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ctfchallenge | all galleries >> CTF Challenge 181 - Smack Dab in the Middle >> Challenge 181 - Eligible > Pink & Green
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17-MAR-2009 Lonnit Rysher

Pink & Green

Canon EOS 5D ,Sima soft focus
1/4000s iso400 full exif

other sizes: small medium original auto
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Canon DSLR Challenge23-Mar-2009 17:03
I don't know about the ele-ear. I particularly like the soft focus for this flower precisely because it is not delicate. It's not a very graceful flower, almost looking like hard plastic with a thingy stuck in it. Not all that pretty to me. But, add a bit of soft focus and it becomes a dreamy, interesting, fantasy-like flower, IMO. It's too hard/harsh otherwise. Now it's soft and pretty. ~ Lonnit
ctfchallenge23-Mar-2009 06:22
Beautiful colors... I seem to remember someone telling me this is an "Elephant Ears" flower? For me, soft focus is best suited for more delicate flowers (I don't consider these delicate) but this one works for me since it has a dreamy feel to it. Markjay
ctfchallenge22-Mar-2009 19:32
Thanks, Y. :) ~ Lonnit
Guest 22-Mar-2009 06:19
Hi Lonnit, I really do agree that the soft lens and look is really pretty with the flowers. The colors here are very striking. Yvonne
ctfchallenge22-Mar-2009 01:39
Well, like I said, the border wasn't meant to be seen on a dark background, so it is what it is here. If you'd rather, you can look at it on white, as it was supposed to be, by going to the flickr page.http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphicdetails/3366310195/
ctfchallenge21-Mar-2009 21:11
It does have a nice dreamy quality about it Lonnit. I can see where the lower part of the image might benefit from a frame to offset it from the background, but something more simple might be best to flatter this image here.
~Brent
ctfchallenge21-Mar-2009 21:02
Lovely soft look to your flower Lonnit. The colors are quite vibrant but work well - looks like a painting! CJ
ctfchallenge20-Mar-2009 00:41
TV, it's a cheapo lens - a plastic cylinder with a single plastic lens. You telescope it to focus. It's hard to get good shots out of it as it is very blurry, but when you do, they are, in my opinion, beautiful. Very soft. It's my hands-down very favorite lens to use for flowers. I love the dreamy, romantic, artistry of its effect.

Penny, you are probably just finding yourself distracted by the border here, so you cannot concentrate as well on the image itself.

Doug, as I said above, I love the soft focus and I don't think there's a more perfect lens for flower work. On this image I processed it in RAW but really didn't touch it in PS, except to do a very minor desaturation on the pink in the background above and to the right of the image, and I cloned out a bit of dark stain on the main flower. Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot - I also softened the point on the right hand flower that points to the main flower, using the healing brush then strongly fading its opacity.

~ Lonnit
ctfchallenge20-Mar-2009 00:29
Whatsa Sima Soft Focus? Seems misnamed - looks like a fog filter. Kind of old filmy look. -tv
ctfchallenge19-Mar-2009 22:01
To me, the flickr posting does a better job making the flower "float". I don't think that has anything to do with the background though. Do you know why?
Penny Street
COAmature 19-Mar-2009 22:00
The soft focus is intriguing. -Doug
ctfchallenge19-Mar-2009 20:41
Thanks. As for the frame, I made it that way for the competition print. I don't care for the white around it against this dark background. It looks better on my Flickr site which is a white page.http://www.flickr.com/photos/graphicdetails/3366310195/ . ~ Lonnit
ctfchallenge19-Mar-2009 05:53
Rod you promised!!!!! - Debi
Rod 19-Mar-2009 04:01
For some reason the frame appeals to me more than the picy.
ctfchallenge19-Mar-2009 02:55
Lovely, soft, beautiful photo! The background is really nice. Penny Street
sue anne19-Mar-2009 02:39
Beautiful with the focus in the middle of the leaf. I like the soft pastel colors...