Pardon my vanity, which pic do you like the best?

[Deja Q]

A)


B)


C)


D)


E)


F)


Thanks! (they look better at full size...)

[saracat]

1. C is both dramatic and focused!

[Deja Q]

3. I thought 'C' was the least focused...

Which was deliberate, mind you... :-)

At a larger size, it does stand out...

[LowerManhattanite]

8. C is my emotional favorite...

...it's like something from a dream I had when I was a child.

I know...it's weird, but that's just how it hit me.

[pagerbear]

2. I can't decide!

They're all terrific!

I must admit to being disappointed they weren't pictures of you, though. :-P

[Deja Q]

6. :blush:

Thanks! ;-)

[Droopy]

4. I like D

Then again I've always liked pictures of bodies of water in a forest. I also like the way the sky is so dark in that picture.

on edit: I like them all, D just really stands out for me.

[Deja Q]

9. Thanks for the input!

I kinda like "D" the best too.

While "A" is surreal in its own right, "D" is more scenic and less focused on one particular subject...

[theivoryqueen]

5. pinhole?

they are very nice! (on edit - I like C the best)

[Richard D]

7. Question

Did you use infrared film or a photoshop filter? Nice work.

[Deja Q]

12. Answer

Thx for the compliment!

But I do hate to spoil my widdle secrets. :-)

Photoshop chicanery. For all of them.

My film camera won't take infrared film and I'm not about to remove the infrared blocking filter from my digital camera.

They have infrared lens filters, I gather, but exposure time is pure guesswork.

Photoshop yields the best results, and with my 35mm film scanner I can scan any neg, clean it of noise, apply any effect, and save it for large format printing (24x36" max for the time being, but my matte printer goes up to 13x19" anyway, which is the ideal setting for the scanner at 4000DPI... and its prints will last 80 years, so I'm happy. :-) )

[traco]

10. I like A & D

I voted for A, but I really like D too.

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. F did it for me. That's one I'd hang on my wall...

The way the veins on each leaf stand out. I fell in love with trees as a child. I would lay on the grass and listen to the wind rustling through. Peace. That is definitely a peace evoking picture. Thanks for sharing. You are very talented.

[Deja Q]

20. Thank you!

For the compliment and for sharing that childhood story, that's a lovely memory. :-)

[Bluebear]

13. F is mesmerizing. Detailed and profound.

[zx22778a]

14. I voted B because I'm partial to rugosa roses,

but the geraniums in E are good.

[TeacherCreature]

15. B for the contrast and shades of grey

Your work is getting better and better. If I had money I would buy your work to hang on my walls.

[Deja Q]

18. Thanks for the compliment!

I do like to improve my abilities! :D (Agreed, my early days were not that good, but my SLR camera of the time didn't have half the options even my Minolta Maxxum 5 has... time and experimenting with core basics while thinking as how the camera sees the image has helped me mature a bit... I'll be upgrading to the Maxxum 7 shortly as well, the mirror-lock and better focusing capability being big points because of my inability to hold things still...)

Anyway, I used a series of layering and effects with Photoshop, not excluding a pre-bought "IR Film" filter for some pics because it's just easier and yields results the manual tinkering can't always easily do.

Indeed, the pic "B" was originally a digital color image that I didn't dare show anybody. It was a bit dark overall (going by the LCD screen on a bright sunny day) and the flower somewhat wilted to begin with, but the gray shading + IR effects turned it into something special... It looks great on paper buy really comes alive on screen at 1600x1200 pixels...

I'd love to do real infrared, but my film camrea can't do it and I won't dare remove the IR blocking filter from my digital camera.

Besides, 35mm camera + dedicated film scanner + photoshop tinkering is cheaper than true IR processing and yields megapixel quality 3 times greater than the low-end DSLR... (6MP compared to ~20MP)

[Neshanic]

16. Love F, but I am ratting you out to Ashcroft for A...flower organs!

[JohnLocke]

17. F, certainly!

[solinvictus]

19. "C" then "D"

Photo C has an ethereal quality that I like, likewise with D. C is my favorite, though.

[Deja Q]

21. Thanks y'all for the input!

(and a teensy kick for the night crowd...)