Fluffy-topped Beech

Gallery: FloraPosted March 6, 2012128 views12 comments

I have not posted in the flora gallery since October because the plants in my neck of the woods have been looking like this, but without the snow. I took advantage of last week's snowfall to "dress up" this American beech bud and single marcescent leaf. I actually like the texture, lines and structure of dead beech leaves, even without snow. And in the winter, the warm tan-brown adds a splash of color to the woods.

Canon 5DII
Sigma 150 Macro
1/60sec. @ f/20
12 images focus-stacked in CS5

P.S. Forgot to ask what you think about the white vignette as a way to handle the single stem entering the frame from the side. (Thanks to Sandy for reminding me.) Do you think it's better to:
(a) just let it enter the frame full strength
(b) fade to white at the edge, as I did, or
(c) any other ideas?

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by Brigitte Lorenz on March 6, 2012 at 1:47 PM

wonderful work,Wayne!!!

Brigitte

Registered on January 10, 2009, 187 Posts, 1507 Comments

Comment posted by SandyRichardsBrown on March 6, 2012 at 2:08 PM

very cool!
Nice detail in snow and leaf.
Not so sure about the fading out of the stem..
Sandy

Registered on November 24, 2003, 3937 Posts, 12909 Comments

Comment posted by Lorna Taylor on March 6, 2012 at 3:52 PM

Wayne this is lovely , wonderful winter capture. I love the detail and gracefully lines.I think I would have liked to see the stem not faded.

Registered on November 12, 2010, 254 Posts, 3083 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Seaver on March 6, 2012 at 5:45 PM

Great shot. I love the details in the leaf and how stark you've made them in processing. I find the fade on the stem distracting, but that's just me.

Registered on January 23, 2011, 1103 Posts, 17270 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on March 7, 2012 at 1:33 PM

I like the whimsical mood of this image. The detail in leaf and snow is beautiful and compliment each other nicely. I think you could have let the stem enter the frame full strength and it would have been less of a distraction. The vignette introduces another element my eye must consider which is separate (not connected as the stem itself is) from the main subject. At least those are my thoughts. There's a really nice balance of warm and cool tones that I find very restful. Nice job

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on March 7, 2012 at 8:24 PM

Wayne:
This is wonderful. The lines, texture and color on the leaf is just fabulous and to top this off you have the ice crystals perfectly captured against the white bg. I think it would be better without the fading off of the stem; the bright spot where the stem enters the frame is distracting.

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on March 7, 2012 at 9:00 PM

This is gorgeous, Wayne. Seeing the bud makes me ever so hopeful for Spring's arrival, and yet the snow and the posture of the leaf speak eloquently of the quiet time of Winter.

I find the bit of vignette on the stem distracting and think it would be fine to let it be full strength.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on March 7, 2012 at 9:38 PM

Hi Wayne

Marvelous capture of winters marvels. the color, light and detail are excellent

Looks like nobody likes the faded stem

Albert Darmo
Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on March 8, 2012 at 8:20 AM

Very nice, Wayne ! Makes a lovely abstract, as well as being a great capture of the textures of the leaf and snow. Regarding the stem, I'm never sure unless I see the result, but one thought would be to increase the vignetting a little, as I feel it maybe looks just a touch half-hearted ?

Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on March 8, 2012 at 3:58 PM

Wayne: I like this as is but don't think I would have any problem with the stem entering unaltered. Great winter flora shot.>=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Daniel & Loana on March 8, 2012 at 4:41 PM

I really like this shot. I like the lines and the deatils on the leaf.
I am not convinced about the fading of the stem. I would probably prefer it entering the frame full strenght.

D&L

Registered on October 7, 2008, 166 Posts, 3044 Comments

Comment posted by Nathan Buck on March 10, 2012 at 3:58 AM

Hi Wayne. I love the high key look. Great transparency and detail. I am not loving the vignette, but not hating it either.

Nathan

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1101 Posts, 13589 Comments