David Kepley
February 2025 - Green Vapors
About the Image(s)
I took this shot in my garage. It is the smoke from a burning incense stick. I hit it with a flash off camera. I put a green gel on the front of the flash unit. Behind the smoke I placed a black velvet cloth. I processed the image using the usual sliders in LRC, as well as Topaz denoise.
So, what do you think? Does this make an interesting abstract?
Settings: Canon 7D, Mark II with a 50mm Canon lens on a tripod. 1/100 sec, ISO 800, f9.0
6 comments posted
Lovely and inventive shot. I was wondering if shooting at an angle might have given you a more dynamic image, so I did a 20 degree rotate in PS. Posted: 02/10/2025 15:42:56
Oh I like this version! Thanks Craig! Posted: 02/10/2025 16:28:25
Hey David - very cool man! While not quite so much at full size, the thumbnail instantly made me think of an image of a parrot, or some bird with a nice long tail that's looking backward over its shoulder.
I think you've captured something great here, I just keep staring at the details of the lines and shapes and edges. Because my brain went to parrot mode, I do like the orientation you've got, but I played with the crop and brought it in on the left and right so that distance between the green and the edge was roughly the same distance as you've got at the top and I thought it accentuated your creation nicely. Thanks for sharing! Posted: 02/17/2025 15:03:58
I think you've captured something great here, I just keep staring at the details of the lines and shapes and edges. Because my brain went to parrot mode, I do like the orientation you've got, but I played with the crop and brought it in on the left and right so that distance between the green and the edge was roughly the same distance as you've got at the top and I thought it accentuated your creation nicely. Thanks for sharing! Posted: 02/17/2025 15:03:58
I guess I went the other way and added some canvas to the left and right to give it more space. I guess I saw a dragon, but parrot work too. That's what is so cool about an abstract it can be what you want it to be. Posted: 02/17/2025 15:16:49
*chuckle* parrot... dragon... it'll all works ;) For sure!! Posted: 02/17/2025 15:18:09
I will definitely have to keep this in mind ... our camera club has an "Abstract" topic next year. I'd like to suggest that the image be flipped vertically. This would make the leading line, i.e. the birds tail, come in from the lower left. Posted: 02/18/2025 17:33:32