Flower layering

[Didache]

HI all

It's a public holiday here today, so I spent quite a bit of it working on some pictures. I have been experimenting with duotoning and layering still lifes and I am getting, I think, pretty close to what I intended. Here are two (from a series of four). What say you? The series is called Wild Weeds.

Cheers
Mike

[draymorton]

Those are incredibly beautiful. I mean, wow!

[jetrim]

Very nice! I wonder though, if it wouldn't be more effective to erase the text from the vases. The text in the flowers gets lost, and while I know that erasing would give the illusion that the tex was written on the wall behind, a single fragment across the face of the vases seems oddly out of place, and I believe I'd like to see either more or less of it.

[Didache]

Thanks guys for looking

dray - you are very gracious!

jetrim - difficult one this. I can see where you are coming from. The layer I used with the text is an old parchment with writing on it. I have no idea what the writing actually says, but the parchment gives a nice sepia-toned texture to the whole thing, especially when you partially desaturate the original image. I will try removing the writing, at least from the vases, and see if I like it.

In the meantime, here is another one, with the original image.

Cheers
Mike

[Overbeyond]

Mike I am with Jetrim regarding the text on the vases; it says Photoshop.
Otherwise I think they are extremly well done and not without beauty.

[Didache]

There seems to be a consensus on the writing on the vases ... so here is one of the first with the writing removed. I didn't bother with any writing on the flowers, for the reasons jetrim gave.

Cheers
Mike

[StormGirl_LP]

I like your version of wild weeds no 3. I think with more text on the print, it makes a little more sense and it didn't bother me as much that you had text over the vase. I think because I could see the contination of the text. It was a bit distracting in the first two images--I think because of the fact that the text was sparse and where it was placed.

Beautiful images either way!

[stu-52]

I love these images. I think that it would also look great if you had the parchment without text to use for the layering. I don't think that having the text is distracting in any case. It's almost as if the photo is printed on parchment and someone has written something on it.

[Ambrya]

these are beautiful!!!! but i love that style anyway... although i can't replicate it for some reason.... i've tried.... i have never been able to achieve this look as well as these.... the writing doesn't bother me at all and ads to the whole piece......
thanks for sharing... inspires me to keep trying....

[jetrim]

There seems to be a consensus on the writing on the vases ... so here is one of the first with the writing removed. I didn't bother with any writing on the flowers, for the reasons jetrim gave.

Cheers
Mike

I REALLY REALLY like this one Mike! I know it's a matter of personal taste, and others have voiced different opinions but this one is 1000% stronger than the original (in your first post) in my humble opinion.

[Didache]

Thanks again guys for your encouraging comments. Today I may try it with bread/wine/cheese - going for the rustic look.

jetrim .. the jury is still out for me on the writing/no-writing. I've printed both versions and put them on my mantlepiece - it's my way of deciding. I see what one I prefer over a few days.

stu-52 - that is exactly what I was trying to do.

ambrya - PM me if you want my workflow on this.

Cheers
Mike

[Overbeyond]

stu-52 - that is exactly what I was trying to do.


Cheers
Mike

Mike if that was your original intention, then I would say that the text should definitely appear on the vase.

[Didache]

Tom - I am in fact leaning that way. I printed up a large one of the red vase shot complete with writing, and I have to admit it looks very good. Very definitely a club shot. Still, I wouldn't put it on Critique if I wasn't prepared to at least consider people's views of it.

Cheers
Mike

[stu-52]

Mike, I would love to see the workflow on this as I'm sure others would as well. Can you please put up a thread just on that?