horse chestnut

[Dennis Bishop]

When it comes to athletics, it seems like everyone in Ohio is an Ohio State Buckeyes fan. This particular tree is a horse chestnut, but a number of Ohioans insist it's a buckeye. When one lives most of the year in Michigan, it's better not to argue about that with summertime neighbors in Ohio. This horse chestnut, at least, doesn't handle summers very well. The leaves start turning color and dropping to the ground well before Fall. This was shot on September 4. The colors, by the way, are very close to true.

iPhone 5s, ISO 50 (it was likely set that low accidentally), PureShot camera app, three-exposure HDR at 1 EV increments

processing highlights

• The background was replaced with three Belle Fleur textures (one in two layers with different blend modes). All three are from Belle Fleur's Artist's Palette collection, which has simulated paint strokes and a wide array of colors and strokes. Except for choosing specific textures, opacities, and blend modes, nothing was done to tailor the background colors.
• The leaves were flipped horizontally for composition.
• Topaz Simplify -- saved watercolor preset
• Alien Skin Snap Art -- saved watercolor wash preset, Hard Light blend mode
• Fractalius -- three saved black-on-white presets; Multiply, Divide, Multiply
• Snap Art -- line art black-on-white edges preset modified to purple on white, Multiply
• Simplify -- saved black-on-white edges preset, Multiply
• The drop shadow was done in Photoshop's Layer Effects on a masked white layer in Multiply blend mode

[Wendy Kates]

Yup, I left Ohio for college and beyond nearly 50 years ago and to the extent that I'm a football fan at all, I'm still a Buckeye's fan! I love the combination of colors in this image as well as the watercolor treatment...I keep wanting to look at it so I can deconstruct the patterns and variability of texture and color. But I better get back to work....

[Cheryl Slechta]

I love this one, Dennis. The tonalities, the composition, the hints of green. Really everything about it is a winner

[Diane Miller]

What Cheryl said! Wonderful colors and textures for dried leaves!

[gary ellwein]

I love the mix of subdued colors and textures with great composition.

[Anita Bower]

I love the colors. The darks and lights work very well. I like how you got in close and filled the frame with a few leaves. Your use of textures for the bg is superb and works seamlessly. I had to look close at the image after reading your processing description to see how you had done the bg. Excellent work.

[Nancy Bell]

I've spent the last few days trying to install a new computer and am late to the recently posted images. (And still not done with the computer). Everyone has already said the good stuff! Love the shades and the way the colors blend and work so well together. I also had to look to see a background. Your blending techniques are awesome!

[Jackie Schuknecht]

Marvelous colours, comp, and love the highlight on the horse chestnut.

[Dennis Bishop]

I probably placed the chestnut before taking the photos, and the highlight just came along for the ride. I used it to decide on the direction of the drop shadow.