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Diamonds in the Rough
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Diamonds in the Rough

by Harry Lichtman

Gallery: LandscapePosted June 29, 2016182 views12 comments
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Another one of my spring dandelion images, this time just as the sun crested the horizon to fully illuminate the dandelion heads.  5 focal blends were made exposing for the FG, 2 exposures were used at the distant focal point at 2 and 4 stops darker to hold the dynamic range of the sky.  A thick cloud bank on the horizon helped diffuse the sun and caught some of the sky color of sunrise - but not nearly as colorful as the pre-dawn colors.  Concessions I guess, and different moods created by the different lighting.  This type of shot was what I originally had in mind, as it really shows off the flower heads compared to the earlier ones, but the diffused ambient light of sunset and sunrise worked better than i though it would have.

Nikon D810, ISO 100, f16, 1/30th - 1/500th sec.
 

Comments

12 comments
Comment posted by Kah Kit Yoong on June 29, 2016 at 8:42 AM
Delightful landscape. The glow on the dandelions and near far composition work a treat. 
Registered on September 27, 2006, 636 Posts, 10682 Comments
Comment posted by gary phillips on June 29, 2016 at 9:53 AM
Your neighbors and passers by must think that you have lost it, crawling around the dandelion patch in the wee hours.  Little do they know that a brilliant artist is at work plying his craft. sad  This is definitely the best of the series for me.  Very, very nice.
Registered on October 24, 2013, 185 Posts, 4136 Comments
Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on June 29, 2016 at 10:15 AM
Thanks Gary, too funny!  This field was on private property - a farm.  So I figured I would ask permission, not that they would have even known I was out there at 5:15 AM, but it is a farm after all.  They had no problem with me out there, though the one comment they made was that they "hoped that I would not trample the grass and mat it down."  Never saw any grass, only poison ivy unfortunately.
Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments
Comment posted by Igor Doncov on June 29, 2016 at 10:49 AM
You're having too much fun, Harry. I'm surprised that these dandelion fields are still holding up. Inspired by your images, I recently decided to shoot some dandelions but by the time I got around to it the wind had blown them all naked.

Regarding these images, they all seem very similar. Each has it's strong points. The first because it was the first. The second because the vertical (or even square) format is the best format for this idea. And this one because greater care went into this composition than the others.
Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments
Comment posted by Harley Goldman on June 29, 2016 at 11:02 AM
Beautiful, Harry. The blend really works well, too for a great DofF. 
Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments
Comment posted by Tom Falley on June 29, 2016 at 12:17 PM
The rim lighting on the distant trees is an extra treat!     Surely one would be holding their breath during the exposures lest the slightest breeze arrive!
Registered on November 21, 2014, 189 Posts, 454 Comments
Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on June 29, 2016 at 9:13 PM
This is superb. IMO the best of your series. The comp on this one is clean and flawless. Really fine work.
Registered on December 10, 2015, 104 Posts, 1112 Comments
Comment posted by scott lanz on June 29, 2016 at 9:26 PM
Another outstanding take on the dandelions, Harry. I like the sunstar and the backlighting coming thru the seedheads. I also the title. 
Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments
Comment posted by Aaron Feinberg on June 29, 2016 at 10:17 PM
Fun stuff.  Looks crunchy at the smaller size but all good at the larger.  Appreciate the details in the fg flower.  Fun stuff!
aF
Registered on October 26, 2009, 399 Posts, 2789 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Hackley on June 29, 2016 at 11:10 PM
I really like the foreground detail and the subtle light going across the image.  What a difficult shot, you must have had no wind as I see no dandelion blurring.  Way to go, nice job in getting this.
Registered on September 17, 2009, 302 Posts, 5535 Comments
Comment posted by Daniel Rappaport on June 29, 2016 at 11:35 PM
I agree that this is the most striking of the three, but I still favor the image including the moon. 
Registered on September 9, 2009, 294 Posts, 2006 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Seaver on June 30, 2016 at 10:18 AM
Man, you had fun with these dandelions and got a bunch of great images.  You've caught an amazing number of rays in the sunburst.
Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments