Winter Tree

[Andrew McLachlan]

Sorry I have not been around much lately. I have been quite sick with a rotten cold / flu and painful sinus infection and also busy co-writing a Fractalius user guide with Denise which is now completed and being edited prior to publishing.

A couple of weeks ago on a fairly warm, foggy morning I decided to go for a drive down the road to a tree atop a small hill in a field that has being laying fallow for sometime. To get a low perspective to minimize the merges of tree branches and farm fence I photographed from the bottom of a roadside drainage ditch.

I decided to play around with the ArtFlakes preset in the newest version of Fractalius to see what I might come up with. I was pleased with how the ArtFlakes preset picked up on the greenish lichen that covered the tree's largest branches. Final tweaking of the photo was done in both Viveza 2 and Color Efex 4 (Detail Extractor for the tree's finest branches).

Look forward to comments.

[Dennis Bishop]

I'd prefer a bit more room on the sides and top, but the colors -- especially with the way their layers and transitions -- are very striking. The white background is great with the colors.

[Kerry Perkins]

Hi Andrew, the Fractalius preset is the perfect treatment for this image. I love what it did to the branches and the dead grass, very snowflakey indeed if that is a word! I like the subtle colors too and the way they were handled by the filter. Well done!

[Judy Howle]

I love the colors and that preset is perfect! I love the effect on the branches and foreground.

I'm sorry to hear that you've been sick and glad you are back with us.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, Andrew, sorry you've been sick. I had it too and it took me a couple of weeks to get back to normal. I like the Snowflakey look and the way it picked up the colors. I'd probably prefer a little more room on the top and sides.

[Nancy Bell]

I love the design of the solitary tree with its gradual spreading branches. The way the colors are layered work perfectly with the way your eye is drawn up the tree. I would like a bit more room on the sides & top for the tree to visually expand. I thought I would take my camera and try something similar but then I realized all the deciduous trees in northern Colorado are aspens and cottonwoods, trees that do not have a spreading habit and generally live in clumps .

Glad you are recovering.

[Steve Adkins]

Wonderful fract effect, Andrew! The use of color and the branch detail are great. Glad you are feeling better and good luck with the book.

[Anita Bower]

Sorry to learn you have been sick. Hope you are feeling better. I look forward to the publication on Fractilus, which I've yet to purchase.
Your point of view was just right to capture this tree without background distractions. It is a marvelous tree, with those two trunks. Fractilus worked well. Lovely colors and a crisp look. The shading from one color to another is especially lovely and fun. I agree about more room top and sides. I would also clone some of the patch of heavy grass on the left side to resemble the rest of the grass--because of its brightness, it draws my eye away from the tree. Lovely, creative work.

[Paul Lagasi]

I agree with above comments, the colors are awesome and the frac effect on the tree, make this image...Very well done,

I got the flu shot and so far I've been lucky but others at work have not been so lucky...I've done more overtime in January that the last 2 years, together...take care...I am off to DR next week for some sun,we'll try to get out to Amherst in early March but there hasn't been to much there this winter.

[Andrew McLachlan]

Thanks for the comments folks, much appreciated.

Cheryl, yep it took me about 2.5 weeks to get over it.

Paul, I got the flu shot and got the flu too ( 2 for one deal I guess) My daughter did not get the flu shot and she got over her flu in one week. Have a blast in DR...I fly to Jamaica on the 15th for 10 days.