Blowing in the Wind

[Cheryl Slechta]

This is a pan blur with a twist that I took of some trees in New Brunswick. Levels and curves adjustment.

[Alan Lillich]

The curves add a nice sense of direction. What was the shutter speed and direction of panning? It is interesting that the right edge of the tree trunks are blurry and the left edge is more distinct. I'm just reading The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter - this fits the main theme of the book. I think removing the brown horizontal streaks at the bottom left would help.

[Hazel Grant]

I'm not a big fan of blurs yet, but learning. I think the distinct edges Ala mentioned give stability to this, and that's a good thing. I like the almost pastel painting look of the colors. If it were mine, I think I'd try to clone into that big dark hole in the lower middle a bit.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks, Alan, for your comments. I'm sorry, I should have noted specs - I was using Canon 5DMkIII, 70-200 f/4L IS @75mm, 1/8 sec. f/16, ISO 100. This is different than the specs I usually use for blurs but I was at a Freeman Patterson/Andre Gallant workshop and Andre uses this technique - you very quickly flick your wrist like a "u" lying on its side at 1/8 sec. It does a lovely job with birches. I'll have to look up the book you're reading - I'm a big reader

The curves add a nice sense of direction. What was the shutter speed and direction of panning? It is interesting that the right edge of the tree trunks are blurry and the left edge is more distinct. I'm just reading The Long Earth by Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter - this fits the main theme of the book. I think removing the brown horizontal streaks at the bottom left would help.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Hi, Hazel, thanks for your comments. I know a lot of people aren't blur fans but they can grow on you I've loved them since I first started doing photography - I guess it's a personal preference. Here's a repost with the hole lightened a bit - this looks more like the RAW capture. I had used a curves layer to darken it but I tend to like more pastel palettes and I think I prefer the repost. Thanks!

I'm not a big fan of blurs yet, but learning. I think the distinct edges Ala mentioned give stability to this, and that's a good thing. I like the almost pastel painting look of the colors. If it were mine, I think I'd try to clone into that big dark hole in the lower middle a bit.

[Diane Miller]

Very nice! Might be fun to combine this with a sharp shot of the tree trunks.

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Like your repost Cheryl, and I think you do blurs very well, which are tough to do well IMO.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks, Diane and Jackie

[Anita Bower]

I, too, am not fan of blurs, so I didn't quite know how to comment on this image. It is nicely composed, the colors are lovely. I especially like the leaves at the bottom. I also prefer the repost.

[Kerry Perkins]

Nice little hook to the motion. It really does compliment the natural shape of the leaves which I find very cool. I got interested in blurs five years ago when I joined BPN and saw what was possible. It really is an art to make good blurs, and I agree that you do a great job with them. Don't forget to make some blurs at Bosque! There are blastoffs, flyouts, trees, grasses - all kinds of opportunities!

[Cheryl Slechta]

Thanks, Anita and Kerry. Blast offs, flyouts, trees, grasses - I plan on blurring them all I'm getting there Nov. 15 and I'm hoping to have some fall color also - going to Santa Fe and Taos first then Bosque on the 20th.