Candy Cane Gerberas

[Julie Kenward]

I do love a good gerbera daisy! I found these at the store this weekend for $3.99 a bunch and I had to have them. I did my old "belly button" tutorial (select the center, inverse selection, filter/radial blur). I then added NR to smooth it out a bit more, sharpened the center, and used Viveza on the center to bring out the details. Now I want me a big old bag of candy corn!

Canon 40D, EF 100mm f/2.8 macro
f7.1 @ 1/125th, ISO 200
Backlit w/ fill flash
Taken outside right before dusk last nightso the sun was coming in at an angle.
Processed in ACR, CS4 & Viveza 2.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jules. Good to see you back here. This has to be one of your best efforts! Love those colors. Very sharp where it needs it and the softness of the petals just serves to focus our attention on that striking center. The centered comp works great here. I wouldn't change anything. :)

[Jay Sheinfield]

Hi Julie,

Beautiful...........

[Melissa Groo]

Absolutely stunning, Julie. I want to try that effect too sometime! I do love how it really does draw your eye to the center. Fabulous colors and detail.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Jules, Agree with Steve about this being one of your best. Love the effect,color,lighting and center sharpness. and.....it has alot of IMPACT!!!:cheers: Nice one!!

[Julie Kenward]

Thanks everyone. It's not so hard to make a beautiful image when all you have to do is stand it up in perfect lighting, move in really close and take it's picture. ;)

I always prefer the ones I work REALLY hard for - the ones out in the field with a million distractions around it and the wind blowing it from side to side...but there's just something about a gerbera daisy that makes my heart sing. Glad you all like it.

[Kaushik Balakumar]

Very very beautiful image. The radial blur thing really works well here.
Beautiful colours.

[Paul Lagasi]

Jules...nice work with this image, good colors, detail sharpness and composition...well done, was it raining over the weekend :D

[Julie Kenward]

Paul it has not rained here in almost a whole week - shocking! I did mow most of the day - this is what I did when I was taking a breather. ;)

[Ken Childs]

Jules, this looks fantastic! It's already over the top but cloning out the green area below/left of the center would take this over over the top! :D

I saw your post on FB so I was expecting these flowers to show up here. I bet you're getting a lot of use out of them. :)

[OvidiuCavasdan]

Not much to say...just beautiful!

[Julie Kenward]

Ken, I wondered when someone else would see the spot of green! ;) I honestly thought about taking it out (and I will when I print it) but I liked its little imperfection so I left it for now.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jules,
Still in the Tetons.....but Sweeeeet!!! I would be tempted to brighten from 2:30 - 6:00 on a diagonal.......just for kicks......but this is outstanding!!! :cheers::cheers::cheers: