Tom Pickering, APSA  


Calla Lily by Tom Pickering, APSA

October 2019 - Calla Lily

October 2019 - Tom Pickering, APSA

Original

About the Image(s)

Specs: Samsung Galaxy S6, F1.9, 1/930s, ISO 40, Handheld, Natural Light

Captured last May in a parking lot garden shop with my smartphone. It does a remarkable job for being an older model.

Processed in Topaz Studio 2 to increase contrast, then convert to monochrome, darkening the greens and greys to broaden the tonal range. Then into Photoshop to rotate, do some healing in the background and a bit of dodging and burning for added depth. Suggestions?


This round’s discussion is now closed!
13 comments posted




Allen Tucker   Allen Tucker
Will the next generation of smart phone cameras include focus stacking?   Posted: 10/01/2019 11:25:27
Tom Pickering   Tom Pickering
(Groups 0 & 53)
Undoubtedly! d;¬{D   Posted: 10/01/2019 12:01:15



Bev Caine   Bev Caine
(Groups 24 & 48 & 58)
Sorry Tom, on this one I prefer the original in color. Different strokes for different folks.   Posted: 10/04/2019 14:46:41
Tom Pickering   Tom Pickering
(Groups 0 & 53)
Thanks for your honest point of view. I'm not sold on the monochrome version, but thought it does work because the color version is very desaturated.   Posted: 10/04/2019 14:58:43
Bev Caine   Bev Caine
(Groups 24 & 48 & 58)
If you have Topaz, try playing with a few options and see what you come up with. Maybe nothing maybe a gem.   Posted: 10/04/2019 15:32:11



 
When I looked at your mono conversion I was drawn to the spots in the background. I then liked the wispy end to the calla flower so I was motivated to edit it like it was actually a marine image albeit one that requires some explanation. :)   Posted: 10/04/2019 20:39:31
Comment Image
Tom Pickering   Tom Pickering
(Groups 0 & 53)
Do you have a title in mind for your vision?   Posted: 10/17/2019 00:13:05
 
Oh Tom, you are asking the wrong person about titles. I wish I could outsource titling. I am hopeless. My only suggestion is " Out of the darkness" or "Emerging from below" That is all that I have got and is a bit better than my usual "Flower" haha   Posted: 10/17/2019 18:35:14



Jim Hagan   Jim Hagan
I like the mono version but also felt the background spots were too distracting. In my revision I reduced the background contrast and also blurred it. I also used a horizontal format in my revision.   Posted: 10/20/2019 19:27:51
Comment Image
Tom Pickering   Tom Pickering
(Groups 0 & 53)
I guess I should say you "spotted" the problem here. d;¬{D   Posted: 10/21/2019 00:04:32



Jim Bodkin   Jim Bodkin
As others have commented, the bright contrast of the spots on the leaves is too prevalent in the image. I like the darker leaves, but somehow reducing the bright spots would benefit the overall picture. It might be a good use of a luminosity mask after blocking out the flower.

  Posted: 10/20/2019 23:58:20
Tom Pickering   Tom Pickering
(Groups 0 & 53)
Excellent idea for an approach to fixing that. Thanks, Jim. d:¬{D   Posted: 10/21/2019 00:05:33



Allen Tucker   Allen Tucker
My comments are late because I had a different reaction each time I looked at this photo. The treatment of Jim H clarified it for my eyes and brain, blurring the background leaves to separate the blossom and adjusting contrast to bring out the subtle textures in the whites.   Posted: 10/25/2019 11:09:40