Abstraction

[Cheryl Slechta]

I'd like some input on this image. I took it yesterday morning in my vegetable garden - it was dew drops on a collard green leaf (yes that's what we have in the South:S3:).
I started to process it and my imagination started working on it - I used Nik Color Efex Indian Summer and then Diffuse Glow and decided to rotate to see what I got. Now it looked like an underwater scene with seaweed and bubbles. I liked it this way so I used Topaz Adjust and Topaz Clean and a little H&S to finish. I'd like to know if you all are bothered by the composition and the effects. I've posted the original image with no work done on it for comparison. I'll be interested to see what people think.
Hope everyone is full and happy:w3

[Cheryl Slechta]

Here's the original image. After posting I realized I hadn't removed a spot on a leaf - I need to do that.

[Steve Adkins]

Hi Cheryl. The first image is such a neat "Bubblescape". I love it... wonderfully OOTB! It has a wave like flow to it and the colors are great. Neat idea to invert it. The original is a great macro on its own. Interesting refracted images in a couple of the drops. Thanks for sharing your visions. :S3:

[Brendan Dozier]

I like this abstact creation of yours, Cheryl. Really like your color conversion and filtering. As Steve mentioned, rotating it does give the composition a wave like feel to it.

[Dennis Bishop]

Great eye to even find this, I'd think. Some of us way up north eat collard greens, too, but I don't think I've ever seen one growing. Not anywhere around here, anyway. Rotating the image was a great idea. I'm all for the colors in the original, though. They're just great together. Part of me wants more of the image in focus, but part of me doesn't.

You asked specifically about our being bothered by the composition and effects. No and no. That teal-colored leaf with all the bubbles divides the image just where it should, so that's a big plus in terms of the elements being arranged in a way that's pleasing to the eye. In addition, the large orange leaf on the left stops the viewer's eye, and the veins take it toward the bottom where the orange triangle leads into the curves defined by the bubbles. From there, it's over to the curving orange leaf on the left and back up to the top. That's good composition, I think.

[denise ippolito]

Cheryl, I like the top image but I really love that one sharply focused drop and leaf tip on the original. I might be tempted to add those to the crafted image. I like the rotation and added color. Nicely seen.:S3:

[Andrew McLachlan]

Hi Cheryl, love all those dew drops, agree with the previous suggestions. Great eye on this one!

[Judy Howle]

Well seen and photographed Cheryl! I love what you did with the image but I also like the suggestion above about the sharp edge and droplet.

I've eaten collards in MS but prefer turnip and mustard greens :w3

[christopher galeski]

can not give a great deal of critic,as I am new to ootb,like the image,reminds me of pearls,lying on the ocean bed,nice one,thanks.

[Julie Kenward]

I'm with Denise...I think that one in focus bubble is the key here. In the first post I like the processing but feel there is nothing truly in focus for me to latch on to. In the second post that drop is there and it really makes me love the image even more.

[Indranil Sircar]

This is beautiful, Cheryl. I love those drops and that of the original. Excellent work!!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I really appreciate them - I'll try to incorporate the sharp dew drop tomorrow. I remember masking it back in and not liking the result - I'll try again and hopefully I'll do a better job - I'd been working on it for quite a while and started having to rush at the end.:S3:

[NathanBeaulne]

Really neat image Cheryl, love the colours brought on by the processing and the invert was a great idea, I'm with the above folks in seeing some of those beautiful bubbles in focus