The old expression “What you see is what you get” when applied to art should really be “What you feel is what you get” I had this experience recently at the Franklin Parker Preserve near Chatsworth, New Jersey.

Twilight in the New Jersey Pine Barrens is a very magical time where the woods settle down as night falls. This photograph was made on Chatsworth Lake, which is part of the Franklin Parker Preserve. On this particular evening the setting sun broke through the clouds to cast beautiful patches of light along the shoreline.

What the camera saw is this…

Chatsworth-Lake

What I saw was this…

Chatsworth Lake in the Pine Barrens

Summer Evening on Chatsworth Lake, 2013, All Rights Reserved

Which image is correct? Is what the camera saw limited by digital camera technology, or is the finished image modified to look more magical?

Does it really matter? Artists, no matter what medium they work in, communicate their feelings using technique and style. Regardless of what was unfolding in front of the camera lens, the peaceful and quiet shore of Chatsworth Lake, on this beautiful evening, is what I want to share with you.

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