The Whole Story - Photo by Pamela Sweda

I have developed some wonderful friendships through social media. On Instagram I have even dubbed several of my female friends "sisters", and I'm about to introduce you to one of them. Pamela Sweda has become a very dear friend that I've never met! I hope one day our paths will cross, but in the meantime I will enjoy her beautiful images and be lifted by her sweet spirit which always shines through! Keep reading to discover The Whole Story behind this powerful image.

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The Photograph

Absorbing the Light © Pamela Sweda

The Whole Story by Pamela Sweda

This is an image of my dear friend Dixie from Tennessee who had just arrived in Connecticut for our long-planned October road trip through New England. She had never been this far north and I was anxious to show this southern girl the autumn beauty of the Northeast while it was at its peak of glory. After settling in for her first night at my home, I left her on my back deck to attend to the dinner preparations and after a few minutes I glanced out of my kitchen window to see her enveloped in the afternoon light. I quickly grabbed my iPhone and rushed out the door to capture the moment and said to her, "Dixie, don't move!" I then proceeded to snap a few pics of her in this same spot where I often sit to watch the sun set in my rural backyard. Since Dixie and I often remark on the similarity of our appearance, I was immediately struck by the familiar, contemplative position she was assuming...how alike we are in so many ways, so it came as no surprise that people mistakenly think this is an image of me. I now look to this photo with great love as it represents the profound friendship with my beloved soul-sister and documents the beginning of our memorable autumn adventure.

I shot this image with ProCamera, fine-tuned in Snapseed and then used the spray tool in Repix to soften the background. I then brought the image to Romantic Photo which added some drama to the light, but also required another visit to Snapseed to pump up the color a wee bit. iColorama provided the subtle texture.

The Photographer

Pamela Sweda - After spending years as an artist and art teacher, I was introduced to iPhoneography by a friend in 2012. It immediately became an addicting passion that caused me to pack up my paints and brushes and focus on this new art form with intense delight. All sense of time evaporates when I'm working on a photo and I become joyfully lost in the process of creation. Connecting with the many talented and inspiring photographers on Instagram and Flickr has been a beautiful adventure of discovery that brings to me a new and refreshing way to express my need to create art and will undoubtedly continue to evolve as the years unfold.

Apps Mentioned:

ProCamera
Snapseed
Repix
Romantic Photo
iColorama

Find Pamela:  Instagram / Flickr