Back To The Fray

F-4U Corsair & F/A-18

Here we go again: another year, another plan, another mountain to climb. The Christmas break seemed all too brief, interrupted as it was by having to close out the last minute Chinese deal, and before you know it Silicon Valley is back to life and ready to rumble.

I did though manage to find time to work on processing some older images, such as the one above. Recipe roughly as follows:

1. B&W conversion layer

2. S-curve to boost contrast slightly, but mostly to pull down darker tones

3. Tinting done via a gradient map that's set up just to affect mid- and upper-tones whilst leaving darks and highlights unaffected. Blend mode set to "color" and opacity at around 50% in this case.

4. Bit of dodging and burning, mostly to brighten the skull-and-crossbones.

Here's to 2009, whatever it may bring. However, given the on-going Israeli incursion into Gaza, starting the year with a picture of two warplanes doesn't seen wholly inappropriate. After all, it's hard to see that this year will be the one in which peace on earth finally arrives ...