Nice shot, timtam. I really like the color and the contrast against the black background. I’ve explored a bit with the effects of different backgrounds, and to my eye, at least, I think they can have a very positive effect on the impression the photo gives.
This year we’ve had beautiful fall color here in Western Oregon, and I’ve tried to capture a bit of it in a few recent shots. Here’s one where I’ve taken “artistic license” and explored the effects of boosting color saturation, contrast, etc. The real leaf had much more subtle color but the yellows and hint of green along with the graceful shape caught my eye. It’s definitely not meant to be an accurate representation of the real thing (See James’ blog for a good discussion of exaggeration). The background is a piece of gray slate, lighting is indirect outdoor lighting on a cloudy day, with a nearby tree canopy adding a hint of green.
