Pinecone in a manufactured snowstorm

[Bob Miller]

I took this shot of a pinecone and was trying to add a snow effect that looked realistic. I tried this action i found online. I sort of like it but was wondering what others would think.
Nikon D3s
1/160 sec at f11
ISo 1100
105 macro

[Dennis Bishop]

I like the subject and think adding snow was a good idea. The composition is good, too, but I'd rather have the image flipped vertically so those diagonals are drawing the eye down into it instead of up out of it. I tried, unsuccessfully, to mask out the snow flakes to try some things out, so what I'm about to say about the snow is a best guess.

Because of the contrast between the snow and the rest of the image, the snow has center stage. I'd be inclined to lighten everything but the snow, probably with a curves layer that affects the darks way more than the lights. That would make the needles and cone stand out better and still incorporate the feel of the snow. The snow might still contrast strongly with the dark parts of the image. If so, I'd tone down the flakes a bit, too. Although I've seen very fine snows, I'm guessing the action was aimed at landscapes rather than macros. It looks like there could be a couple snow layers. If so, I'd try expanding at least the layer with the larger flakes in all four directions to both enlarge the flakes a bit and increase the space among them. I'd try a motion blur, too, to make it look like they were falling.

I'm guessing there's a Levels layer clipped to the snow layer(s). If so, playing with the black and white sliders, especially, and the mid-tone slider, too, can change the flakes a fair amount.

[Steve Adkins]

Hi Bob, I really like the base image and Dennis makes some good suggestions for making the snow a better fit. I especially like the suggestions to make some of the flakes larger and to add some motion blur.

[Indranil Sircar]

Very nice composition, Bob. I like your idea and Dennis has some excellent suggestions. TFS.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, Bob, it looks like you've got some good suggestions from Dennis and Steve

[Bob Miller]

Dennis...Thanks for the suggestions.....they're great...now to work!