorial. I removed most of the people with Lightroom, but left a few to give the viewer a sense of the size of the memorial. Then I did my normal edits to make it a little more dramatic. Lastly, I added a little fire to the two tripods - as they are called - on each side of the steps. I thought they were actually lit with fire at one point but they decided not to light them anymore. Well, I was totally wrong on that front as these were never lit to begin with. Don’t they look like some sort of cauldrons that should be lit? They are actually “victory tripods” as explained by Brave’s Leo AI:
The victory tripods flanking the main steps of the Lincoln Memorial are ancient Roman symbols of victory and authority. Carved from pink Tennessee marble and standing 11 feet tall, each tripod is adorned with Americana, tobacco, corn, and eagles, blending classical imagery with American identity.
Alongside the fasces (bundles of rods symbolizing unity and executive authority), these tripods reinforce the memorial's core themes of national unity and the preservation of the Union. They serve as prominent visual markers of the triumph of the United States over the Confederacy and the strength of the federal government.
So, I took some creative liberty and added some fire to them. If you don’t like, sorry. I think the fire gives it a little more interest and who knows, maybe they will add some gas lines to them and light them up! Not because of me though, but wouldn’t that be cool? Oh, I may have added a better sky, too.
Contact me if you wish to purchase a download or print of this image.
Thanks for dropping by!
Comments