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1st PlaceDNA
yanko


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Acronyms (Advanced Editing V)
Camera: Canon EOS-20D
Lens: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: Feb 25, 2007
Aperture: f/10
ISO: 100
Shutter: 1/13
Galleries: Still Life, Floral
Date Uploaded: Feb 25, 2007

 Setup:

The plant is held up by a metal rod that goes through a hole in the poster board and into a small crevice in my window, which is directly behind everything. Before I attached the plant I shaped the dirt into a ball from it's original square shape created from the plastic pot it came in. I cut off the larger roots and jammed the double helix into the dirt.

The double helix is created from stems of a fake plant that I twisted into shape and is held together by needles that I attached to make the connecting bars of the strand. At first I wanted to make the DNA strand longer and more obvious but that would have made the plant smaller in the composition in order to keep the height at 640 pixels. Not wanting to lose that detail I went with this instead, which I think shows it clearly as a DNA strand.

I had some trouble getting the plant to stay on the rod as it kept wanting to spin upside down. After several attempts it finally stood and I was able to get off a few shots before it would fall again.

Lighting consists of a main light on the left a backlight on the right and one to light the background.


Post Process:


- Raw conversion. Blown highlights recovered from overexposure.
- Cloned out the pole holding the plant up as well as the edge of the lightbox in the lower
left corner and the edges of the double helix to clean things up.
- Noise ninja applied to just the background to remove noise.
- Lucis Arts filter (exposure) applied at a very low setting giving the image more contrast.
- Shadow/Highlights applied just to the highlights to tweak it's contrast.
- Dodged the midtones of the plant and dirt.
- Curves applied to the background to give it a darker color and some burning to fine tune it.
- Curves used to adjust color tone.
- Color Balance used on just the leaves to bring back some green.
- Pixel blending (soft light) to produce more contrast set at a low opacity setting and then blurred to blend in more.
- Color replace tool used for spot color correction.
- Dodged leaves a little.
- Resized using bicubic sharper.
- Save for web.

*Post*

Sweet! I figured this might do well since it's very stock photo-ish and I went for perhaps the most obvious acronym but once I heard some of the players who entered this challenge I didn't expect a blue would be in the works. Thanks everyone!

Statistics
Place: 1 out of 201
Avg (all users): 7.3537
Avg (commenters): 7.8621
Avg (participants): 7.0274
Avg (non-participants): 7.6154
Views since voting: 12455
Views during voting: 340
Votes: 164
Comments: 88
Favorites: 27 (view)

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AuthorThread
 06/01/2007 05:26:42 PM
A wonderfully graphic and well executed image. Very ribbon worthy IMHO.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2007 08:30:48 PM
This is creative...and very well executed...congrats!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/07/2007 06:37:42 PM
Congrats on the creativity, the ingenious setup, and of course the photo. Oh, and the blue. ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/06/2007 05:55:22 PM
Great idea and great picture, congratulations on your blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 06:51:46 PM
This was definitely the best of the DNA entries, mine included! You do such beautiful work. I appreciate the info you provide with your set-ups.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 06:05:17 PM
such a clever idea! congratulations on the blue :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 03:50:08 PM
Woah...I didn't vote or even view this challenge but you obviously nailed it. Great idea to make the Genome strand with the roots!! Congrats Richard!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 11:59:26 AM
Congrats! This is such a great image!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 11:50:06 AM
Well done Richard! Congrats on the Bluey. I loved reading about your set-up.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 10:18:14 AM
nice! you are just hoarding the ribbons now aren't you? ;P Congrats
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 10:14:54 AM
Congrats on your Blue. This is a very fine shot. Thanks for all the details on how you made this, much appreciated.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 08:16:25 AM
Look at that nice shiny BLUE ribbon :-) Way to go man! Great shot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 08:07:18 AM
Way to go, Yanko!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 07:53:36 AM
Your creativity shines on this one Richard.
Brilliantly conceived and executed - congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 07:27:39 AM
Your photos are always to sell polished, and this one is no exception. Great presentation and lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 05:02:57 AM
Many Congrats on the Blue!
The background color is superb in this shot!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 04:35:18 AM
Excellent Concept. Really like the choice of background color, what did you use for it? The DNA strang and ball of dirt. Most clever! The plant also works nicely as well. Congratulations on the blue :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 04:34:49 AM
Excellent picture. Creative, technically great. Congratulations on a well deserved ribbon!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 04:20:55 AM
Very well executed and a great concept. I especially like the lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 04:06:01 AM
Incredible concept and execution. Well deserved COTBR!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 03:53:29 AM
Awesome! Great idea, great execution. Congrats on your blue ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 03:30:19 AM
a well-deserved win, even if the top 3 was a squeaker. congrats on an awesome execution of an awesome idea. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 03:18:11 AM
Great setup and picture! Congratulations on the blue!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 03:14:16 AM
Great shot captain!! Way to go Outcasts!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 02:40:24 AM
creative entry ! congrats !

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 01:20:52 AM
Great shot - blah, blah, blah - congrats on the ribbon - blah, blah, blah - couldn't have happened to a better guy - blah, blah, blah. ;)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 12:55:03 AM
Outstanding work! congrats on the blue!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 12:31:56 AM
Well done. Nicely creative and composed. Thanks for sharing the details.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 12:11:24 AM
This is an excellent picture.
What I love more about it is the symbolism - the DNA as the basis of life. Very inspired and inspiring.

