Bored on a Friday afternoon - never!

[Kaye Leggett]

I finish work early on a Friday and if I can, steal a few hours to myself. Today I rescued some Peony leaves from the garden that had caught my eye earlier in the week and took a few shots. I back lit them and over exposed them all: a technique I have previously experimented with, but not for a while. I've played with my favourite shot by changing the white balance and adjusting the levels. In all of them I wanted to retain the structure of the leaves and the autumn colours. I hope you like (at least) some of them.

Firstly the original as shot



And then the others







Thoughts for improvement also gratefully received - it looks like being a wet weekend so loads more time to experiment.

[dje]

Very nice Kaye. Interesting technique.

Dave

[Brownbear]

Beautiful images.. My favourites are the original, and the orange one, especially. I also like the 3rd image.

#4 doesn't appeal to me as much, perhaps I just like the bright colours. Thank you for sharing your technique.

[Mike Buckley]

All of them would make wonderful note cards.

I wonder if you have tried placing the leaves on a tabletop of translucent white acrylic lit entirely from underneath. I'm assuming the leaves are at least a little translucent and will benefit from light shining through them.

[ShaneS]

I really like these shots Kaye - they are striking and I can imagine then on a series of note cards as Mike suggests or possibly even a triptych if you could come up with a third (with #2 and #3) where different colors are emphasized. Very Andy Warhol on nature but then you might need a fourth...

I will look forward to seeing more of your Friday afternoon experiments!

[Kaye Leggett]

Thank you all for viewing and your comments, all welcome and useful. And I will try with the light right behind them later - good idea.

[Kaye Leggett]

I tried the leaves with the light underneath this afternoon and here is the result which is another perspective on the same theme - thanks for the suggestion Mike.

[Brownbear]

Gorgeous!

I tried the leaves with the light underneath this afternoon and here is the result which is another perspective on the same theme - thanks for the suggestion Mike.

[Wavelength]

The latest is WOWsome!!! others are awesome

[Wavelength]

Wishing you more bored days

[ShaneS]

Just great Kaye! Keep on exploring this theme as I think that you are onto something here

Do you have a little more room on the bottom of your last image? I would be really nice if we could see the tip of the bottom leaf with perhaps a tiny bit of breathing room.

[Kaye Leggett]

Thank you all for your comments.