This is the most editing I have done to a picture for a members challenge. I hope it doesn't border on overdone.
Process:
Adjust Hue/Saturation: Aprox. Hue -100
Crop to square image
Clone out label on jar
Duplicate Layer X2
Desaturate Middle Layer
Add Layer Mask to top Layer
Gradient Blend Layer Mask
Erase Background of Layer Mask. Brush set at 65% Opacity, 0% Hardness
Flatten Image
Adjust Levels
Resize
Unsharp Mask
Add Border
Save for Web 88%
The smoke was originally orange because I could not find a purple smoke bomb, believe me I tried! Since I had to adjust the hue to make the smoke purple I desaturated the background so it didn't have a funny color cast.
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The smoke is quite dramatic and the colour is very beautiful and stark. The desaturation works really well to enhance the texture and colour of the smoke.
The lighting lets this image down somewhat. Try placing a strong light directly behind the smoke and reflect some of it back to give the bottle and smoke form and texture.
Would've liked to have seen the bottle not cropped at the bottom. Also, perhaps placed on a solid/plain background other than a woodgrain floor/table. Purple border looks cheesy.
I dont know how you did this but bravo. I was thinknig of something along thses lines but I just did nt know how to execute it. Did you take any where you just have the smoke in the shot. Or any with the smoke diffused?
dc
Wacky! I hope the fire department didn't give you too much trouble when they came out to investigate the call. ;-) Very interesting, creative shot for this challenge.
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