Japanese Pine #2

[Jay Sheinfield]

I have a number of images I took yesterday on this theme. Each one turned out quite different. It was quite windy, and I was hoping to get at least on pine tip in focus. The wind did provide for variety of different looks. The background is a Japanese maple.

There is a x pattern in the URC, and a dark area in LRC, let me know if they are distracting. It wasn't my first choice to alter any of these.

Normal curves adjustment, touch of vibrance. Full Frame.

Nikon D3s
ISO 400
105 macro
f/3.5 @1/200 sec.

Hand Held.

[Aidan Briggs]

Nice abstract. I love the use of shallow DOF. The background color works well here IMO. That dark patch is distracting for me though, maybe some clone stamp at 50% would help.

Looking forward to more abstracts!

[Ken Childs]

The look of this is fantastic, Jay! The lines, colors, shallow DOF all work extremely well together. I looked at several alternate crops and the one the worked best for me had just enough off the left to remove the vertical part of the X and then slices off the bottom and right so the sharp needle is closer to a ROT position. I would also consider blurring the sharp needle on the left and darkening the tip of the one in the lower center. I'm going to have to take a closer look at the billions of pine trees growing around here! :)

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Jay. This is a very cool abstract - the shapes, lines, and colors work well together. The X doesn't bother me, but the dark area at the bottom is drawing my eye. Maybe Aidan's suggestion of some cloning at low opacity is the way to go. Well done.

[Dave Leroy]

I really like the nice soft look and colours on this one.

I had not noticed the x but the dark area was a bit distracting.

Very well done.

[Jay Sheinfield]

Ken, ,,,,,,,,Thanks. All good suggestions.........You gotta try this in the wind, it's a hoot. I used manual focus and continued to change from one tip to another until I got the closest tip in focus. Wide open, of course. I stayed quite close in order to get a completely blurred background. All hand held......pump up the ISO for good SS.
you know all that stuff:)...........

Adrian,,,,,,,,,,,,,, agreed. I should lighten it up.


Thanks to all...........

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Jay,
Great advice above and dark patch already mentioned. Nice use of the shallow DOF and the color is super! I will ask......did you try this lighter all around? I'm like the dark mood of this one but a bolder color/lighter one may be interesting too. Nicely done overall!

[Jay Sheinfield]

Roman,

Thanks, this was first attempt at this kind of blur. I tried lighter, but I tended to prefer the darker tones.
I tend to be a bit on the dark side anyway, that's just me. ;)

[Anita Bower]

Lovely! Your patience and perseverance paid off in a great image. I love the colors, the sweep of motion and the pine needles gradually coming into focus. It all works beautifully. Some good suggestions above, so won't repeat. Well done.

[Humberto Ramos]

Great abstract, also liked the BG...