Flower macro with a twist

NorthstaNder · 24 Sep 2008 at 10:31

Not sure what you will all make of this, but I lay myself bare for some critique!

Taken in Ipswich with a Fuji S6500fd and Raynox DCR250. Also some Photoshop work and a bit of cropping. I wanted to use the photo's proper dimensions on the crop but I found this crop worked best (for me anyway).

Messiah Khan · 24 Sep 2008 at 10:45

Love the tones and colours. Would be great as a part of a tryptic.

domthecondom · 24 Sep 2008 at 12:47

the flower looks dead

Mr Jones · 24 Sep 2008 at 13:28

domthecondom said:
the flower looks dead

I agree but the "death" is well captured if that's the intention? Kinda have a feel of Autumn.

Peter-B · 24 Sep 2008 at 13:38

Love the colour & composition

xirokx · 24 Sep 2008 at 21:22

wow with a fuji s6500

whats a raynox? some kind of filter?

thats an excellent shot..

what did you manipulate on the image in PS?

Twentymac · 24 Sep 2008 at 21:34

The Raynox is a snap on conversion lens

NorthstaNder · 24 Sep 2008 at 23:35

Messiah Khan said:
Love the tones and colours. Would be great as a part of a tryptic.

Thankyou MK...that means a lot coming from you as I consider you to be a tremendous photographer!

domthecondom said:
the flower looks dead

That was the "twist"

Mr Jones said:
I agree but the "death" is well captured if that's the intention? Kinda have a feel of Autumn.

Indeed it was the intention. It's something I am going to keep an eye out for in the future. Dead/dying flowers I find strangely fascinating.

@ Peter-B Thanks very much!

@ xirokx The Raynox (as Twentymac has correctly pointed out) is a snap-on Macro converter which is very useful for those with bridge camera's and also entry level DSLR's who perhaps can't afford a dedicated Macro lens (although extension tubes may be a better option there?)

As for the photoshop work (if I can remember!), apart from the obvious crop...I created another layer, converted it to B&W using the high contrast pre-set. Then set the opacity so some of the colour from the layer below showed through. I flattened the image, then created another duplicate layer which I set to "Multiply" and again set the opacity to taste (I can't remember the exact percentage). I then flattened the image again, sharpened and added the border and signature!

edit...also remembered there was a curves adjustment using the contrast pre-set in there as well, before creating the first duplicate layer! phew!