Saying Goodbye
Saying goodbye…to my on-again-off-again love affair with faded, lifted blacks in my photos. It’s a personal battle I’ve been waging for years, this love/hate relationship with the matte look in my images. A relationship that I’ve decided to let go of in 2018. Like any relationship, we had our ups. I have so many wonderful memories (photos), with faded blacks and matte effect. But, like most unhealthy relationships, this has become a crutch—a way to try and fix subpar photos, instead of an intentional process to invoke a mood or feeling.
So, it’s time to part ways. I’m getting closer and closer to perfecting my own style—a style where faded blacks and matte effects are in direct conflict with my love of bright, bold, Olympus color. That’s not to say that we won’t meet again. But when we do, it will be purposeful collaboration.
In Memoriam: A few of my favorite matte images from the past
Going matte here was, actually, intentional I went back and forth for hours between full color and matte and faded. Matte and faded won in the end, based on the vintage lens that captured this image. 
Ok, this one would be one of those intentional matte shots. 
Again, another matte that works well. This, however, is one of those instances, years back, when I leaned on the matte crutch instead of taking a better in-camera photo. 
This one just works. I stand by my matte decision here. 
I love this picture. Matte processing, lens faults, and all. 
H I
