Savannah, Part 2 -- Bonaventure Cemetery

[Dennis Bishop]

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil was a New York Times bestseller for more than four years, and it inspired a movie of the same name. The Garden of Good and Evil is a reference to Bonaventure Cemetery in Savannah, and part of the movie was apparently filmed there. Some of the monument sculptures are incredible in both size and beauty, and the trees are draped in Spanish Moss. I spent hours, there, and didn't see everything.

Nikon D3S, ISO 200, f/5.6, four-exposure HDR, zoom lens at 190mm

processing highlights

• Topaz Simplify -- Watercolor II
• Flypaper Textures -- a single texture at Linear Light blend mode and reduced opacity applied behind the angel
• Red Giant Software Knoll Light Factory
• Photo Filter adjustment layer -- Warming 85, applied only to angel
• Nik Color Efex -- two non-consecutive layers, Glamour Glow and Fog, both only on angel
• Redfield Fractalius -- two different b&w layers at Multiply blend mode, one masked from angel, the other masked from the angel's face
• Alien Skin Eye Candy -- Backlight, masked from angel
• Alien Skin Snap Art -- Stylize Line Art b&w layer at Multiply blend mode, masked from the angel's face
• white uniform gradient vignette -- masked from the angel

[Maureen Allen]

Dennis, i love the processing on this, particularly the background. Gentle and soft shades complement the statue perfectly. My only nit would be that the lower part of the statue appears to be cut off. Were you unable to photograph the lower portion? How cool it would be to photograph that cemetery at night. I might just give some thought to that ---

[Paul Lagasi]

The expression on the face, the rays eminating from the statue, details and textures make this a pleasing image. Agree that the bottom missing is a nit but only a bit.
Very nice work Dennis

[Dennis Bishop]

I did take a series of shots with the entire figure and part of the base. This particular figure is the only one I intentionally cropped in-camera. Only a small amount of the bottom is missing, and the folds of the garment and the feet are very nice elements. I'll probably get around, someday, to doing an image with the entire figure. In fact, thinking about it, now, after reading your comments gives me an idea of how I might pull it off without including the base (which extends very, very far above the ground) and still make it look the angel isn't floating. Thank you.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Dennis, well, I liked the book and the movie and I love what you did to the statue. Beautiful work. I'd like to see more of the bottom when you process it.

[Anita Bower]

A beautiful statue nicely presented. I like the light rays radiating from behind. I like the soft colors. My eye goes right to her/his serene face. Lovely work.

[Kerry Perkins]

Very nice Dennis, beautiful rendition of the figure. I especially like the radiating lines in the bg, giving an even more angelic look to the image. I do hope you get a chance to do a version with the lower portion of the figure.