Bringing back the TPF Challenge threads - 1-24-26 Abstract Macro

[SquarePeg47 1]

With much of Canada and the US stuck indoors due to cold and snow, I thought now might be a good time to bring back the photo challenge. We’re going to start with bi-weekly and see if that needs to be adjusted. The only rule for the challenge is that you can’t post old photos. Must be a new photo taken purposely for the challenge. The point is to get up/out and shoot!

This week’s challenge is Abstract Macro. Get close, keep us guessing as to what the actual subject is, look around your home or workplace for shapes or colors or patterns and texture that catch your eye. You can post as many times as you like. This is for fun, there is no prize and no critique but comments and positive feedback are always welcome. If you want to disclose what the subject is you can do so or it can remain a mystery.

 

[40737016 1]

OK I will start with an easy one:

The whole pic below
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cheers
jbo

 

[snowbear127 59]

OK I will start with an easy one:
View attachment 293996

The whole pic below
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.......

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View attachment 293998
cheers
jbo

Thorn of, I guess, a rose bush.

 

[snowbear127 59]

Reverse-coupled 50mm and 24mm (50 on body) so there is some vignette. D40, f4 @ 1/60, ISO 3200

 

[40737016 1]

Thorn of, I guess, a rose bush.

Thats English Bramble. They used to use Bramble instead of a moat round castles. The old stuff is impossible to cut.

Bramble thorns are sharp, downward-curving, hooked prickles found on the, stems of the Rubus fruticosus plant, designed to help it climb, scramble, and protect itself. These formidable thorns can cause deep, painful scratches, and infections if not properly cleaned. Managing them requires heavy-duty protective gloves, loppers, and digging out the root system.
Key Details on Bramble Thorns:

• Structure: They are technically prickles—outgrowths of the plant's skin, rather than modified branches—that are often curved or hooked, allowing them to latch onto other vegetation or fences.
• Function: The thorns enable the plant to create dense, tangled, and impenetrable thickets, acting as a defense mechanism against herbivores.
• Control and Removal:
  • Protection: Wear heavy-duty, thorn-proof gloves and thick clothing when handling.
  • Manual Removal: Cut the stems back to about 30cm (1ft) from the ground, then dig out the root ball with a spade or fork.
  • Safety: While not poisonous, thorns can cause painful, fast-spreading infections; wash any scratches with soap and water immediately.
• Types: While most wild brambles are heavily thorned, some cultivated varieties are specifically bred to be thornless.
• Usage: The thorny, woody stems can be difficult to manage but are sometimes used in traditional, sustainable, and eco-friendly practices such as "dead hedging" to create barriers.

 

[smoke665]

I'm bored I'll play, what is it?

 

[greybeard45 18]

I'm bored I'll play, what is it?
View attachment 294013

Fish scales?

 

[greybeard45 18]

 

[smoke665]

Fish scales?

Nope

 

[snowbear127 59]

I'm bored I'll play, what is it?
View attachment 294013

My thought was a belt or something made from snake or lizard skin, but now I'm not sure. Maybe a pine cone or the scaly part of a magnolia?

 

[smoke665]

My thought was a belt or something made from snake or lizard skin, but now I'm not sure. Maybe a pine cone or the scaly part of a magnolia?

Close enough, immature limb from a pine tree, it's bark can resemble snake skin. In the winter they lay on the ground and dry out. When you're walking through the woods, and the sun strikes them, it will scare the *&^% out of you, makes you think you're about to step on a snake. LOL

 

[cgw129 154]

I'm in. Blizzard bored...

 

[cgw129 154]

I'm bored I'll play, what is it?
View attachment 294013

School of flounders?

 

[snowbear127 59]

Any guesses on this one?

DSC_0771.jpg by Snowbear Photography, on Flickr

 

[snowbear127 59]

I'm in. Blizzard bored...View attachment 294021

It looks tubular, like a grill grate.