This close-up - but not a macro shot - of a series of bulbous growths on an extremely large diameter tree in Capron Park is not one of my typical subjects. When I saw the growth pattern, though, I immediately thought of either the Ents or the Trolls of Tolkien mythology. It is hardly an imaginative stretch to spot the eyes and nose of a sleeping troll. Knowing, of course, that it's not safe to photograph a troll when it's awake, I thought I'd best take the shot now.
Since it's St. Patrick's day, I thought I'd better get a touch of green into the photo, and that's where the post processing came in handy. I applied a detail light filter in Topaz Adjust to ensure the texture of the bark stood out. I then applied an olive green gradient map in color blend mode. A saturation adjustment toned the color down just a bit, and a levels adjustment increased the contrast slightly. I applied a warming filter as the final layer. The troll slept through the entire process, fortunately.
