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Elegance
Elegance
yanko


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Soft Focus II (Basic Editing III)
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM
Location: Austin, TX
Date: Aug 20, 2006
Aperture: f/4.5
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/30
Galleries: Still Life, Floral
Date Uploaded: Aug 18, 2006

 I don't like soft focus images in general but thought it would be an interesting challenge to enter so here's mine.

Setup
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Lighting
Mixed. Natural lighting on the left (see the window reflection) and a lightbox to the right.

Background
One gold/shiny poster board which the vase sits on and it wraps behind it.

Post Processing

- Smart Sharpen
- Gaussian blur (faded)
- Shadow/Highlights
- USM (used for local constrast enhancement)
- Shadow/Highlights
- Curves
- Gaussian blur (faded)
- Selective color (boosted whites and tinted it a bit)
- Hue/Saturation
- Curves
- Noise Ninja
- Curves
- Color Balance
- Save for web

I tried the cellphane technique but just wasn't liking the results. Since I don't have a soft focus filter or lens doing it in Photoshop gave me the flexibility to control the effect better.

Here is an alternate edit:


Statistics
Place: 25 out of 252
Avg (all users): 6.2179
Avg (commenters): 9.0000
Avg (participants): 6.1286
Avg (non-participants): 6.2561
Views since voting: 1013
Views during voting: 325
Votes: 234
Comments: 13
Favorites: 0

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AuthorThread
 08/30/2006 03:51:29 AM
Apparently, I do not rate photos the same as other people. This is the best in the contest. Two of the top ten I only gave 4's. Who can figure.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/30/2006 12:37:59 AM
This is a really beautiful image. The colouring suits the mood perfectly.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
08/29/2006 02:07:21 PM
5
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/29/2006 12:22:19 AM
Sweet monotone. Great job. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/28/2006 01:03:28 AM
Your title says it all. Good job
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/27/2006 09:02:03 AM
Nice colors :) 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/27/2006 08:50:43 AM
Beautiful and very elegant... love that rich dark red color.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2006 09:49:17 PM
Very pkleasant plum tone to your photo. The flowers seem real, clean specimens, and nicely arranged. Good work. 8.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2006 03:19:31 PM
this shot is too blurry...could be sharper...Just Kidding!!

Love the way the flowers blend in with the background but still stand out. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2006 07:34:17 AM
lovely composition and processing, a really nice soft focus feel to this image :o)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/24/2006 04:23:26 AM
what a gloriously gorgeous still life this is! it would never occur to me to go for such an almost outlandish hue, but it looks fantastic and is a great choice. the arrangement of the flowers, the lighting and the application of softness works wonderfully well here, and you should be applauded for a wonderful shot. even the droopy flower at the back doesn't unbalance things; making the shot more asymmetrical adds greater realism and makes it more natural. a perfect, beautiful image, and fits the challenge wondrously. 10.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2006 07:13:47 AM
lovely, I love the duotone...great work, hope this does well for you 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 08/23/2006 05:39:04 AM
Now this is stunning. Awesome.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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