Last time, we showed the photography session for Natania and Nick’s Distant Era engagement portraits. We left off with the selection of the final images to be made, which is the subject of this week’s Traveller post. Jumping right into the topic: Thanks to Natania’s sterling communication, we solidified our direction for the images within a few days. Then it was time to start working on the final images in earnest.
Finalizing the Throne
Since Natania and Nick were so happy with the mockup of the great hall image, I decided to start with the throne. While we had a direction for it that was consistent with Natania and Nick’s initial request from their very first query, the execution would require further decisions and a fair amount of trial and error, beginning with the image itself.
Compositing the Subjects
The image they’d selected was one I’d shot horizontally; their expressions were perfect, but the image was approximately waist up, which meant the final would either have to be extremely close, without most of the throne, or most of the image would have to be added to the top, above their heads, which wouldn’t have looked good. Fortunately, the next image I’d captured of them in our session was vertical. So I merged the two images together, keeping the expressions from the horizontal image of their choice with the figures from the vertical one taken seconds later. With that, we had our image of Natania and Nick, with plenty of room to create around them.
BOTTOM: A composite of the top two images into our final.
Compositing the Background
I began looking for backgrounds that would suit them, and once again followed my early-Terry-Gilliam-film impulse to fill an expanded frame with STUFF. Natania was the voice of reason once again and asked me to crop in closer to her and Nick and bring back the candle-lit, fire-lit aesthetic from our earlier discussions.
I scrapped the first background idea and found a background with an actual fireplace and mantle. Then, I made a throne wide enough for Natania and Nick and then began building the environment around them, painting in the firelight. I sent Natania and Nick a horizontal image, but they asked if we could crop even closer and more vertically so that the image really centered on them.
I brought in pieces from other paintings, like the candle and table of fruit, and I cut the red curtain from one side of the background painting and transposed it on the opposite side and blended it. At this point, I realized that the shadows on the throne were now in the wrong direction, so I flipped and adjusted it and repainted the light and shadows where they should be. I sent this version over to Natania and Nick, and they loved it! I tidied up some final elements, and voila! The throne image was complete!
Creating the Final Image
If you’ve been following along, you may note that what we turned over for the throne image is what Natania asked for in her initial query. It seems almost obvious that this would be the final image. But I think it takes a while to work through the image, make sure we’re on the same page and that we understand the objectives.
Finalizing the Great Hall
I finished the throne image around the week after Natania approved the mockup. My next task was to circle back to the great hall and see how I could clean up and finalize the mockup.
I’d finished most of the work but needed to fix the rough spots I hadn’t addressed in the mockup: adjusting the floor, the shadows, the light, the hair selection. I turned the image over to Natania and Nick, and they loved it, except for the knight standing in the background of the original image, so at Natania’s suggestion, I replaced him with a door and blended everything together, and they loved it!
Aid from on High
In the midst of this process, between the horizontal and vertical versions of the throne image, I sent both of my images over to Chris Koeppen of An Ethereal Fire to get his take. In 2023, I did a mentorship with Chris, and he trained me in these techniques. He continues to take a look at pieces I finish and point out things he notices. In particular, Chris suggested I tone down some of the super aggressive textures I’d used to blend things together, and the images looked way better as a result. Sometimes in these conversations he shares his latest brilliant achievement with me as well. These conversations about art and process and the sharing of the work are so fulfilling that I’m overcome with gratitude whenever they happen.
Last Steps
I turned over the final images to Natania and Nick around January 21. The total time to finish both images, along with back-and-forth communication, was about two weeks.
I then placed an order with my printer in Italy, where the artworks are physically printed and matted, using exacting standards of color accuracy and careful construction. I can’t wait to give Natania and Nick the final physical manifestation of these artworks, which I hope they will enjoy and think back on fondly in all the years to come.
Gratitude
I’m grateful to Natania and Nick for approaching Distant Era for their engagement portraits and for being so fantastic to work with. I’m grateful to Lorelei Atreides for sending them my way. Jen, Jacque, and Liz came together as a dream team to create the wardrobe and makeup to fit Natania and Nick’s dream. And Chris Koeppen’s guidance, advice, and stamp of approval meant the world to me in finalizing the work. I couldn’t have hoped for a better experience.
Portraits for Everyone
Distant Era offers time travel services for those who long to slip the bonds of this world and visit distant eras themselves. We travel all worlds, past histories, and far futures, seeking stories everywhere we go.
