Redesign: more space for images

Just discovered that there is a (new?) design for this blog that gives some additional 100px in width for the main content area. So images can now be posted at a total of 500px width which gives you a better view on the photos on display here.
Hope you enjoy!
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Unfortunately I had to re-edit each post to accommodate the new width :(

Duplicity

While testing the new Nikon AF-S 85/1.4G with a Canon 500D close-up filter I ran into another opportunity of sunflowers in the (new) snow.



One part of the fascination with this subject was the form and the warm evening sun peeking through the split structure. But the other was the duplicate form built from the snow that at one time must have been attached to the flower.

Slow Reveal

Inspired by some reading of Michael Freeman's "The Photographer's Mind" in the chapter "The Reveal" I tried to set up a slightly puzzling image with one of my favorite subjects: Trees.
Found an opportunity today while strolling along the bank of an old canal with an alley of trees on the other side. The snow on the fields and the ice on the canal got some battering as temperatures rose almost to +10°C and everything was wet and glistening.

Captured with the new AF-S 35/1.4G (but I think that hardly mattered ;) ) and some post-processing in LR3

Mirror Wood 1:


Mirror Wood 2:

For gear head over here

I've finally collected all my lens reviews on an extra page in my blog from where you can easily head over to the respective Camera Labs thread. There you can read about my findings and the comments from others, post questions or participate in discussions.

Love is all around...

Found this Spanish inscription on a rusty old sculpture:

Solo el amor se queda:


Did some heavy (at least for me) post-processing on this one to emphasize the texture of the background without overpowering the inscription. The final step was giving the words some extra glow. A combination of HDR Efex and Lightroom processing.

I've submitted this image to the chairman's challenge on the theme "Time" over at Nikongear. I like the contrast between the central message of the inscription about the lasting power of love and the lichens slowly encroaching on it. I personally have a clear favorite of who is winning the battle between lichens and love :)

Hope you like it!
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After January 9th I will know how many voted for my entry...

Objet trouvé

Mostly I stumble across interesting vistas large or small. And then I look for an appropriate angle and camera/lens-setting and shoot. And don't arrange anything on the set. So is this by definition "found art" or an "objet trouvé"?



Btw.: There is only little post-processing in this image.

Is it the Sky, the Sea, or the Earth?

Many have commented on the similarities between the deep sea and the deep sky: both have been barely explored and are expected to contain mysteries to be yet unveiled.
The interesting thing is that you can come face to face with some 170 Mio. years old piece on earth that contains structures from the sea and shows geometries from the deep skies. That inspired me to process the image in a way that it resembled more an underwater shot or an image from space.



You are looking here at the polished surface of some dark marble containing ammonites (resembling spiral galaxies) and belemnites.
An interesting mixture of chaos and order.

Happy New Year!