Jack in the Pulpit

[Dennis Bishop]

Nikon D3s, 105mm macro lens, ISO 1000, f/3.2 at 1/640

processing

• Adobe Camera RAW -- Clarity and some saturation and luminance tweaking in HSL
• cropped to a golden rectangle and rotated to straighten the stem in the center (My original intent was to have everything angled, but I opted for some straight and some angled. The compromise was losing most of the stem on the left, and I debated about healing it away. After going back and forth many times, I decided I liked the way it gave a third greenish element in the bottom and a reason for the leaf, above, to be there.)
• two Joel Olives textures
• Fractalius -- B&W preset based on Sketch at Multiply blend mode
• Alien Skin Snap Art -- Stylize Line Art B&W at Multiply blend mode, masked extensively

[Dennis Bishop]

This is the original shot.

[Cheryl Slechta]

Dennis, I really love the textures (I need to check out Joel Olive!) and the filtering that you used to transform this into a work of art. When I first glanced at it before reading your description I thought about evicting the stem at the bottom left but after reading your reasoning I'm fine with it. Well done

[denise ippolito]

Lovely combination of filtering and textures. The colors are striking. I see your point regarding the left stem -it kind of helps frame the image. Nice work as always!

[Dave Mills]

Hi Dennis, I like your use of filters but your composition seems a bit busy...

[Dennis Bishop]

Hi Dennis, I like your use of filters but your composition seems a bit busy...

Thanks for your comments, Dave. What would you suggest? Blurring the background, getting rid of part of it, or something else?

[Maureen Allen]

Dennis, I particularly like the tones in this one. I think if it were mine, I would try to blend/blur the large spot in the URC a little more (I imagine it's part of the texture you applied) and eliminate the stem in the LLC.

Overall, it's a great look.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Dennis, Let me start out by saying there are different ways to handle this image. I chose one which seemed more appealing to me. With the center being a sharp JIP that became your center of interest. I felt it important to accentuate the subject. I darkened areas and cropped in order to bring that point out. Generally, with this type of image one should omit hotspots and try and control the backround so that it's not competing with the center of interest. I thought about cropping the left stem out but it would place the JIP in the center. Not always a bad thing.
Compositionally I also might have put the JIP more to the left since it's facing in that direction and it's generally good to have more room in the direction a subject is facing than the rear. My 2 cents.

[Dennis Bishop]

Hi Dennis, Let me start out by saying there are different ways to handle this image. I chose one which seemed more appealing to me. With the center being a sharp JIP that became your center of interest. I felt it important to accentuate the subject. I darkened areas and cropped in order to bring that point out. Generally, with this type of image one should omit hotspots and try and control the backround so that it's not competing with the center of interest. I thought about cropping the left stem out but it would place the JIP in the center. Not always a bad thing.
Compositionally I also might have put the JIP more to the left since it's facing in that direction and it's generally good to have more room in the direction a subject is facing than the rear. My 2 cents.

Thanks very much for the re-post and the explanation. I appreciate them very much.

[denise ippolito]

I like the height in Dennis' original post.

[Dennis Bishop]

I like the height in Dennis' original post.

Thanks, Denise.

Me, too. It's a golden rectangle, which -- if the rest of the composition isn't compromised -- should be more visually appealing than other aspect ratios.

[Anita Bower]

Your processing brought out the details of the Jack in the Pulpit. These are difficult to photograph, at least for me--the compositions are always too busy! It is in the nature of these plants. I like the processing and textures. Very nice tones! I like the crop of the OP, but like the other changes made by Dave. Good work!