Leaf

[Black Pearl]

I nearly bumped into this leaf as it was hanging by a spiders thread on a track through the woods.
Shot with my SMC Pentax-F 50mm f1.7 which is an older AF lens and has the most fantastic bokeh - not the modern creamy smooth fashionable bokeh just a mad, edgy and fun one that I love when it can be made a feature of the shot.

If you're wondering I cheated slightly and cloned out the silk :-)

[FootLoose]

That is a really cool shot, Robin. Spider silk beats glass any day - and I love the bokeh, although I would prefer the extra bright green one on the right was not so bright.

[Kodiak]

If you're wondering I cheated slightly and cloned out the silk :-)

Not wondering really… under given conditions, the silk may be perfectly invisible!

The shape of the bokeh is the result of a low number of blades building up the diaphragm.

I'm very fond of this kind of picture!

[marlunn]

Like it, the Bokeh shape reflects the leaf shape to some extent so it fits really well

[Manfred M]

Definitely an unusual shot of a leaf, and I think mother nature was very kind to provide you with a support mechanism that did not involve an elaborate setup.

I like simple images; the leaf just sitting there and the out of focus background in the same tone family work together quite nicely. Kodiak, is of course quite right in determining the the low number of blades (as well as the fact that the blades are straight, not curved) in the iris give you a very geometric bokeh, which contrasts the natural form of the leaf quite nicely. I suspect that you are right; a modern lens with a high number of curved blades would have given you a totally different image.

I also admire the restrained composition; the leaf is not all that large and the background makes up a large part of the composition. Centring the leaf again goes against the grain of putting the subject on one of the thirds. Tossing the compositional rules out the window has produced a very compelling image here!

[Shadowman]

Nicely presented.

[Black Pearl]

Thanks

Its a good old fashioned design as you say with few blades and straight ones at that, I love the results and often try to make them a defining part of the image.
Central composition are my thing, not everyones I'll agree but I just happen to like them and 'see' them as I'm out looking for potential shots. I think if we keep an open mind and not stick to rules shots are there for the taking.

[McrDave]

I like it ! Not sure you needed to loose the silk - but hey, that's your choice. And I would definately darken the background exposure to bring the leaf more to the front. As for the bokeh, my Canon 50mm is just the same - and I think it's great.

Actually it's fantastic when you can choose your bokeh. Also, I'd crop it - don't now where - that's your choice. Bit too much above and below.

Well done.

Dave

[IzzieK]

Actually......it might be interesting to have included the silk instead of remove it altogether...I agree with Greg about the bright green part of the bokeh on the right hand side, just lower it down a bit so the leaf will pop out a little bit more. Very simple shot, very effective...