Purple Calla

Oh man, this is gorgeous. The color, lighting, detail, processing, all top notch. The "highlite" for me is the lighting effect on the tip of the forward facing petal. Keep 'em comin'.

Awesome shot Pat

SWEET!! Fantastic light, composition, colors...everything. Wonderfully put together Pat.
Bob

Without question this is astonishingly beautiful. Do you know the name of the flower? Was this found in nature?

Thanks for the comments. I appreciate them.

Charlie,

This was one of about six that were in a pot at one of the nurseries we go to. I don't know what variety it is or how it's cultivated. All the little plastic spike had on it was Calla. To be honest, the others in the pot were pretty nondescript, if anyone would ever call a Calla nondescript. This one was furled up and stayed that way for a couple of hours after I shot it this morning. I bought the pot to get this one flower because I liked the shape. Although, we'll enjoy the others and I may decide to do another with some leaves. Sorry, I can't provide anymore information on it.

pat

Ah Pat, you're killin me. Nuff said.
Double toaster___

gorgeous Pat.... have you ever published your lighting techniques on NPN? I lust love the subtle lighting you are able to create. I assume its all natural because it is so soft and delicate with direction...if so, point me in the right direction. Great!

This oozes and should have steam filtering out the top of the frame...hot...drippy and almost creamy like hot liquid crayons or wax flowing upward.

Pat this is just stunning, love that deep purple !

Beautiful, the shapes and color flow so gently.

The purples, greens and golds are stunning as is the entire image. I like the black bg and think it adds to the elegance of this photo.

Well, the comment "stunning and elegant" has already been used. So I'll say regal and elegant.

Thanks again for the comments.

Reed,

The light here is Northern light passing through slits in vertical cloth blinds gapped so that the light is falling directly on the subject. It's morning light and at this time of year it's indirect. I'm getting some additional ambient light from the skylight in an adjoining room. Everything else is turned off. The exposure is probably an f/stop underexposed. I don't use the electronics on the camera but set the f/stop to mid range (sweet spot on the lens) and then adjust the exposure compensation to give me what I want viewing the screen. I'm shooting in aperture mode, just like I would if I were shooting a bird. I set a meter wide diffuser on a chair between the window blinds and the subject and tilt it so that I get the differential I want between the darker part of the image and the brighter bloom. In this case more light was striking the bloom because the diffuser was blocking the stem and vase. The gradient in the bg was done after the stack was made. I masked the bloom and vase, created a oopy of the image, made the copy completely dark, created a gradient in the copy and then moved the mask of the subject onto the copy. That's why I have a relatively light bg but still have a darker vase and stem. Hope that makes sense to you.

That's really it for the light. The finer control comes from selectively darkening and brightening areas to create the effect I want using LR gradients and Viveza to dodge and burn hightlights and shadows where I want them. There's a fair amount of post processing here and I enjoy doing it. But importantly, no amount of post processing will make the image work if you don't have good light to start with. Believe me, I've tried. (smile)

If what I've explained doesn't make sense feel free to ask questions. The process is a lot simpler to do than describe.

pat

Beautiful stack Pat! The detail in this is so good, I wish they would allow full size viewing! I think this is going to make a wonderful huge print for someone. Just terrific work! If I remember how much Bill loves Calla's, once he sees this, he will be a happy man

Pat: One of the most beautiful calla shots I've seen in a long time. The capture of the flower is just spectacular and the details in the vase are the perfect complement. A tiny less than 1¢ nit would be a little more room on the bottom to catch the entire vase opening. Send me a large print at your earliest convenience. >=))>

A very interesting what I would guess is a calla lily sport. Since a lot of folks are very interested in your processing Pat, perhaps in a future post you could show the as shot image and then the finished one to give the viewer the transition. If you're up for a full tutorial then the various images as they evolve from beginning to finished product.

Bob,

Here's the image that came out of the ten image stack in Helicon. With the exception of creating the gradient in the bg, the process for this one was very similar to the tulips process that I've already posted. I got the idea of the gradient from looking at some of Mapplethorpe's images.

Bill,

You can see from this that I originally had the full opening of the vase in the image. I cropped it because I thought the vase was too dominant. You correctly identified the design feature that Terri and I spent most of our time discussing. In the end I won and made the crop. (smile) Wouldn't be the first time I've been wrong.

pat

I love the re-posted image Pat, I think the inclusion of the opening of the vase definitely adds a more flow to the image, beautiful work !!

I guess it has pretty much all been said by now, Pat - this is simply superb !! I think perhaps the best of all your wonderful flowers in a glass vase series. For my ten cents worth, I support your cropped version - that concealment of part of the glass rim is for me one of the most enticing elements in the composition, balancing the flower beautifully.

Absolutely stunning Pat!

Very artistic, and I can see the Maplethorpe influence. You found a great
subject and made a very creative expression.

The color of royalty. Beautiful in every way Pat. I really like the inclusion of the vase.

Absolutely elegant, Pat. I find myself drawn to the tip of the blossom as it is heading upward.

Tell us more about Fluid Mask 3.

Thanks,

Carol

Thanks for the comments.

Carol,

Fluid Mask 3 is a masking tool. I thought I'd give it a try. Masking is really about the only part of post processing that I dislike and I wanted to try some other tools. I've used it twice now and so far I'm pleased with it. No real challenge yet though like trees or any complex subject.

pat

Pat, So many possibilities with this flower and its amazing petal formations. You are a master of still life photography like this and this one Rocks. Did you try any abstracts, at all ?

Pat, thanks for the detailed explanation of your methods. They might be simple but clearly carefully thought out and they result in a distinctive style that is all yours.... wonderful and the ultimate compliment is immitation and so far I haven't gotten close... well done!

Ram and Reed,

Thank you both for the compliment.

Ram,

I did not try any abstracts. If nothing else this summer, I'm going to make myself shoot one abstract with each image I do. I'm going to have to force myself to do them. (smile) Good to have you back.

pat

Pat, every image of this kind seems more beautiful of the previous one, for me. Here the play of lights and shades is superb.
Cheers.

Beautiful painterly take. The vertical crop enhances the subject well.


lucy

Very nice Pat, one has to see this large to fully appreciate its subtle beauty.
Great technique - Great results