Photo Discussion
Category: How'd You Do That?

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Backlit Cholla


	Backlit Cholla f/7.1, 1/200 sec, ISO 200, -0.3 exp comp; lens OIS 18-200 @ 200mm Stephen Shoff
	original jpg Stephen Shoff

Stephen Shoff

How should I finish the bottom of this?. Including the original JPG so you know what I have to work with.

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March 26, 2013

Debbra Bailey

Love the sharpness of this! The points on the top really stand out. I am not fond of the burning ON the cholla towards the bottom... I am not sure what TO do though... It might look cool if you created the illusion that you were looking down at it, so to get rid of the point at the bottom... might take some cloning... guess I would wait to see what everyone else things!

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March 26, 2013

Stephen Shoff

Good to hear from you again Debbra. Its been awhile.

Yeah, I know what you mean. I'll wait to see what others might suggest.

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March 26, 2013

Teresa H. Hunt

I love the contrast and detail you have here. Very cool.

I'm not sure that I have a good idea for the bottom either. I think right now your image has a floating in space look, which I kind of like. However if you wanted to add back in some of the dirt to anchor your plant it might work. I really don't know. Sorry I'm not much help

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March 26, 2013

Jeff E Jensen

What if you just cropped a bit off of the bottom and right sides so that it intersects the frame?

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March 26, 2013

Kristin Duff

Stephen...why do you want to add something to this? I think it stands perfectly well on its own. I saw a whole series done like this at the Kew garden photography competition a few years ago and it was outstanding. The strength of the photo comes from the plant form itself which I think you have done a beautiful job capturing.

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March 26, 2013

Stephen Shoff


	Jeff's crop suggestion Stephen Shoff

Kristin, my question isn't suggesting that I want to add to this image. My problem is that I'm not satisfied with how the bottom of the picture appears -- Debbra called that the area of burning (i.e, darkening) the base of the cholla into nothingness. As it stands, it looks muddy to me. Teresa called that "floating" as in incomplete or not anchored. I agree with both those descriptions. So my question was how do I finish post-processing the bottom of the plant so that the image looks complete.

Here is Jeff's crop suggestion reformatted to 5:7 aspect ratio, and a couple of distractions cloned/healed out.

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March 26, 2013

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