Shot across the bar at The Brigantine, La Mesa, California
One of the best things about modern cell phones is that you always have a camera in your pocket. The downside? They’re terrible in low-light conditions. Photos turn out dark, grainy, lifeless—basically dreadful. This shot, taken in a dimly lit bar, was no exception. It was one of those photos you snap, glance at, and immediately feel grateful for the trash can icon, ready to erase its sorry existence.
But every now and then, with a little digital magic—thank you, Photoshop—you can breathe life into the lifeless. This shot turned out to be a perfect case of pixel recycling. Something about it just works: the blurred figures, the glow of the cash register reflecting on the bartender’s face, the curling edges of a cocktail napkin beneath a wine glass, the warm light washing over the rack of glasses. That’s how the bar felt, even if my phone’s tiny sensor couldn’t quite capture it.
Hooray for embellishment.