Focus Pocus

Gallery: LandscapePosted December 14, 201710,185 views10 comments

Thanks all for your comments on my previous image. This is the 2nd of 3 from the same area, very close to the previous tree. This one I do hope comes across as more of an illusion; and in this case the focus stacking worked and I got the effect I was after.

How many trees do you see? Ok, it's not that much of an illusion and the answer might be obvious. But I won't say how many images for the focus stack, cause that would give it away... angel

Oh, one interesting note. Me, Harley and Kyle believe that the scratches towards the bottom, left of center, are from a bear claw... at least it could be...

As always, your thoughts, critiques and suggestions are always welcome.

Thanks!,

Lon

Comments

10 comments

Comment posted by Harley Goldman on December 14, 2017 at 2:15 PM

This is cool. It looks like the charcoal part is floating on its own in front of the trees. Real minor but I might burn or clone the bright vertical line on the right edge. I like it.

Registered on November 19, 2003, 586 Posts, 11271 Comments

Comment posted by Ed McGuirk on December 14, 2017 at 3:06 PM

Okay Lon, I will bite on this one. I think I see four trees, but it might be five if the very far right is a separate tree.

This one one too would make a jigsaw puzzler go crazy. Nice bit of seeing here. I really like the gritty feel to it.

Registered on November 29, 2017, 19 Posts, 260 Comments

Comment posted by Harry Lichtman on December 14, 2017 at 5:48 PM

I like the way the far trunks act as bookends for the image, sandwiching the charcoal trunk. Normally I would think vertical with tree trunks, but the horizontal does work well for this. Focus stacking looks fine, I do like that gritty charcoal and slightly blue tones.

Registered on September 17, 2010, 304 Posts, 3507 Comments

Comment posted by Igor Doncov on December 14, 2017 at 6:57 PM

I really like this as an abstract rather than an optical illusion of which is closer. The comparison of similar colored shapes with opposite texture qualities is very artistic imo. John Paul Caponigro has been playing with this idea recently in a series of images where he builds a composite image in a clever way to achieve results like this. I'm talking about overlapping sand dunes at DVNP. I think the charcoal sandwiched between similar textures works effectively, although the texture on the right is different that the one on the left.

Registered on November 22, 2014, 189 Posts, 2733 Comments

Comment posted by Jim Gavin on December 14, 2017 at 7:51 PM

Needs to be viewed large to emphasize the illusion. Very intriguing. I am guessing between 1 and 100 trees, but settling on 6 (maybe).

Registered on August 14, 2008, 293 Posts, 1250 Comments

Comment posted by Dave Dillemuth on December 14, 2017 at 8:46 PM

Amazing what focus-stacking does... almost an optical illusion. This is a very intriguing and captivating image, Lon. This image is all about shape and texture with not much color. Given that, I'm wondering how a B&W rendering would work?

Registered on December 10, 2015, 104 Posts, 1112 Comments

Comment posted by Ed Lowe on December 15, 2017 at 2:15 PM

Very cool stuff here, Lon. The FG charred tree appears to be hanging in mid-air and the large version is full of some wonderful textures and details. I also like the blue tones in the trunks. My guess is five. BTW, the focus stacking looks spot on.

Ed

Registered on February 7, 2004, 414 Posts, 7115 Comments

Comment posted by Craig Moreau on December 15, 2017 at 2:42 PM

I guess 4. This is definitely a mind-bender of an illusion. I know what I'm looking at: trees, charred and not, but at the same time, I really have to think about what it is I'm seeing. Good work creating this photographic illusion. I like it.

Registered on April 21, 2015, 64 Posts, 584 Comments

Comment posted by Preston Birdwell on December 15, 2017 at 7:27 PM

Cool abstract, Lon. Near sa I can figure, there are three trees. I love the tonality and detail in the charred snag. Nicely done, sir.
--P

Registered on November 1, 2003, 471 Posts, 5188 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Breitkreuz on December 16, 2017 at 3:26 PM

Lon, I like this one as well as the earlier one for a bit different reason. And yes, it for me works well on the illusional view too. For me to see the effect it has to be pretty darn good as I've never been able to see any 3-D scenes my entire life because of defective eyes. My entire life has been 2 dimensional views only with a skewed dof. So a tip of the hat for obtaining the look I think you were looking for overall....... laugh

Registered on February 25, 2006, 525 Posts, 8448 Comments