Aurora
by
mcmurmaComment by mcmurma: Wow! Thanks for all the great comments everyone! Now, for those of you that wanted to know about the cheap tricks I used to create this shot, here goes.
This is the original image that I almost submitted
//www.dpchallenge.com/image.php?IMAGE_ID=18316.
I decided not to enter it because I felt it was far too abstract to be accepted as viable entry. It's an extreme macro created by mounting a reversed 50mm lens in front of my regular lens, then reflecting light off of a CD and onto a vase that had some nice texture. Viola! Instant homemade aurora.
So what to do? There were about 2 hours left til the deadline, so I wracked my brain for an idea. At some point I looked at my printer and thought, hey... I can print that shot out, then put something in front of it and just use it as a background...
I tried a couple of other glasses, but eventually wandered back to my Son's room to get his graduation martini glass. It's filled with some sort of candle goo and has his graduation info on it, so I used it in pretty much the same upside-down orientation I used for "Spiraling." I really don't have any other options with that glass.
I set the shot up and snapped a series of pics, trying to avoid as many of the nasty reflections as I could. The result was a lot like my previous pic, but I liked it. Besides, I was out of time to try and work up anything else, so I submitted it.
I couldn't be more pleased with the result.
Message edited by author 2003-04-19 01:59:59. 
Photographer found comment helpful.