Clear!

Posted By Laughing_Wolf

Just because it was clear previously doesn't mean it is clear now

Normally, I try to avoid doing a lot in Photoshop other than to crop and make minor adjustments. Frankly, if I've done my job right at the start, I don't need to do much. This photo, however, took some work.

Work not to make it clearer, for the software and large amounts of data from a good camera allow me to bring this image up in such a way that it is as if we were outside. In doing that, however, the heart of the picture is -- to me -- lost along with key contrast and other technical aspects. Instead, I took it down a bit so that it more accurately reflects the spirit of things.

This was no walk outside, but rather a trip up a multi-story unlighted stairwell with only a tactical light to see by. At this point we had switched stairwells, and sunlight did indeed light the upper portion of that stairway -- but the rest was in darkness. While this facility was in friendly hands, that did not mean it was safe and clear even though we were reasonably sure that was the case. Reasonably sure is nice, but it is not absolutely certain. Given that a cache of anti-tank mines was nearby (investigated later), not to mention SOP, one exercises caution -- for those that don't or otherwise get slack also get surprised.

The level of caution this implies is telling, and it simply is life for all out on the sharp end. Things are better, things are improving, and things are such where this level of caution is still very much needed. That said, it is not so much a matter of thought in some respects, but rather simply a part of life.

As long as I was playing, it also seemed a good time to play a bit more, and I hereby offer an artistic rendering for your enjoyment:

Blake Powers, the Laughing Wolf and Blackfive.net's Civilian-in-Residence, has been in Iraq reporting for PMI/The Long War Journal and Blackfive...donations to PMI (a non-profit media organization) keep independent reporting possible from the Long War.

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Comments

[Deebow]

BANG!! BANG!! Now it's clear...

Good looking out on that and keep up the good work showing what the god guys are accomplishing. Lord knows I won't see it anywhere else.