Water Flower

It’s amazing how beautiful a single flower floating in a water filled glass bowl can be.  I found this blossom on a cafe table in one of our local markets.  I quickly stopped to take the shot and went on with my shopping.  It was only when I got back home that I realized I had framed the shot too tight.  I loved the colors – the yellows, pinks and whites of the bloom against the blue reflections on the glass.  But the framing just did not work.  Also,  the metal table underneath was distracting.   The shot was just not a keeper or was it?

Well, after letting the image sit for a few days, I had another look at it and decided to try processing it in Photoshop anyway.  The first thing I did was expand the canvas size from the 1.5:1 aspect ratio to square, adding more space top and bottom.  To add the missing pieces of the glass bowl, I duplicated the layer and rotated that 90 degrees.  Then I lined up the two layers and blended in the missing top and bottom sides using the left and right sides of the original flower shot.

Once that was done, I created a textured background using several layers of brush strokes and photo textures.  I then re-created the natural light and shadows using 3D animation software.  I cut out the bowl from its original background using a layer mask and then composited it on the new textured background.  Finally, color correction, sharpening, spot removal, and a bit of sunglow.

So don’t be quick to throw away shots you think are not quite right.   This image is proof that sometimes, you can make something of it.  (See the original shot below.)

Day 324 of my 365 photo a day project.

Water Flower
Water Flower

Are you looking for art for your home or office or something to spice up your digital desktop?  This image and most of the others from this project are available as prints and digital downloads.  You can also check out the rest of my portfolio here.  And don’t forget to subscribe to the blog so you don’t miss anything!

Here is the “before” image:

Water Flower - Before
Water Flower – Before

 

 

By Scott Norris

Emotion. Mood. Feelings. This is what I capture through my photographs. Whether it is landscapes, architectural elements, still life, or macros - it is a very personal journey as my own fears, triumphs, beliefs, and shortcomings are exposed with each photo. In the end, it is all about telling compelling stories.