...and now for something "completely" different! (with apologies to Monty Python)
I have a few more "Anemone" images I want to post, but with some of the comments concerning DOF for the last two I posted, ( ;) ) I thought I'd go with a change of pace image! One in which DOF (or preferences concerning lack of it,..) is not going to be an issue!! ;) :D
This is a composite from some images I've had sitting on my computer for over two years now. On this occasion I was shooting specifically to provide images for an extreme DOF composite, thinking I could pull it together myself in PS. Well, after quite a number of failures in my attempts to do just that, I gave up! These images have languished on my hard drive ever since!
I just recently acquired "Helicon Focus Pro" and have been playing with it a bit. This image is the resulting composite from my 1st test with this software! I gotta say,.. I really like it!!! (Hope you will too!)
I noticed this spruce cone in my yard and the way the early morning sun was "skimming" the cone and lighting up it's edges really caught my eye!!
I wanted to include a bit of the green color of the grass in the composition as I thought it complimented the glowing oranges and rich browns of the cone, but leaving the cone on the ground allowed the grass to enter slightly into the range of focus and created a "too busy" look to the edge of the composition.
So,.. I mounted the spruce cone on a light stand to raise it off the ground and keep the little bit of bg at the corners of the image from coming into focus, and shot multiple frames of the cone. I changed focus slightly for ea. image going from bottom to top!
Composite from 10-12 images- All shot with Nikon D200, 200mm f4 micro (MF), 1/90 sec. @ f5.6, Gitzo tripod.
I like what you have done with Helicon Focus. I would make one suggestion. The "background" particularly in the UL corner troubles me just a bit because I really like the detail in the cone. I started thinking that if you cropped this image into a square comp by cropping the top to eliminate that UL corner and cropping the bottom to eliminate the background in the LR corner, I think you have a really cool, square comp abstract. Just my two cents.
Good idea and lovely glow from the lighting through the cone. My preference for a composition is the same as Ed's. I think cutting the grass would leave a stronger image and adds to the abstract aspect of it. The cone is nice and sharp with lots of detail. It is quite amazing what software is available for photgraphy now. Dave
Nice image! I would almost forget that this amount of DOF is nearly impossible with this subject. Your program did a great job. I love how the light catches on the rims of the cone. Totally agree with the suggestions to crop of those BG corners.
- Jerry -
I like the macro/semi-abstract look of this image. The colors and light are lovely, especially the highlighted edges. Good job with getting the BG smooth. A nice example of what Helicon Focus can do. I don't know if I would prefer the crop suggested or not--I'd have to see it. Thanks for sharing.
Thank You everyone for your comments & suggestion.
Anita's comment convinced me to repost this image with the changes suggested for cropping! Just so the two can be compared.
While I do agree that this particular framing is a "nice" abstract, My original intent with this image was not to render an "abstract" image. I wanted the viewer to see a "Spruce Cone". I wanted to capture and show what effect great light and the colors it revealed can do to a dull, lifeless, boring old fallen cone!!
While I do like the simple abstract created with the suggested cropping, To me it doesn't immediately say "Spruce Cone"!! It is Line and shape, shadow & detail, color & light,.. but, (...to my eye at least) It "isn't" Spruce Cone!
Once again, please believe me when I say, I am not trying to be argumentative, or complain that the suggestions for improving the OP are wrong & I was right!! I'm just expounding on my compositional decisions and original intent when I created this image! As a matter of fact, I did shoot this cone with a number of different angles and framings. Several of them were framed & composed as complete "Abstracts"!!
This was just the one it happens that "I" liked best as depicting "Spruce Cone" the way I intended it to!!!
Thanks again, really,.. to all who looked in and took the time to comment!! I do appreciate it!
C.
Last edited by Craig Thompson; 10-04-2009 at 09:42 AM.
Reason: to finish making my thoughts more coherent!! :D
The second is certainly a more abstract spruce cone than the first. I agree with you Craig, if the intent was to show a cone, the first does a better job. I do however prefer the second for the symetry of the composition. Both are very well done. It is good that you reposted to get comments. Dave
I really like the repost better, Craig. Agree with the others that the first conveys "cone" more but I feel the second one really does play up the abstract angle much better. Good job!
...and now for something "completely" different! (with apologies to Monty Python)
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