Calla Lilies
Originally uploaded by doug_r

I spied this bunch of Calla Lilies during breakfast on Sunday in a hotel restaurant, so I went back Monday during the lull between lunch and supper to see what I could get out of them. There were some workmen there but they pretty much just ignored me while I snapped away getting the exposure right. Much to my delight, the image came out more luminous than I could have hoped.

Some detail:
This image was developed from a single image composited twice using an HDR technique. An initial RAW file was adjusted to to bring up the low key color and detail in the stems and bases of the flowers and saved off as a photoshop psd file. In the same way, another psd file was created, this one bringing down the high key tops of the callas. These two files were then combined to create a single merged version of the image with a much broader range of exposure than would otherwise be possible in a single image. After cropping the image to a square format and some rather careful levels and curves processing, the resulting image was converted to black and white. A few passes of burning and dodging brought out more local detail in the tops, sides and stems of the flowers. Finally, the image was then Platinum toned, and sharpened.

This image and the top-lit sunflowers image made last spring at Pike Place Market are inspiring me to take a look at how top lighting highlights flowers in novel ways. The luminous effect one sees is rather unique.