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Charred Iridescence
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Charred Iridescence

by Lon Overacker

Gallery: LandscapePosted September 3, 2011373 views24 comments
Thanks for everyone's comments on my previous waterfall image. Really appreciate it.

Here's another image from the same trip. It seems we were always sticking our noses inside burned out, weathered old junipers and lodgepole pines during our trip to the Sonora Pass. I was particularly attracted to the reflected light inside this lightning struck, burned out old tree. The charred remains were reflecting the outside light nicely including the blues from the sky. But also the iridescence struck me, like the abalone shell. I tried to process this so the colors showed enough, but didn't want to ruin the effect by oversaturation. I would be curious to your thoughts on the processing here. I can say that the colors were there, which is why I set up the camera in the first place, but to the degree that I've captured and processed them accurately, it's anyone's guess.

Your feedback and honest critique are always welcome.

4x5, 300mm, V100F, f/45 @9s

Thanks!
Lon

Comments

24 comments
Comment posted by Morris McClung on September 3, 2011 at 2:39 PM
Oh, Mommy! The colors are perfect on my old monitor. Great texture as well. The sheen makes this one shine. :biggrin:
Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on September 3, 2011 at 3:21 PM
Oh goodness, Lon! Momo's Brain after doing drugs:biggrin: Wish I could find some sandstone these colors. The iridescence comes through beautifully as the lighter tones hold their own against the blacks. Great textures too. Burnt bark has never looked better.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by Guy Tal on September 3, 2011 at 3:35 PM
Lon, what a great eye for seeing these subtle iridescent hues. A wonderful image!

Guy
Registered on November 1, 2003, 566 Posts, 15507 Comments
Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on September 3, 2011 at 4:05 PM
Crazy details :jump:

one of the best abstract IMO :toast:
Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments
Comment posted by Raymond Klassen on September 3, 2011 at 4:23 PM
Beautiful! I really like the small hints of orange showing through in the cracks, as if light were shining through.
Registered on November 30, 2008, 114 Posts, 790 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Duval on September 3, 2011 at 6:06 PM
Really interesting capture Lon, not overdone at all. Makes me wonder why the iridescence is there but I've seen this before and this is how I remember it.

Paul
Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on September 3, 2011 at 7:09 PM
Beautiful Lon, I love it. I think your processing looks perfect - rich, but certainly not overdone. The only distraction I see is thetiny reddish streak going up the tree in the bottom right. If that were toned down a bit, I think it might improve the overall image.
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by Matthew Goldsmith on September 3, 2011 at 7:16 PM
Beautiful Lon. The iridescent greens and blues are stunning.
Registered on June 29, 2010, 37 Posts, 286 Comments
Comment posted by Yiming Hu on September 3, 2011 at 10:21 PM
This is so unusual, Lon. I've never notice that one can see iridescent hues on the surface of charred trees. Great observation!
Registered on April 28, 2011, 38 Posts, 733 Comments
Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on September 3, 2011 at 11:16 PM
I'm always drawn to, and fascinated by these. Tried many times to capture it in a dynamic way, but for not. You got a nice one here!

Chris
Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments
Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on September 4, 2011 at 1:20 AM
Morris took the words right out of my mouth– "Oh, Mommy!" And the rest of what he said is right on, too.

That is to say, as if it needs explaining, that this image is just amazingly good, Lon. Gees! :wink:
Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments
Comment posted by Eva McDermott on September 4, 2011 at 9:05 AM
The larger view especially showcases the iridescence and subtleties of detail Lon. Stunning work!
Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments
Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on September 4, 2011 at 12:12 PM
Fanatastic colors. Great abstract. You really had a great eye!!!! :toast:
Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments
Comment posted by Vincent Grafhorst on September 4, 2011 at 2:03 PM
The awesome colors make a wonderful abstract Lon, whether they were seen with the naked eye like this or not. :wink: Very well seen.
Registered on February 24, 2006, 504 Posts, 7203 Comments
Comment posted by Dietrich Gloger on September 4, 2011 at 4:42 PM
Excellent "intimate" photograph Lon! The iridescence is quite fascinating as such, but presented so well with an excellent composition.
Registered on January 26, 2007, 360 Posts, 9876 Comments
Comment posted by Robert Dayton on September 4, 2011 at 6:02 PM
Good eye, Lon! Great colors in this abstract. Despite the fact that the tree trunk is
burned and charred, the bark has an oil quality to it in the larger version which I like.
Owing to good DOF the details are very sharp. Well done.
Registered on November 11, 2008, 281 Posts, 3958 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on September 4, 2011 at 7:05 PM
Looks real to me. Cool catch :)

aF
Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments
Comment posted by Zack Clothier on September 5, 2011 at 12:20 AM
Lon, I knew this was yours before I looked, very nice abstract and the relected colors on the wood are great. :toast:
Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments
Comment posted by Stan Rose on September 5, 2011 at 1:07 AM
Cool! Great patterns and textures. I might even boost the saturation a bit more here so the iridescence really shines. :smile:
Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments
Comment posted by Jimmy Gekas on September 5, 2011 at 10:54 AM
This has to be one of my recent favorites from you! Wow. The colors are so sweet and the sheen is wonderful...it's charred metal. Your attention to detail and keen eye for these types of shots are always impressive and this one shows those traits off perfectly. :toast:
Registered on July 26, 2007, 244 Posts, 2807 Comments
Comment posted by Youssef Ismail on September 5, 2011 at 1:49 PM
Well seen Lon. Iridescence is usually caused by when light reflects off of two surfers of a thin film. Colors appear as interference patterns as the light waves either add or subtract each other out from the two surfaces. It could be that the ash left behind on the surface of the wood was thin enough and translucent enough to create the interference patterns to produce color.

In any case it is a wonderful abstract.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 474 Posts, 5555 Comments
Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on September 5, 2011 at 8:17 PM
Very cool find Lon, good eye!

Love the iridescence, looks like the same colors you'd see in an oil slick or a pigeon's neck...or an abalone shell.

I agree with Stan. I think a slight boost in saturation is warranted, but not too much. Great catch!
Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments
Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on September 5, 2011 at 11:06 PM
Love what you've done with the irridescence, Lon! What a great way to turn this piece of burnt wood into a piece of art!
Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments
Comment posted by Dorin Bofan on September 6, 2011 at 4:47 AM
Amazing textures and a great eye as always, Lon! The image is almost haunting for me.
Registered on April 30, 2007, 122 Posts, 3086 Comments