This is such a wonderful image in the original. Very well done.

That doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy playing with it, with my own artistic styles.

Here are three of my renderings for everyone's consideration.

Ken

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These are nice captures. Calla Lillies have always been one of my favorites to photograph and to paint. One method that I have used for years to control the background is to use various pieces of fabric stretched and glued upon a thick piece of fomcor. Control your depth of field, and the color of the fabric becomes a wonderful background. I have at least ten such set-ups and they work well. . .really well if I have an assistant with me.

The most famous black & white photo of a calla lilly was the one by Robert Mapplethorpe many years ago. These flowers are so simplistic that they seem to do better in various types of b&w renderings.

Here are three of my renderings in fine art black & white pencil technique, with a touch of spot color. I am not too sure that I like the spot color on these, let's see what you and others think.

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Thank you.

Many years ago, I went to see an old Chinese gentleman in Portland's (Oregon) Chinatown and asked him if he could carve a chop for me that was my name. He said that he could, and told me it would take him about a week.

I went back a week later and picked up my chop, that he explained he details of it to me at that time (over 30 plus years ago). I cannot break down the elements of the chop today. I am content with the knowledge that it represents me full name. I put my trust in the old Chinese gentleman.

In any event, it provides an unobtrusive manner to sign my art.

You are partially correct my hippie friend, the bear eats the berries; and, I eat the bear! Life is good. . . :mrgreen:

Well my good and faithful friend, what happens when it is time to ship off the sheep to the meat packers? We take them to the loading chute, under the cotton candy sky, in the world of super color infrared. . . :mrgreen:

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Did I mention that I am 70 years old, with an over active belief in the impossible? :lol:

Once again my friend, I thank you for your most kind comments. While I am not a big fan of using spot color, it just seemed to be required for this image for anyone who knows these Japanese Iris.

Thank you once again my friend. Doing these takes a fair amount of time, to follow the work flow perfectly between several different programs. This PP process works well for almost unlimited subjects. See my other threads.

I have been asked to teach a class on this process here locally; however, it would require that each student have five specific very costly programs on their laptops. . .not a likely thing. On top of all of the required software, there would be the tuition cost for the class. . .either in real dollars or sexual barter! Oh, what to do. . .? :lol:

Here is another in this series. This a back road, behind the main Mission La Purisma. This has always been one of my favorites.

Ken

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Here is another type of Iris, for your viewing pleasure.

As always, comments are very welcome.

Ken

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No need to be embarrassed my friend, as Ray did all of his photography in the west, more specifically the northwest and Oregon. But, his work is plum wonderful and still has merit today. Ray worked with his large format camera from 1928, and pretty much continued until his death in 1990.

He was a kind and gentle man, with a good sense of humor.

Since there have been many requests to see one of the original color images, here is one of them. The only PP is a simple size and crop in Photoshop.

As to others who have asked how I produce my fine art pencil effect, it is a specific work flow sequence going back and forth between four or five different software programs. Those programs are Photoshop; Easy Photo Editor; Topaz; OnOneSuite 6; and, OnOneSuite 8. I really can't say anything beyond this.

Ken

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Stunning images, as usual. Always a joy to look at your work.

Ken

Thank you Sandy. I do love my infrared conversion camera. It is not the ticket all of the time; however, with certain subjects the results can be stunning.

Ken

Thank you for looking, and for your kind comments.