Ode to Alfred

[Julie Kenward]

Al created a couple of stunning flora images the other day by using a colored flower as the BG behind his main flower. I decided to give it a try tonight when I saw this clematis bud lying in front of an open bloom.

Canon 40D, EF 100mm f/2.8 macro
f3.5 @ 1/60th, ISO 400
Manual mode, pattern metering, handheld, no flash
Processed in ACR & CS4; small crop and levels adjustments, used a soft glamblur over the image and then masked it off the flower to help diffuse the strong blue BG color.

[Thomas Herou]

Very nice effect on the BG.I would prefer a tiny tad more DOF though.
The comp is excellent and green and blue always makes a good combination.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jules,
Pretty cool! I like the color of the bud in the BG......but you may have just given me an idea! Like how you placed it with the colors radiating out. Nicely done!

[Mike Gallo]

Great idea with that bg, very nice

[Julie Kenward]

Yeah, Thomas, I agree...I should have stopped down a bit more. I was just afraid to lose the softness in the blossom behind it.

[Juan Carlos Vindas]

Julie this is beautiful, I just would like to see it completely in focus, may be f/29?

Lovely image any ways.