To elevate a suitably composed photograph from a subjective image to "art" depends on a number of factors, not least the emotional messages I wish to convey.

The "preparatory stage" is common to photography and in the form of basic manipulation such as aesthetic cropping and enhancement (i.e. clarity, tonal values, vignetting, etc).

The "artification stage" involves the application of more dramatic effects such as highly expressive textural and/or chromatic abstraction. This is achieved by using a variety of image processing filters in a systematic manner.

The printable size of photo manipulated artwork is limited by the resolution of the original photograph. This differs from a digital painting.

Digital paintings start with a blank image onto which I apply "virtual paint" both semi-autonomously (software) and manually (graphics tablet). Unlike photo manipulation where image resolution is determined by an original photograph, digital paintings can be any size.

The "preparatory stage" involves creating an image file of the required pixel dimensions (as mentioned above) , and adding layers representing the canvas (pre-prepared texture file), the outline sketch (digitised plein-air drawings and/or elements of photographs), and the underpainting. The latter is painted manually using paint software with the sketch layer acting as a guide. Once this initial stage is complete layer transparency is adjusted to reveal enough of the sketch and the background canvas texture before proceeding. 

The "painting stage" involves a bespoke sequence of chromatic and textural effects applied programmatically using a range of processing applications. The workflow is highly iterative and often requires many adjustments to parameters and manual intervention (i.e. brushwork). The end result is not always guaranteed but with perseverance, and the odd "happy accident", a pleasing work can emerge.

Back in 1976, as a young Merchant Navy officer serving on an ore carrier en-route from Cape Town to Singapore, I saw my first major volcano - Krakatau, and it's active offspring Anak Krakatau ("Child of Krakatau"). The following year (on a different ship en-route to Japan) I caught an iconic glimpse of Mt Fuji as we approached our destination in Tokyo Bay. Later that same year on a return visit to Japan I got close to a very active Sakurajima whilst docked in Kagoshima, Kyushu. It was the latter experience in particular that motivated me to quit the sea and study geology.

My geological career started in mineral exploration but in the late 1980s I supported geophysical research on a number of volcanic centres in Iceland including Krafla, Askja, and Landmannalaugar. When I moved from exploration geology to space research in 1989, I continued to be involved with volcanoes on occasion as part of my planetary work and world travel.