B&W Tulips

[GerryDavid]

http://gerrydavid.smugmug.com/photos/33084672-L.jpg

Aperture: f/4.8
ISO: 100
Focal Length: 36mm *in the 35mm world, I thinkthats roughly 200mm*
Exposure Time: 1/600

Photoshop work:

* I started off with cleaning the image up a bit
* then some highlight/shadows adjustments
* curves adjustment layer

* then the adjustment layer that helps you make an image b&w by giving it more latatude or something,I forget the name of it.
* after playing with this a bit I discovered I had to change the mode to cmyk
* channel mixer and played with the levers a bit, finally finding a combination I liked. It turned the yellow tulip pretty white in this picture.
* curves to help create more contrast while helping more detail in the main tulip show through.

* I then discovered there was way to many highlights in the background so I duplicated the cleaned up layer and used the burn tool on that, with 20%. I tried to burn the b&w merged layer but there wasnt enough info on it to do a nice job, which is why I went back and duplicated the cleaned up layer. Since I work with adjustment layers as much as I can I didnt have to go back and redo some stuff.

* copied the merged layers *ctrl shift c* and applied USM to that, then reduced the opacity until I found a result that I liked, roughly 40% opacity.

I wanted to keep this an 8x10 ratio, but there was some stuff in it that I didnt care for, so I used some math with the measure tool, calculated how much I had to increase the canvas by, skewed the picture and stretched it to cover the new canvas area *I did it this way so the bottom layers wouldnt be resized and cropped* and then cropped off the excess on the side. I dont think you can tell that the image was roughly widened by 8%.

I know this picture doesnt really follow the rule of 3rds but I didnt want to trim off the border flowers since showing a little bit would have been distracting, and cropping them all off didnt look right.

Im also tempted to burn the border flowers slightly so thier not as bright. Also theres some bright spots that im wondering if I should burn them some more, and remove some of them.

So what does everyone think of the picture? Personally I think I like the way it all looks, but I can see how some may not.

 

[Texas_Diver]

I like it!

 

[craig]

I love the composition of the four partial flowers. They frame the subject well. I will bet the print is amazing! What size did you go?

 

[GerryDavid]

I can print this as an 8x10, but im not sure if I can go much larger than that due to my camera limitations. Also I havent printed this yet. I have coupons for free 8x10's at blacks photography, hehe. Yes im cheap. :0) So im just waiting for my next visit to the city to make the order so I can pick it up while im there.

 

[craig]

Excellent. Sounds like a good plan. The shot is definitely deserving of a custom lab.

 

[Vmann]

Excellent. Sounds like a good plan. The shot is definitely deserving of a custom lab.

Great shot and even better conversion to BW.

 

[Johnboy2978]

I think you did an excellent job here Gerry. The composition is wonderful, nice focus, and a very good distribution of tones. Only thing left to do here is send it off for development and matte/frame.

 

[Haygood]

This is a great photo of tulips. It kind of makes me feel like I could reach out and touch it. The contrast between the leaves and the flowers are so good. Really like this on. Great Job.