Opinions, please! I've been messing with this image too long. The intention was depicting something butterfly-like, with loopy lines for non-linear dynamics, and a sense of escape or falling through a worm hole or even being at the center of turmoil. I had planned for radial blur, but think I like it better without. Maybe. So, first is no blur...

And then some blur...

And then how I planned it...

It needs a lot more postwork and perhaps a bit more cropping, but I'm at a dividing point. :sigh: Maybe even more blur? In case you are wondering why I'm asking here... it is because this started as a photo (wonderful tafoni at El Corte de Madera). I'll probably upload it to the 2D gallery though, since there may not be much photographic evidence left! ;^) So, how much blur is enough? Or any other ideas? Thanks! Carolly

I would stick to how you planned it with the radial blur but I would go to fade and change the blend mode to darken.

Lovely rocks just as themselves actually. Anyway, how you planned it looks good, but I addition to Richard's suggestion, I would also increase the radial blur into the black areas, only keep it very faint. Playing with layers would probably be necessary.

Two me it looks like two barking dogs. Bsteph

The last one for me! Even more blur maybe?!

The same as Pascale, but i really like the original shot even better :o)

really prefer the orginal work.. :)...)) its prefect as it is... nikki

really prefer the orginal work.. :)...)) its prefect as it is... nikki

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Don't worry, I'll post a rock or two to the Photography Gallery. A real unadorned rock. This was just my excuse for asking here. Although I suppose that even if it was a pen & ink work, folks here would be candidly opinionated and helpful. I feel like I'm shooting darts at a balloon. I'll know when the image "pops". ;^) But it is getting closer. I've run the blur the other way. This is for the "MYSQL server has gone away" challenge in the challenge arena (non-voting, so asking for advise is ok). I figured that 50 shots of a large rock with oodles of holes within holes would offer a good jumping-off point for a hiding server, but it is working nicely towards an escaping-into-the-ethernet piece. We're lucky it comes back. You guys can enter, too, you know! You are probably just as frustrated with the server being elsewhere when you are trying to browse the gallery or answer a post. It's a midmonth challenge, closing on the 15th... I'm trying to stagger them so the dealines will vary. :) Carolly Evil OverMistress of the UnderDark and Catalyst-at-Large