The ending is always connected to the beginning (maybe I pushed a tad far?)

[JBW]

Beginning

Ending

[bnnrcn]

I like the beginning part with very nice colors

[JBW]

I like the beginning part with very nice colors

so do I. If for no other reason than without it the second shot would not exist.

[Geoff F]

What was your intention with the edit? There are various options here.

[JohnRostron]

I think that you should have presented the second shot without the first. I find it a fascinating effect.

John

[Shadowman]

I like both, but prefer the ending more.

[JBW]

What was your intention with the edit? There are various options here.

Part of it was a gimp learning curve. Part was to create a severe before and after effect for one of my blogs. I was exploring with stacking and depth merging plus various filters.

I had hoped to end up with more of a painting than a photo.

B.

[TonyW]

I like the beginning - it's a good picture but without originality. However, the ending does have originality and emphasises the geometry above the colours. I find it much more interesting. It looks like a picture of an engraving of a plant, rather than a picture of the plant itself.

I also find your progression in photography interesting. I have looked at more than I have commented on.

[JBW]

I think that you should have presented the second shot without the first. I find it a fascinating effect.

John

I will rethink my before and after theory.

I started in Picasa by adding basic filters for different effects. Then I moved into gimp where I merged the base shot with the Picasa shots one by one. Then I used the 4 best in a depth merge. Added some canvas, some oiling, a frame and some basic levels, curves, colour balance, and a few other details which i forget and ended up where I did.

Every step was two forward, one sideways and one back.

[JBW]

I like both, but prefer the ending more.

I am particularly pleased with the half rolled green leaf in the bottom right. I also like the second. Particularly because it suggests to me that there is (at least for me) fascinating and challenging potential in this niche of photography/post processing/painting/artish sort of thing.

[JBW]

I like the beginning - it's a good picture but without originality. However, the ending does have originality and emphasises the geometry above the colours. I find it much more interesting. It looks like a picture of an engraving of a plant, rather than a picture of the plant itself.

I also find your progression in photography interesting. I have looked at more than I have commented on.

Thank-you. I am enjoying the journey. When Myra bought me the camera she got just the right model. It has quality enough to take decent shots and enough bells and whistles to allow my imagination to work. Tie it in with Gimp and there are multiple universes to explore.