Unfurled

[Julie Kenward]

I just can't decide about this one. I like the lines, crop and focus but I'm not sure I love all the dark shadow in the middle of the leaf. Does it work or not?

Canon 40D, EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
f 5.6 @ 40
Handheld, natural light
AWB, Eval Metering
Did some fine tuning in PS on color & blur; cropped about 10% off the top.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hi Julie,
I took this one into PS........as sometimes I have the same problem when I'm looking at an subject while i'm composing! I think you had issues with the black on the outside of the plant. IMO yo were going for the curves of the plant. By turning the camera diagonally on the plant.......you may have been able to achieve my re-posted comp. Let me know if you think so also,
Roman

[Chris Ober]

I like the cropped version. Would like a little more in focus too. Pretty cool.

[Robert O'Toole]

I like the crop more comp wise but some of the in focus details got cropped out. Anyway my vote is for the repost.

Robert

[Julie Kenward]

Thanks Roman! I like your version better also. I think you're right...I think our mind sees an image one way and its hard to break it and move on to something else.

[Ed Vatza]

Very nice concept here. I like it a lot. I also like the color a lot here. But I do like the crop in the repost better.

[Fabs Forns]

I keep wishing for a little more focus on the center of the spiral. I'd go for a crop in between the two.

[Vincent Grafhorst]

Beautiful shapes Julie, very well seen. The cropped repost by Roman is definitely a stronger composition. I am not at all bothered with the black centre, but am curious how this would look with a bit more DOF

[Mike Moats]

Hey Julie, I love seeing these abstract like images and I think this one works very well. I do like the cropped version much better. I don't mind the soft focus, it just adds to the abstract feel.

[Julie Kenward]

I really have battled back and forth between leaving the focus as is and letting it abstract or trying to sharpen it up and making it more real. For me, I think I like the abstract quality better because I really enjoy it when people have to think about what they are looking at - and I kind of think this does that. I'm all over that recrop though!

[Don Lacy]

I really like the lines and the way the black center draws you in, the crop version is the one for me.

[John Cooper]

Hi Julie, Love your spiral composition here - well seen!!
Must admit the repost strengthens the composition without the black BG.