Mugo Pine

[purplehaze]

Hello all,

I shot the original of this in my backyard a couple of days ago and processed it in Nik's ColorEfex Pro. The processing artifacts didn't jump out at me until I cropped. I'd be grateful if someone could explain to me what it is I am seeing, most noticeably around the needle immediately above the upper flower, and how to avoid it.

Any other C&C you care to make is welcome as well.

[Vrgl]

Hi Janis- I think what you are seeing on the needle tips are highlights. Look at your histogram and see how far to the right it goes- they may be just clipped or not. You may be able to reduce those back in colorefex. But I like the it as it is--mary

[FootLoose]

Sorry, Janis, I don't use Nik, but just to clarify your query: it is that semi-circluar shape that you are referring to? It looks like it has wandered off from one of the other green things?

[purplehaze]

Hi Janis- I think what you are seeing on the needle tips are highlights.

Thanks, Mary, but there's no clipping. The problem areas aren't actually even the brightest areas of the photo.

Glad to know you like it anyway!

[purplehaze]

Sorry, Janis, I don't use Nik, but just to clarify your query: it is that semi-circluar shape that you are referring to? It looks like it has wandered off from one of the other green things?

Yes, thanks Greg, the semi-circular sheath of the needle that has a halo. Sorry, I couldn't think of the word to describe it last night, though I knew there was one that I could plug into a search engine and probably come up with an answer on my own.

Anyhow, I'm fairly certain those halos were caused when I applied the Foliage filter in CEP as they are not at all apparent in the original. Perhaps it is a simple matter of subtracting the filter from the problem areas? Any and all tips on avoiding halos welcome.