Forest Floor Neon

Image Critiques Macro/Close-up Critiques
1

After Edit

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Before Edit

Forest Floor Neon
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The edges of this cluster of mushrooms were particularly bright. I couldn’t help but try and photograph them.

Specific Feedback Requested

Any and all honest feedback is welcome. I do have a version where it is tack sharp from front to back, but I added some blur to put emphasis on the main mushroom cluster.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
Camera: Fujifilm X-T3
Lens: Fujifilm 16-80mm f4

ISO: 80
Focal Length: 46.6 mm
Aperture: f/5.6
Shutter: 1/13 s.

30 images focus stacked using Helicon Focus.

adam.klaum
1 Like
2

Wonderful detail on the fungus! I really like the combination of its sharpness with the softer blurred areas.

I wonder about darkening or removing the piece in the UR and just right of center on the bottom border?

3

Thanks Diane! Are these the two pieces you mean?

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I could also crop it square, but I’m not sure if this composition is too “on the nose” so to speak.

Forest_Floor_Neon_Edit2_NPN
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2 Likes
4

Oh what a great little group. Possibly turkey tails or another shelf fungus. The sepia treatment is really nice. I’m puzzled that with 30 images the log is still OOF. It works though so that’s what counts. You could lose the formations at the far edges if you were so inclined. The circled one at the bottom and the very top right corner. The larger one up there doesn’t bother me. I’d also have a go at lightening the darker parts of the mushrooms themselves. They have some detail there and I don’t think it would take much for us to see it. Glad to see more mushrooms! You can put them in flora, too. If it grows, it goes!

5

Adam, this high contrast look at what look like Turkey Tail mushrooms (to me), looks very good. I do prefer the square crop as it puts the viewing focus right on the mushroom clump. The slight separation in sharpness between the subject and it’s log works well. My one thought is to get in closer, but your lens may not have allowed that, then you could adjust the position of the subject cluster in the frame, if you wanted.

6

I’m late to the party, Adam. I like the square crop too. B&W really works for this, in my opinion. Nice shapes and textures. Well done.

7

The lower circle is one of the areas I meant. For the upper circle, I’d just darken or clone out the one right on the top edge.

The square crop works but I rather like the softer secondary growths. Maybe do some lowered contrast on the one nearest the top left.

8

Thanks everyone for your kind words and suggestions. Square crop seemed to be the majority :slight_smile: Futzed with it for probably too long, but I’ve updated the original post with the new version. Let me know what you think!

9

Hi Kristen! The original image is sharp all the way from front to back with the focus stack, but I thought keeping things soft outside of the grouping made it pop a bit better.