AmyHelmick

Satellite?  Using the shallow DOF Is perfect here.. 

Indeed, this is more than the sum of its parts..wonderfully creative, Dana! Amy

Thanks for the visit, Drew. :-)

Jack: "It's not so much what we envision but what we discover when we're trying to realize what we envision that intrigues me." Yes, I agree. This is where the magic of art comes in: those unintended details that show up. I think they are intriguing as well. Richard and Lannie: I took quite a bit of artistic license with the title. Even at it's most abstract it doesn't come close to an actual representation of the real procedure. That being said, it is the title that immediately popped into my mind when I first saw the shell, so I'm going to keep it. Lannie: You hit on the question I posed. The starkness of the shadow is an unintended effect (I liked the way the light shone through the shell) and saw the shadow as secondary. When working in post, the negative space really jumped out. I tried it a few ways: BW and decreasing contrast/bumping the darks in LR mainly. I am still undecided which way I like it better. The good news is that it's easy enough to re-shoot if I decide it's worth the time. Andres: that's a good point about the balance. I was using that little notch in the floor as a representation of ovary (keeping with the metaphor). If I decide to re-shoot I'll try it the way you have suggested as well. Thanks all for your input; much appreciated. Amy

Maybe I hsve been watching too much TV and it is the Halloween season, but this one has a sinister feel to me. The way you have framed it is mysterious, Something seems amiss here, in a scary movie kind of way. Nice! Amy

Definitely a feeling of a battle charge. The shadow really makes this shot. As Jack, great composition. Amy

I love these quirky little finds! That blue of the door and the offset make it appear as if there's a fish in the lap pool (and the pool needs cleaning, too!)..this one requires a second and third look. Love it!

Thanks for your remarks, Wolfgang. Indeed, too many choices can be an issue. I guess where we finally settle eventually comprises our personal style, whether we intend it or not... Amy

...particularly in regard to the hard shadow. I found the shell, "knew" the title and set about to find a good background. This is not the photo I had initially envisioned, but I did find the negative space interesting. I am interested to have some input on this one. Thanks!

It makes so much more sense, now. (And it still manages to be intriguing.) That golden light is fabulous. Amy

Dominoes. Way cool. Amy

Lannie, perhaps somewhere between mine and your first variation; mine may be a tad under and yours a bit over-cooked to my eye as I look at it now. Amy

Awww, Jack. You know it goes in fits and starts around here. Such is the nature of creativity and life. I feel sure it will pick up again. PN would be a worse place without you. The things that make this shot for me are the shadow and the cone. As I said in another shot, I really like how you manage geometry. Amy

I like the way you do geometry, Jack. Amy

This one is visually pleasing. Your title's got me playing "Where's Waldo" though. Amy

Lannie, of course I had to look again on my laptop at different angles; it is interesting how the angle makes a definite difference. I'm glad you like it. Thanks for checking in. Amy

Dana, I love your classical style. Your photos are all works of art. Beautiful. Amy

More wonderful shadow-play! Very nice one. Amy

Thanks, Stephanie. Appreciate the visit! :-) Amy

This one has a fun sense of whimsy with the perspective and saturated color. I like it. Amy

Eye-catching. Very nice presentation. Amy

Wonderful! Amy

I see a face of dragon, peeking from his hiding space behind the screen. I'm glad you included that detail in this one. It really adds something important to the shot. Amy