ICM #3 (of 5) Red leaf (rework 2)

Description:

One day I went around my weekend cottage garden testing to take photographs when zooming during the exposure. It was not easy to find the correct zoom speed to get the effect you wanted. But then I got the idea to put on an ND filter to get longer shutter speeds, say 5 seconds. Then you got much more control over what you were doing and could then more easily change the zoom speed in a controlled manner from one try to another, and also determine for how long you should expose before and after the zooming. The image here presented where taken using this method.

Formally, this is maybe not an ICM image since the camera is not moved, but the effect of zooming during exposure gives similar effects so I have anyhow included this image in my ICM series.

This image has not previously been posted separately at NPN, but another take on this image where posted in my 2020 best of posting.

Specific Feedback Requested:

Any comments are welcome!

Pertinent technical details or techniques:

Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites)
No
f/2.8, 8 sec., ISO 200, Olympus lens 12-42 mm zoomed the full range (24-84 mm equiv.), Olympus camera OM-D E -M1 (mft system)

REWORK 2

REWORK

ORIGINAL POSTING
ICM #3 Red leaf red flip ram

PREVIOUS POSTINGS IN THIS SERIES
#2 Sunlit grass in pond

#1 Birch tree in autumn meadow

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I label these zoom blur shots as ILM images (intentional lens movement) :grin:

I like the center being sharp, and the radial pattern created by the zoom. However I think this image looks a bit flat, and would have more impact with higher contrast and color saturation. These ICM type images are often very flat looking in the raw file and require aggressive processing. I think the other images shown below are much more vibrant looking due to the way they are processed. For Red lLaf I’d aim for more mid-tione contrast, and I would try to get more color separation between red and yellow.

I have never been a big fan of ICM images, but I find these, especially the red one to be quite intriguing. I understand exactly what @Ed_McGuirk is saying about the saturation, and I would like to see it with that change, but I also find myself very much attracted to this more flat version. There is something very calming about it. It would be interesting to compare the two versions. The colors in #2 & #3 are beautiful but it appears that perhaps you zoomed the lens at a constant speed and therefore there appear to be “segments” of the images which doesn’t seem to occur in the first image (the red one). Those “segments” are somewhat bothersome to me and disrupt the flow of the image, if that makes any sense at all. Perhaps a variable speed zoom would eliminate that effect. So, I definitely prefer the red image best; to me, that is very artful just the way it is, but I would love to see a version with Ed’s suggestion too.

I have come around to agreeing with @Bill_Chambers. The red image is your best artistic achievement of the three.

@Igor_Doncov, @Bill_Chambers and @Ed_McGuirk thanks for your kind comments and advice.

I have added a rework at the top!

Thanks Bill. I am glad that I could contribute a little to increase the interest for ICM.

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Like the rework Ola.

Thanks for the rework Ola, but after comparing the two I find myself preferring the original more. Perhaps a TINY bit of saturation increase would be nice but, as I mentioned, I like the calming effect the original has. I played with it just now and this is what I had in mind. In PS, I just added +3 in overall saturation and +10 in overall contrast.

Original

Revision

Thanks @Bill_Chambers for your response on my first rework. I agree that I was carried away and took it too far! Thanks for taking your time to work with the image and to upload an adjusted one. I like it very much, your subtle changes improves it a lot. In my rework 2 now posted at the top I have anyhow gone for alittle bit more “up-beat” version.

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