Warped Cucumber
Macro Mondays #Refreshments
Size of the slice: 3 x 3 cm / 1,18 x 1,18 inches
7DWF: Anything Goes
For me, there is hardly a more refreshing summertime snack - apart from watermelon cubes - than cucumber slices, slightly peppered, salted, seasoned to your liking - or just plain... or in a salad (and cucumber and watermelon and tomatoes are a great salad team, too!). Especially now, when the small, super tasty, locally grown ones are available. The only one thing I've never done, yet, is to put them on my eyes ;-) Did you know that both melons and cucumbers are curcurbits? They are part of the gourd family, "a plant family consisting of about 965 species in around 95 genera" (Wikipedia). Just like squash, pumpkins, zucchini, even Luffa (or loofah), which is used as a sponge. The Spreewald region in Eastern Germany is
famous for its pickled cucumbers aka gherkins. Last but not least, my paternal grandmother used to make her own pickled cucmbers, they were salty and sour, and I loved them (still do, but they are not as good as the ones my grandmother made).
Technicalities: Small slice of cucumber, diameter as stated above, on a scratched glass table, lit from below, camera handheld. The slice was about 7 mm / 0,275591 thick. I used a very bright LED lamp to light it from below, and the distance between table and lamp was really short, so the light was rather glaring. I figured a thicker slice would be better. Processed in my usual order, first enhancements via PS in Viveza which I applied to the slice only: No brightening this time, I even decreased the contrast a little, and enhanced the structure of the slice. Then, in (on?) a new Viveza layer, I increased contrast and structure for the background only, which I've also darkened quite considerably. Next step were "Local Adjustments" in ON1 Photo RAW: I increased the vibrance, details, and added a slight green tinting (as the slice was a little on the yellow side due to the bright backlight) to the slice only. Back to PS, where I added the thin green frame and my signature.
I realise that this would have made a nice Star Trek story, too ("Captain, there is an unexplained round object blocking our vessel's path!" "Uhura, get Spock!"), but since I've already stretched your patience with my previous upload...
Keep fresh, or cosy, depending on whether it's summer or winter for you right now, dear Flickr friends! A Happy Macro Monday, Everyone!
Warped Cucumber
Macro Mondays #Refreshments
Size of the slice: 3 x 3 cm / 1,18 x 1,18 inches
7DWF: Anything Goes
For me, there is hardly a more refreshing summertime snack - apart from watermelon cubes - than cucumber slices, slightly peppered, salted, seasoned to your liking - or just plain... or in a salad (and cucumber and watermelon and tomatoes are a great salad team, too!). Especially now, when the small, super tasty, locally grown ones are available. The only one thing I've never done, yet, is to put them on my eyes ;-) Did you know that both melons and cucumbers are curcurbits? They are part of the gourd family, "a plant family consisting of about 965 species in around 95 genera" (Wikipedia). Just like squash, pumpkins, zucchini, even Luffa (or loofah), which is used as a sponge. The Spreewald region in Eastern Germany is
famous for its pickled cucumbers aka gherkins. Last but not least, my paternal grandmother used to make her own pickled cucmbers, they were salty and sour, and I loved them (still do, but they are not as good as the ones my grandmother made).
Technicalities: Small slice of cucumber, diameter as stated above, on a scratched glass table, lit from below, camera handheld. The slice was about 7 mm / 0,275591 thick. I used a very bright LED lamp to light it from below, and the distance between table and lamp was really short, so the light was rather glaring. I figured a thicker slice would be better. Processed in my usual order, first enhancements via PS in Viveza which I applied to the slice only: No brightening this time, I even decreased the contrast a little, and enhanced the structure of the slice. Then, in (on?) a new Viveza layer, I increased contrast and structure for the background only, which I've also darkened quite considerably. Next step were "Local Adjustments" in ON1 Photo RAW: I increased the vibrance, details, and added a slight green tinting (as the slice was a little on the yellow side due to the bright backlight) to the slice only. Back to PS, where I added the thin green frame and my signature.
I realise that this would have made a nice Star Trek story, too ("Captain, there is an unexplained round object blocking our vessel's path!" "Uhura, get Spock!"), but since I've already stretched your patience with my previous upload...
Keep fresh, or cosy, depending on whether it's summer or winter for you right now, dear Flickr friends! A Happy Macro Monday, Everyone!