Every now and again in post I find or create a preset that I really like. This is my newest. What pleases me is the texture it is capable of bringing out – the details – without feeling overblown. Nature is filled with textures, which can be great in photography, but there are times, as when using a photo for reference in a painting, that all that detail needs to simplified to the nth degree!
I’m of two thoughts about hibiscus flowers. No fragrance, often ants are in them, not a good cut flower. On the other hand, the bushes are so cheerful and come in so many colors and sizes, they add a lot to a garden. As a photographic subject, done right, they have a lot to offer as far as shape, texture, and shadow.
Black and white can be very difficult if not done properly – contrast has to be there, whether long scale (lots of grey between the blackest black and whitest white) or short scale (little grey between black and white). Long scale images may never reach black or white, and may not work at all. Certain colors work better in b&w with a filter. So much more stuff, it seems to me, needs to be learned when shooting in b&w! I struggle with it. Above is longer scale; below is shorter scale. The red leaves were really difficult to render.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 