- cropped and rotated to straighten
- Adjusted levels
- Converted to b/w using channel mixer
- Adjusted contrast/brightness
- Resized, sharpened and neatimage
- Toned just a smidgeon
- Saved for web
------
Before pressing the shutter. Hmmmm.
I've been making images of these seed pods for a couple years. They are the seed pods of the tragopogon dubius, or Western Salsify, a weed to some :). The original inspiration comes from an image I saw in a magazine (B&W), a lot like my "delicate".
I collected a bunch of them in the Spring, but they keep falling apart. This was the last one, and it is gone now. There's something beautiful to me in things that are ephimeral, that are glorious one moment and disappear the next. Anyway.
I haven't been inspired for challenges lately, but I have been trying to enter something because of the WPL. Diagonal is a good subject to me, I tend to do a lot of images on a diagonal axis. I like the flow of diagonal. Also, I just got the D200 and was trying out the macro lens on it, so I decided to make a few seed shots.
The sweeping motion is intentional. These little seeds look like delicate brooms, or fancy dresses at times. I was trying to get the feeling of sweeping the water off the baldosas early in the morning like they used to do it in Argentina when I was a kid. That's a very diagonal kind of activity, everything moves sideways and at an angle, brooms, water, people.
The image isn't natural at all - it's totally set up. By a window, white Bristol board on the table, a lamp to the right (light from outside is dim this time of the year). The water is sprayed on. This is the 6th or 7th frame. I made a few more afterwards, but none was as good as this one. This is the only one with the horizontal line at the bottom, like a sidewalk, and I really liked that! IMO it anchors the image, sort of makes a bit of a story out of something that could be just air and water. A little bit like trying to be on solid ground. So many of these closeups look so disenbodied, like they're just floating there - so it is the line at the bottom that made it for me.
I almost didn't enter it, took it down, put up a different one (a couple frames earlier than the final entry):
left that one for a couple days, but finally, at the last minute, went with the one I liked better (I figured, what's there to lose). I didn't think it would do all that well, it's not concrete enough for DPC, it's not a meaty or important subject (like people or so), it's not funny, or in your face, and the DOF is really, really shallow, and all sorts of other negatives.
To me, if anyone were to say it what would hurt most is the comment that it isn't meaty enough, no really important subject, just something "pretty". That sort of hurts. I like pretty. I like to try and find beauty in all sorts of stuff all around, there is so much of it. I want to show the beauty of people also (one of my earliest inspirations in photography is the book by Life magazine, "the story of man"), but I don't like limiting myself to one subject.
BTW, thank you so much for all the comments, favourites, votes, all of it. I'm honoured.
Statistics
Place: 1 out of 345 Avg (all users): 7.4660 Avg (commenters): 9.1250 Avg (participants): 7.4158 Avg (non-participants): 7.5143 Views since voting: 14280 Views during voting: 349 Votes: 206 Comments: 113 Favorites: 161 (view)
NEW SHERPET 'JEWEL' AWARDS TO THIS AWESOME IMAGE IS ONE OF THREE THAT I AM GIVING MY SHERPET 'JEWEL' AWARD OF EXCELLENCE DUE THE THE TALENT AND AWESOME PHOTOGRAPHY FROM THIS PHOTOGRAPHER... FROM SHEZ...
121 favorites to date. Darn impressive. Moreso is the commenter average. I revisit this one from time to time - mostly because I just enjoy looking at it, taking it in. But also to try to get a feel for what to look for, how to "see" in macro.
i know this was posted in 2006 but i have only just looked at it..and wow..i also love these weeds!!there so delicate and stunning and you have captured what to me is the softed moment.made the hair on my arms stand to attention.
Incredible shot Ursula, been a long time favorite of mine, i actually want to favorite it again :), great tones and everything, just a great shot, absolutely love it.
Ursula, a beautiful image. I love the variations in tone and the balance between clarity and soft focus. I agree that beauty is often in small overlooked things.
Ahh, you want to know about the important stuff, eh? Well, I'll try. Not right now, but I'll try to put stuff like that in the notes. It is what I like to see in notes also.
Originally posted by Gordon:
Congrats on a great image. Well done.
On reading the 'Photographer's comments' above, I find I'm more interested in knowing something about what happened before you pressed the shutter.
What drew you to this subject, how was it when you found it, is it all entirely natural/found, how did you approach finding the final composition, what first caught your eye, how much did it take before you 'found' this final frame, that sort of stuff. If you have time, it would be really interesting I think (well, at least for me)
On reading the 'Photographer's comments' above, I find I'm more interested in knowing something about what happened before you pressed the shutter.
What drew you to this subject, how was it when you found it, is it all entirely natural/found, how did you approach finding the final composition, what first caught your eye, how much did it take before you 'found' this final frame, that sort of stuff. If you have time, it would be really interesting I think (well, at least for me)
You have one of the most gifted photographic eyes here at DPC. Your ability to take the ordinary and transform it into something full of beauty and grace is beyond question. I"m sure this is some kind of seed pod or something, but in your picture it looks ethreal. Congrats!
Happy to see you cop another blue, especially with an image that fits the theme so well. One question: why b&w? I think I would have liked this more with some subtle color in it.
this is so sweet! congrats! and just adding to the many awesome shots. i love the bokeh on the left and the droplets 'veiled' on the right. a new second personal best for you too. congrats again!
your images are amazing, they don't even seem to be a photograph more a "image" like I see it but am I REALLY seeing it or thinking it? is it a vision in my mind or something my eyes are really seeing. Just lovely.
Yes yes yes, my pick for the "Blue", and so deserved with such a stunning image again Ursula.
Definately Tops in my book, and my only "10" in this challenge.....
Gorgeous, Ursula. Mono was perfect for this and it accentuates the diagonls to perfection....but...I'd love to see the color outtake. Big congrats on your BLUE!
Very nice one here..... perfect actually, from one of my favorite photographers.....I love this so much.....and just wish I could bump it up, but is is already as high as I can go.....
Nearly missed this beauty. Nice blend of drops and circles of confusion in lower left. Maybe tighter crop, except that would eliminate the general gist.
This is absolutely divine. I can't think of a single thing I would change. Perfect. Which brings me to my vote...a rare 10 from me. (It's not that I'm a troll by any means but hey...you gotta save your 10's for the best of the best and this is it!). Wonderful job and my pick for blue.
Please leave comments on ''how to do this'' in your notes when you win!! Wonderful shot! Again, PLEASE leave instructions on how to set this shot up. Thanks...and oh...10!
sweeping in the rain
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