Winter Teasel

[Ed Vatza]

I really like Teasel throughout all the seasons. This is an image I shot on the fly this afternoon and had/has a background that I hate. So with nothing else to do when I got back home, I started to play with the image in an effort to compensate for the background. I played with different crops; different size, color and opacity vignettes; and different filters in Color Efex Pro and Viveza2. Everything I did, and I did a lot, was to soften the background. the teasel was pretty much just sharpened a bit and left go. So I'm not sure if it belongs here or in OOTB. Its your call. If you want to move it, that's fine. Oh, and if it helps make a decision, it was shot with a Lensbaby.

Canon 30D and Lensbaby Composer, handheld.

1/1000 sec @ f/8.0; ISO 400; 0 EV

[Anita Bower]

Teasel is a wonderful subject for photos! This one is nice and sharp, showing its intricate patterns. Despite your work on the BG, I still find those very light areas distracting. But, I think you had fun, which is what counts. :)

[Julie Kenward]

Okay, I do like this although I understand what Anita is saying. A slight levels adjustment to the brighter spots would certainly work here. That said, another way to go would be to remove the stem of the teasel and let that head "float" in the center of the circle and that would, IMO, make one really mind-blowing abstract image!

[denise ippolito]

Ed, I love the almost pearlescent look to the BG. The teasel has nice detail. I almost like the vignette, but must admit I am not too fond of them anyway. Nicely done.

[Ed Vatza]

Anita, Jules, Denise,

Thanks for the feedback. As Anita noted, I was just playing around with this image because I had nuttin' else to do yesterday. Given what my first pass looked like, I was quite happy to just get the background looking as it does here.

Denise, I was down your way this morning. Not a whole lot happening on the ponds. they were all around 90% iced over. There does not seem to be the numbers or variety of wintering birds as in past years. I did shoot a few at the inlet/outlet (whatever it is) to Como. Then I did some multiple exposures on trees and such which is where my problems started. They ended with one of my SanDisk Extreme 8GB cards going rogue on me. The second time it happens so I just chucked it. The card corrupted resulting in a total shut down of Lightroom once again. I am in the process of getting that back up and running. I have been able to save the birds which were on another card and the first 15 or so images on the bad card but lost the rest. Such is life.

[denise ippolito]

Ed, I haven't had much luck at the ponds lately either. I've been going to Barnegat.:)Sorry to hear about your card etc...

[Vida van der Walt]

Hi Ed. Lovely artistic image. The bg looks like mother-of-pearl!:)

[Mike Moats]

Hey Ed, I don't mind the brite BG it help to highlight the subject. Like the comp with the teasel coming out of the side. Good details where it needs to be,