Ice Crystals

[Bee Emily]

I shot this ice crystal formation under a waterfall in the winter of 2006. They were forming upward as the water droplets hit it.
Kodak P&S Z740
Auto Flash
380mm
iso 140
f3.7
1/350
handheld

[Julie Kenward]

Boy, I really like this, Bee. I thought it needed just a little bit more drama so I put it into Photoshop and selected the right side and did a levels adjustment that took it down to near black. I did a slight crop also just to cut a bit off the right side.

You did an excellent job of exposure on this. I'm sure there's a place or two where the whites are blown but it's so minimal and it only adds to the crystalized look of the piece. The ice is clean and clear and pencil sharp. Nice job!

[Bee Emily]

Jules, I thought about taking the right hand side down to all black and then for some unknown reason decided not too! I like the repost! The black makes it much more dramatic!!!
Thanks

[Chris Starbuck]

Bee,
I agree with Jules' comments; I like this too - well seen. I also like what Jules did with the BG. But the key thing I saw in your original was "crystal". So I tried something more extreme -- boosted contrast, converted to black & white, completely removed the background, sharpened a bit, and cropped more tightly. The result is a different interpretation - more abstract, since the context has been removed, but I think it more strongly emphasizes the crystal sculpture you captured. The resolution and detail would be better starting from your full resolution original. What do you think?

[Julie Kenward]

Wow! It does remove the object from it's context but holy smokes that's pretty!

[Mike Moats]

Hey Bee, it's close to that time of the year when we hear in Michigan start to shoot the image images in the stream lakes and rivers like this. Very fun and cool stuff, and this is nice. I like the repost also by Jules and Chris, it shows the different persectives. Well done all.

[Bee Emily]

Thanks Everyone for your comments and editing prowess.
Mike, We are starting to get some ice forming already here in MA too (burrrrrrr)!