Youth by taffy

Youth

I knew today would be busy (and cold) so late last night (or early this morning more accurately), I set up these lily buds and used one of our spot ceiling lights to serve as the sun. Took several shots, some individual, some bracketed. This is a composite of three shots combined in HDR Efex Pro, at 85mm f/8 at 1/5, 1/6, and 1/8 handheld. I started with a preset but did a bunch of stuff with the sliders so don't think I can reproduce it ever again (brightness, contrast, structure). I think using control spot to increase the structure on the base of the main bud helped but the rest of it was done on 'smooth' and 'low structure' settings.
Alternative version and processing in main album: http://365project.org/taffy/the-also-ran-ph/2014-01-15
Nicely done Taffy! Your processing really brought out the details! Also like the flare your artificial sun created!
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful lighting on the subject and use of the flare!
January 16th, 2014  
So clever and creative Taffy! I love this! I always take careful note of what you do with hdr so that I can improve my shots. Lots to learn! I would never have thought of using hdr for a close-up shot like this!
January 16th, 2014  
It's gorgeous! I just love the look of the light coming down!
January 16th, 2014  
Spectacular shot! Needs to be seen enlarged. Faved
January 16th, 2014  
C♥♥lness !!
January 16th, 2014  
I love the lighting, well done!
January 16th, 2014  
FAV!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! for the light
January 16th, 2014  
Fabulous light in this shot Taffy.....Beautiful! :)
January 16th, 2014  
@pamknowler Thanks Pam! I'm finding all kinds of uses for HDR now that I understand how the right hand sliders work and am not limited to the presets. You can use it to just sharpen up almost anything. And the control points let you take it away in spots too (or put it in).
January 16th, 2014  
I have no idea what you did.i as lost after the spit lighting!But all of your efforts were well worth it!Gorgeous image!fav!
January 16th, 2014  
The light is gorgeous!
January 16th, 2014  
@swilde Gosh -- thanks so much for the enthusiastic fav. I really appreciate it!
January 16th, 2014  
Great capture. Love the lighting
January 16th, 2014  
The light is amazing..love how beautiful it looks!
January 16th, 2014  
Lovely......I dont understand what you did yet, .... but the result is great! :)
January 16th, 2014  
awesome, awesome. love it
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful!
January 16th, 2014  
love the light!
January 16th, 2014  
nice take and super processing!
January 16th, 2014  
Very cool shot. Love the light!
January 16th, 2014  
The lighting in magic. Fav!
January 16th, 2014  
Wow! Awesome 'sun' and the final image is super stunning - really does look like an oil painting.
January 16th, 2014  
Brilliant image, Taffy. I love that light bleeding into the shot :)
January 16th, 2014  
Love this! Killer light!
January 16th, 2014  
love you lighting and technique
January 16th, 2014  
You've made it look so effortless. Beautiful.
January 16th, 2014  
G♥rge♥us image - Ohh,Taffy, I wish I know at least half of your techy side!!
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful.
January 16th, 2014  
You do such beautiful work! Definitely a fav!
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful
January 16th, 2014  
Soft, pretty and beautiful lighting
January 16th, 2014  
The rimlighting defines this image for me.
January 16th, 2014  
Beautifully done.
January 16th, 2014  
simply stunning
January 16th, 2014  
Fav - this is such a lovely capture, Taffy!
January 16th, 2014  
cool
January 16th, 2014  
Spectacular! I read what you wrote and still, my jaw is dropped! Awesome image, brilliant work!
January 16th, 2014  
Love the light, beautiful
January 16th, 2014  
Very creative and a great result!
January 16th, 2014  
Wonderful detail and lighting - such attention to detail
January 16th, 2014  
Very cool result!
January 16th, 2014  
Wow! Your explanation is too technical for me. But the result is stunning.
January 16th, 2014  
Jo
Its a wonderful shot, simple but striking.
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful low-key composition, lovely use of light to define the shapes.
January 16th, 2014  
wonderful low ley, love the side light, great shot
January 16th, 2014  
Stunning shot.... great light and composition! Fav
January 16th, 2014  
Gorgeous!
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful low key shot!!
January 16th, 2014  
Great detail and lighting
January 16th, 2014  
Love how you've done this with the backlighting.
January 16th, 2014  
@gazbadger Thanks so much for the fav, GB!
January 16th, 2014  
A delight and a fav. Do you know Robert Mapplethorpe's flower photography. I have the book, it is a stunning book. Now this has elements of a Mapplethorpe without being straight off the page. I think you'd like his work with flowers!!
January 16th, 2014  
I love the lighting and colors here! looks amazing in black! fav
January 16th, 2014  
Simple but so effective, looks like a painting
January 16th, 2014  
Beautiful comp and lighting. Espevially when viewed large!
January 16th, 2014  
Gorgeous low key shot, love your use of light.
January 16th, 2014  
Instant fav!!!
January 17th, 2014  
This looks more like a painting than a photo! Great job on the processing!
January 17th, 2014  
Beautiful processing work. Yes, it looks like a painting.
January 17th, 2014  
beautiful light
January 17th, 2014  
Mac
Wow, this is so ... high end. It's amazing and I looooooove the lighting and its effect.
January 17th, 2014  
Absolutely well done...composition and lighting! And thanks for your explanation! A fav for me!
January 17th, 2014  
Stunning, a Fav.
January 17th, 2014  
Brilliant lighting and processing!Beautiful.
January 17th, 2014  
Lovely shot and fabulous processing!!
January 17th, 2014  
Very pretty shot Taffy!! Love the lighting!!
January 17th, 2014  
And FAV!!
January 17th, 2014  
Love it! i like the lighting rays!
January 17th, 2014  
@nicoleterheide @bill_fe Thank you so much, Nicole and Bill, for faving this shot!
January 18th, 2014  
Great low key image, very clever simulation of the sun
January 18th, 2014  
love the low key lighting .. very moody as they say ... and stunning discrete processing ..Fav again!!
January 19th, 2014  
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