I’m willing to entertain the notion that I went a little overboard with this one. In particular, the HDR processing is probably gratuitous. Nevertheless, once I started down the road I could not turn back. This is a still life of some sort of potpourri display that was a gift to my wife, taken in our backyard, on an infrared converted Nikon D40, with a Lensbaby Composer attached. I processed using Photomatix Pro for the HDR, then Silver Efex Pro for the black and white conversion.

I consider this an adequate, if less than stellar result.  My infrared technique is still a work in progress, and the subject matter did not lend itself to the Lensbaby as much as I had expected. Still, I like to post some experimental stuff now and then, and I also decided to make this a completely black and white week here.

On another issue, you will notice that I added a sidebar to the right column. In doing so, I made the site wider than what will fit on smaller or low resolution screens. However, I have tested it, and it appears that if you have such a screen, you should see the main body of the blog just as you always did, but the sidebar will require scrolling horizontally. Since you never had the sidebar previously, you should not be any worse off than before, I hope. If anybody is having a worse experience, please let me know either in the comments or by using the contact link on the top header row.

In the sidebar, you will see a link to the Cool Photo Blogs 2010 awards. If you enjoy the content here, I would appreciate receiving your vote.

Finally, Digital Silver Imaging, the company that handled the infrared conversion of my D40, is offering a 10% discount on all infrared camera conversions from now through the end of November. If you decide to take advantage of this offer, please let me know as I can get a bonus print from them for the referral. You are not required to do so, however, to get the 10% discount for yourself.  If you click this link after November, then you will be taken to their infrared conversion page, but there will just be no 10% discount.