A Dying Gasp/REPOST

Gallery: Photo ArtPosted July 5, 2011473 views9 comments

A few weeks ago I purchased a lovely bouquet of Red Gerbera flowers. The following morning I was a bit perturbed to discover that one flower was already in the throes of dying, and it did become a subject for a stack and some work in PS.

Stats:
17-image stack
D700
f/2.8 105mm @ f/7.1
1 s
ISO 100
-.67 EV
Spot metering

Processing:
Helicon Focus - Combine images
Silver Efex Pro2 - Convert image to black/white
Flaming Pear India Ink - Provide illusion of parchment paper
Mask - Remove any special effects from the Gerbera and exposed stem
Gradient Overlay - Add to the effect of a dying flower

Does this take time? Of course, and when dabbling with special effects, sometimes it's necessary to go back to square one and start again at the beginning

In this particular case, I liked the image but the left hand side of the vase was a bit prominent.

So that's the long and short of it.

Carol

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on July 5, 2011 at 6:29 PM

Velly interesting. I see genius in this Carol. The mixing of B&W and the colorful flower I really like. "Does it take time?" I am one who complained about stacking taking time and thinking it may not be worth it. I coming along with it now and am thinking it may be worth it.

Love your work here.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on July 5, 2011 at 6:32 PM

I believe you added texture to everything but the petals is that right? About the blurred back edge of the vase just at the start of the petals. Is that an area that you intended to get back too and some how didn't?

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on July 5, 2011 at 6:59 PM

Keep coming back to this Carol. I love the droop of the bloom and keep wishing the upper curve of the stem was included. Then I return and wish for a simplier comp that eliminates the vase. Can see how working with this took time and effort. It was well worth it!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on July 5, 2011 at 11:14 PM

A repost with that vase fixed, Charlie, and in this case, I did have to go back to step one. Even though I worked in layers, it wasn't possible to fix. Also did a different crop. Sure hope I post the correct repost. I think this is about the 4th iteration ;^)

Thanks for looking folks,

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by David W. Kelly on July 6, 2011 at 7:01 PM

A beautiful image Carol. I prefer the saturation on the repost.

Registered on October 7, 2005, 883 Posts, 6590 Comments

Comment posted by Barbara Sammons on July 7, 2011 at 10:46 PM

Carol, great job on the repost. The colors really pop. Nice work.

Registered on September 20, 2009, 109 Posts, 323 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on July 9, 2011 at 4:01 PM

Superb Carol. I prefer the repost.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Steve Balke on July 10, 2011 at 1:40 PM

Very imaginative comp and image processing, Carol. I like the glassy look of the vase contrasting with the flower. Also, I too prefer the repost. Exceptional work.

Registered on June 18, 2009, 229 Posts, 2915 Comments

Comment posted by Tom Wronski on July 11, 2011 at 5:18 PM

Wow, beautiful image Carol. I prefer the original. This one evokes a lot of emotion for me; in the shifting color of the petals, in the details of the glass, and the details provided by the stacking.

Registered on July 9, 2011, 2 Posts, 7 Comments