Bob Wills  


Dahlia Garden by Bob Wills

January 2021 - Dahlia Garden

January 2021 - Bob Wills

Original

About the Image(s)

I took this image at Point Defiance Dahlia Garden in Ruston WA. We had gone to Point Defiance to shoot flowers and we stayed for a couple of hours. Going through these images I found this one to be worth processing more.

I shot it on a tripod, with my Fuji X-T2, 80mm f2.8 Macro lens at ISO 200, 1/125sec @f16, manual exposure and spot metering.

I converted the raw file in LR Classic CC, added auto tone, then took it into PSCC for further processing. In order to expedite the processing I cropped it to 1024x768 using the diagonal template, copied the background layer (Ctrl+J) used Topaz as a filter, adding AI Clear, Precision contrast, and Oil Painting I @80%. I made a copy (Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E) of the layers, and took it into Luminar Ai and added a Nature look at 50%.
I'm not a very good flower photographer but it was fun. Hopefully we can get outside more in 2021.


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




Zina Mirsky   Zina Mirsky
(Group 55)
I share your wish for more outside photography and applaud the detail of the process you took to make a creative and imaginative representation of this dahlia. Your workflow is a good guide to consider as a 'template' to follow and I thank you for putting the depth of it into print.   Posted: 01/01/2021 12:54:18
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Thank you Zina.
I actually have tried to simplify my image making by just following two people.
I think Gavin Hardcastle is a pro that I like. His humor and photography explanations are useful to me.
I use Blake Rudis and his f64 instructions for all PS technical, including my workflow -tone, then color, and finally special effects. It hasn't gotten me all that much better yet, but has made improvements and simplifies things. It helps me to focus on people I can relate to.   Posted: 01/09/2021 09:30:13



Robert Knight   Robert Knight
(Group 45)
You got a good depth of field with your macro lens for the original. Your manipulation has transformed it into a completely different image. I like the way you have brought out the separation of the petals with the darkening of the edges and also the extra detail in the petals themselves by darkening them. The narrative about your manipulation is very useful. I have dahlias in my garden and the challenge now is to grow one like your final image !!   Posted: 01/09/2021 04:03:09
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Thank you Robert.
I'm a little behind this month as I am making upgrades to my network, but I should finish this weekend and be able to start my comments. We don't grow zinnias, but the Zinnia and Rose Societies in Tacoma WA, maintain gardens at point defiance and we go often to practice once summer comes.   Posted: 01/09/2021 09:34:39



 
What a beautiful flower! So much life in a dark winter. The editing uou did sounds complicated- I wouldn't know how to do any of that - but I like how it looks like a painting in the end. The colours, shadows, contrast and textures are great.   Posted: 01/10/2021 18:10:57
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Thank you, Elizabeth. We lost internet service for two days this week due to a storm, and I can't believe how dependent we have become on virtual contact.   Posted: 01/14/2021 20:28:57



Bev Caine   Bev Caine
(Groups 24 & 48 & 58)
Visiting from 48 & 80
This is a beautiful flower. If you want to "play" with flowers, I would highly recommend seeing Marie Altenburg's webinar on flowers and using textures on flowers and other things as well. Her work, as I am sure you are aware is beyond beautiful and after seeing her webinar in at one club I belong to, I'm anxiously awaiting reseeing it next week in the second club of which I am a member. I can tell you I think my work has improved 100 percent since I've seen it.   Posted: 01/27/2021 15:38:23
Bob Wills   Bob Wills
Yes, her work was in this month's PSA Journal.   Posted: 01/27/2021 18:27:45