Tiptoe Through The Tulips

[Julie Kenward]

Here they come! This one is waiting for one more beautiful spring day before it gives in and opens up. :D

Canon 40D, 100mm f2.8 macro USM
f3.2 @ 1/500th, ISO 200
Manual mode, handheld, no flash
Sunny WB, pattern metering
Processed in ACR & CS4: Levels and curves adjustments, selected BG and did a screen mode mask and sharpened.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Love this image Julie. Nicely controlled exposure. Shot from just the perfect angle (IMO). What makes this image for me is the lovely OOF BG showing subtle patterns yet not distracting. My only nit would be the slight masking halo towards the left & right of the bud (somewhere around the middle). However this is not bothersome in any ways.

[denise ippolito]

Julie, I really like the soft BG colors w/ a mixed pattern of tulips and leaves-I would dull down the straight line in the center if it were mine. But this is very well seen!

[Julie Kenward]

Good eye you two! Kaushik, I'm not sure it's the masking so much as my trying to lighten by hand the darker areas right next to the bud. I might have to go in at 200% and really knock those out. Denise, I think you're right...although I like the straight line in there with all those curvy ones I do think it could use a little softening. Thanks!

[Ed Vatza]

Good suggestions above. I will just add that I am liking the color on color that I've seen in several images on the forum lately. In this case, the green on green really intrigues me. Very nice image, Jules.

[Don Lacy]

Very nice image Jules, love the BG and the the way it compliments the subject with out being distracting. I bet this would be nice in a vertical format as well.

[Julie Kenward]

I reduced the halo around the main flower and also did a little cloning and liquify filter to soften the straight stem and fill in some of the holes. Here is my final version, complete with a little Easter greeting. Thanks everyone for your suggesions!

[Anita Bower]

Love this! I like that you photographed the bud at this stage--the anticipation!! I like the lines copying those of the bud. I like the soft colors. You took care of the straight stem, which bothered me a little.