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Dr.Confuser


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Free Study 2011-02 (Advanced Editing VII)
Camera: Nikon D3
Lens: Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED
Location: Seattle, Washington (USA)
Date: Feb 23, 2011
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 6400
Shutter: 1/640
Galleries: Abstract, Macro
Date Uploaded: Feb 27, 2011

 Photographer’s Notes
I’ve been procrastinating again this month. I have a great idea for a free study photo, but when I arrived on site, my vantage point was locked up behind a chain-link construction fence. There will be another time to shoot it, so I won’t spoil the surprise.

So at the proverbial last minute, I found myself at the Pacific Northwest Flower & Garden Show. Outside the temperature was about freezing; it was snowing with winter storm watch warnings on the news. The show was sparsely attended while we were there which opened up sightlines and cleared the riff raff out of my field of view. Sadly it didn’t help.

The show was poorly lit – well it was okay for viewing garden stuff – but too dim for good photography. I cranked my ISO up to 6400, opened the lens, and struggled with focus and depth of field all day. I got a few pictures I liked … but none in what I’ve come to consider the DPC sweet spot.

Browsing through them, I found this macro of a metal (probably aluminum) birdbath bowl. It had been ground and polished leaving subtle patterns in the metal. In Photoshop I brightened it up and fooled around with adjustment layers trying to make something from it. And I made a happy mistake. I went to use Curves on auto and missed the icon hitting Levels instead. Hitting auto, it revealed the colors and texture; A happy accident.

Now here's the problem, abstracts tend not to do so well here. Maybe this will be the exception that proves the rule!



Post Processing
• Convert from RAW (PSCS5 Camera Raw)
• Remove Dust (PSCS5 Clone Layer)
• Dodge & Burn (PSCS5 Overlay Layer)
• Adjust Color (PSCS5 Levels Layer – Auto)
• Brighten (PSCS5 Exposure Layer)
• Resize (Genuine Fractals)
• Sharpen (PSCS5 USM Masked)
• Save for Web (PSCS5)



Camera Data
• Date: 2011.02.23
• Camera: Nikon D3
• Lens: Nikon AF-S Zoom-Nikkor 28-70mm f/2.8D IF-ED
• ISO: 6400
• Aperture: f/10
• Shutter: 1/640

Statistics
Place: 89 out of 325
Avg (all users): 5.9116
Avg (commenters): 7.7778
Avg (participants): 5.9817
Avg (non-participants): 5.7105
Views since voting: 1071
Views during voting: 249
Votes: 147
Comments: 12
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO
 03/08/2011 12:24:56 AM
Pretty darn good for an abstract in a freestudy! Glad you entered it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
Canon EOS-40D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 03/07/2011 10:58:03 PM
interesting abstract. curious to know how you achieved it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D750
Nikon AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II
 03/07/2011 09:54:57 PM
makes me feel like I'm back in the 60's...hope it's done well
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus E-500 EVOLT
Olympus 40-150mm f/3.5-4.5 Zuiko Digital
 03/05/2011 10:47:30 AM
Loe the colours and effect. Good lighting and exposure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D700
Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX Aspherical DG HSM for Nikon
 03/03/2011 04:42:48 PM
Great colors. Very interesting photo. I like the concentric circle patterns, and duplicated in 3D. Good stuff.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark III
Olympus 12-100mm f/4.0 M.Zuiko ED IS PRO
 03/02/2011 09:33:20 PM
Grog find odd plant growing outside cave today. Smell strange. Plant in way of cave entrance, and Grog knows Grogs's females clumsy, so Grog pulls plant out and burns.

Hmmmm... Grog notice mammoth get purple fur today and dinosaur learn to play tuba. Has been interesting day for Grog.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Fujifilm X30
Custom Made Pinhole
 03/02/2011 01:58:28 PM
Ha!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-5D
Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
 03/02/2011 10:49:15 AM
very interesting , outstanding colors and composition.
is it a peacook feather?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Canon EOS-1000D Rebel XS
 03/02/2011 12:37:05 AM
Fantastic! These colours are gorgeous. What are they??
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/01/2011 10:50:03 AM
This image is a great xample of not knowing what the subject is, but it doesn't matter because this image grabs you and takes you in. Different levels of happiness going from past to present. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D500
Sigma 18-250mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS HSM
 03/01/2011 09:27:29 AM
Real great colours here. Love the picture
  Photographer found comment helpful.
Nikon D5000
Nikon AF-S DX Zoom Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR
 03/01/2011 02:08:33 AM
Wow, I like it! I couldn't figure out what I was looking at for a minute. I think it's a plate?
  Photographer found comment helpful.
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