Congratulations, very well done.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/05/2007 12:07:47 AM
nice ribbon old boy...... great shot, poor femmes
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 11:48:14 PM
Congrats, Yanko, very well deserved ribbon!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 10:44:23 PM
ah so good! congrats.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 10:00:11 PM
i love the brown on brown

great work!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 09:50:41 PM
HOLY MOLY, good work!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 09:20:10 PM
Great imagination to "see" this, then superb execution. Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 09:06:17 PM
Congrats Yanko!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 08:50:20 PM
Astonishing. Could make a great editorial illustration.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 08:31:56 PM
Richard...a BLUE! awesome man! Thank you so much for taking the time to expain how you edited...this is a fantastic image. I love the bg and the tones
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 08:12:37 PM
Congratulations, Richard!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:51:21 PM
Fantastic....one of my higher scorers.....congrats Richard.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:47:42 PM
Congratulations Yanko. A very worthy ribbon and an absolutely ingenious idea. Can't for the life of me figure out how your mind saw this befor you shot it.
Great job!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:44:21 PM
looks like a mutated glowing tulip - but i like it!
and congrats on the ribbon, Richard!

crayon
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:41:53 PM
Well deserved..this is beautiful, the lighting is exquisite....
you big show off :)
j/k
Congratulations!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:36:42 PM
Awesome shot! Way to go :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:26:03 PM
WOOOHOOO Richard, WTG !!!! This is brilliant! CONGRATULATIONS on the BLUE.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:25:56 PM
Awesome job, awesome finish. Congrats, Richard. :D
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:25:25 PM
Congratulations on your blue, Yanko. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:15:26 PM
Congrats. Excellent subtlety. Very fine photo
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:13:02 PM
Sweet!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:12:27 PM
Awesome!! very clever!! Love it.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:11:25 PM
yaaa for Richard!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:08:11 PM
Congrats on the ribbon!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:07:43 PM
Way to GO!!! What an awesome shot!! CONGRATULATIONS.

  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:07:28 PM
Congratulations Richard! Great shot, you had me fooled for Shannon, but I had the ribbon part right. :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:06:46 PM
Hey, those cell concepts keep winning you blues. :) Congrats!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:06:02 PM
What a great shot! You gotta good eye man.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:04:22 PM
Nice man CONGRATS!!!!!!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 07:03:56 PM
Richard, I'd have never thunk. CONGRATS Really worthy. GREAT JOB
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
03/04/2007 06:28:20 PM
Very Nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 05:56:03 PM
Very creatively done- nice composition too
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/04/2007 10:51:14 AM
This one is gonna ribbon, top 5 at least.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/03/2007 10:24:35 AM
Clever and well executed.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/02/2007 12:13:07 AM
Intresting shot. not so keen on the brown , good luck
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/01/2007 08:03:14 AM
Among the best in the challenge...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 03/01/2007 05:26:21 AM
Dynamic Natural Art - 9

It is a great capture with those tap roots making the double helix. I love the earthy natural tones. The only thing I don't like is that the plant is floating. I would like it to have something to rest on. Great idea and lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2007 07:24:17 PM
Very creative
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2007 06:40:01 PM
I love this photo, I think its incredibly well put together, and deserving of publication as a cover of a plant genetics book. My only suggestion would have been to use a pea plant to link this to Mendel.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2007 09:06:55 AM
Ooh...that's really cool. I love how the roots make a strand of DNA, and the plant seems like it's floating. Also nice use of colo choice for the background. I think any other color might have taken away from the image. I'm guessing this one will ribbon...clever idea. 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2007 06:19:13 AM
Great Idea! the leafs seem too sharpened for my taste. 8
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/28/2007 01:52:25 AM
If this isn't Yanko's, you can mail me that dirt ball & I'll eat it. Nicely done - lighting, composition colors, everything. Possibly initialism but I'm not the uptight sort (especially since I just learned there was such a thing as "initialism" when reading the acro thread!). Well done & my guess is that it's the blue. 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2007 05:54:06 PM
Great and original idea! At first, I was like, sure, I get it, then I saw the roots. Very nice!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2007 03:26:27 PM
Very nice little helix in the roots.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2007 02:03:23 PM
Cool shot. I like the lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2007 09:52:00 AM
creative.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/27/2007 08:20:52 AM
very nice 9
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 11:41:31 PM
very clever!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 06:40:56 PM
really nice, i like the colours a lot.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 06:38:08 PM
What a great concept! Very cool idea, and the lighting is perfect. Congrats on another ribbon Shannon! :-)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 02:50:51 PM
SWEET! 10 :0)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 02:25:53 PM
One of my favourites, very creative.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 02:24:21 PM
Very creative!
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 04:50:27 AM
This is it 10
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 04:49:49 AM
Clever. I like it. :)
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/26/2007 03:42:46 AM
Superbre... but I wish you would have gave a signification to your DNA presentation that correspond with the subject...
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2007 11:12:29 PM
very creative, good lighting and color processing
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2007 09:29:06 PM
Really nice tones in this. well done. Could be a great Stock image.
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2007 08:18:20 PM
very well done... i sense a ribbon coming your way
  Photographer found comment helpful.
 02/25/2007 07:25:52 PM
That is awesome with the helix as the roots. VERY clever. Love the suspension of it. Something scalvert would do. Even the centering of the rootball works. Good job. Perfect focus and lighting.
  Photographer found comment helpful.


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