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Pulpo
With their appearance and the way they move, octopuses are sure to attract everyone’s attention. Perhaps some people know these cephalopods as a starter. Whilst taking the X-rays, I constantly had in mind the ubiquitous depictions of these creatures in Mycenaean culture.
Her body does not show any strong contrasts on the X-ray. The suction cups still show the strongest contrasts on the X-ray. The composite image with the photograph gives only a faint hint of which images were used as a basis.
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X-ray of vegetables and boxes
X-rays make a dense object appear see-through or transparent. We find it hard to look away from X-ray images because we are always discovering something new in them.
Combining an X-ray image with a photograph is therefore an approach that captures the viewer’s interest.There are some great recipes for aubergines; even served as thin slices with honey, they make for a real treat. The inside of these vegetables is of moderate interest on an X-ray. I’ve stacked them to introduce variations in density as an additional element.
Going more wild with fusion images, you get a fresh perspective on packaging and its contents. What do the pasta look like? How are they arranged in the packet? How much is actually in there? Is it even any fun looking at pictures like that?
I haven’t yet found a definitive answer to these questions. Depending on how they are processed, the images can certainly be aesthetically interesting.
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Colorizing an X-ray
There are famous artists who demonstrate how X-ray images can be coloured. Steven N. Meyers is one of them. The use of colour makes his floral images appear airier and more realistic, with the X-ray aspect receding into the background. Perhaps they appear more realistic for another reason too: the X-ray is a negative and is converted into a positive for the colouring process.
This is how I went about it with a creative image combining flowers, a snail and some plants.
An X-ray image of carrots shows coarse roots with few differences or interesting details. When the carrots are stacked, irregular overlaps appear, revealing areas of increased density. Using simple colouring produces a rather uninteresting image if the colours are kept close to the natural hues.
The example of a bunch of carrots probably just highlights my limited ability to use images creatively in Photoshop. That’s why I’ve included only a few examples of how to take this colouring technique further.
In the image on the left, I’ve used textures and increased contrast. This makes the overall image look quite different from the original – in particular, it appears very restless. In the image on the right, I’ve used colour contrasts to create a look reminiscent of Pop Art.
The Lab colour space overcomes some of the limitations of the RGB colour space. In particular, it is relatively easy to alter or invert the brightness alone without changing the colours. Using this technique, one can create images that appear unusual yet retain a sense of naturalism (left-hand image). Alternatively, one can produce a bold, colourful look with the appeal of an X-ray image (right-hand image).
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Varieties of fusion images using X-ray
Images produced using visible light and X-rays could not be more different. And not just because of varying the subject. The fusion of these two techniques already makes it possible to present the same source material in vastly different ways.
When I began developing this technique, I drew inspiration from a method of photographing flowers transparently, as practised and published by Harold Davis. My focus was on transparent flower photography and the ability of X-rays to penetrate objects seemingly without resistance.
In the case of the flowers, the fusion of the X-ray image and the photograph reveals the translucency inherent in the photographic process and, moreover, conveys a delicacy—one might almost say a fragility—of the subject.
Using only the approach to depicting flowers derived from photography and the work of Harold Davis, fusion imaging can create a small universe. The fusion of the two types of radiation in the image is by no means straightforward and also depends on the object being imaged.
As well as flowers, there are interesting structures that never appear transparent or delicate in ordinary light. Nevertheless, they are well worth a closer look. Take, for example, the shells of snails or mussels. Under X-ray light, these become particularly striking. From the very beginning, I have also experimented with fusion imaging on these objects.
In this context, it is also true that image fusion does not follow a single, clear path, but is guided by artistic criteria. X-rays and photographs can produce vastly different effects, even when depicting the same object, depending on how they are processed.
Only a transparent object can be transformed into an image that appears transparent using a lightbox. This is inherent in the nature of how these images are created using an HDR process. This limitation can be overcome to a certain extent with the aid of X-rays.
Transcending the limits of visible light is not a straightforward process. With objects that become radiographically transparent, transforming them into an interesting composition is a demanding artistic task yielding variable results with no set formula.
I bought these two smoked fish from a supermarket. On the left is a sea bream and on the right a trout. In this artistic fusion of photography and X-ray imagery, I added a background and some texturing. On closer inspection, you can see small tears in the muscle tissue of both fish caused by the drying out that occurs during the smoking process.
Fusion images can be created using objects that are not themselves transparent. They are visually appealing as a result of the artistic process and can sometimes even be surprising. There is no set method for creating a fusion image; instead, the approach is guided by the subject matter, the characteristics of the object being depicted, and the overall visual effect.
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Transparencies
HDR photography of flowers with a light box creates the illusion of translucency, which is very attractive in itself. By fusing X-ray light and visible light in flower photography, one expands the photographic possibilities by reproducing the inner structures of the photographed plants or objects. The illusion of translucence is enhanced by the physical transparency of X-ray light. Even photographically non-transparent objects can be given the illusion of transparency by fusing X-ray light and visible light.
A publication by the dPunkt publishing house in „foto espresso“ gave me the opportunity to present this idea in the May 2023 issue.
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Structures
18. Februar 2023 /Images of structures often no longer reveal a scale.
Entrance Rijksmuseum Amsterdam © Julian KöpkeEntrance Rijksmuseum Amsterdam © Julian KöpkeDrill bits or virtual skyscrapers © Julian KöpkeDrill bits or virtual skyscrapers © Julian KöpkeLate afternoon at Crater Lake impressive reflections appeared at the opposite lake shore. To some extent they ressemble to the Rorschach test method, especially when rotated by 90 degree. © Julian KöpkeLate afternoon at Crater Lake impressive reflections appeared at the opposite lake shore. To some extent they ressemble to the Rorschach test method, especially when rotated by 90 degree. © Julian KöpkeEvening at Zabriskie Point © Julian KöpkeEvening at Zabriskie Point © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland © Julian KöpkeDetail of Dynjandi waterfall. Combination of LTE and STE. © Julian KöpkeDetail of Dynjandi waterfall. Combination of LTE and STE. © Julian KöpkeDettifoss detail western drop edge © Julian KöpkeDettifoss detail western drop edge © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland. There is nothing recognizable. © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns on Iceland. There is nothing recognizable. © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacial flows and patterns © Julian KöpkeGlacier Skalafellsjökull ogives and some band ogives © Julian KöpkeGlacier Skalafellsjökull ogives and some band ogives © Julian KöpkeWater glass as a cylindrical converging lens © Julian KöpkeWater glass as a cylindrical converging lens © Julian KöpkeLoaf of bread mosaic X-ray photo lateral view © Julian KöpkeLoaf of bread mosaic X-ray photo lateral view © Julian KöpkeOverlay of light and waves © Julian KöpkeOverlay of light and waves © Julian KöpkePatterns of layers at Morsum cliff © Julian KöpkePatterns of layers at Morsum cliff © Julian KöpkePile of wood as a long wall © Julian KöpkePile of wood as a long wall © Julian KöpkePolar lights at Stocksness © Julian KöpkePolar lights at Stocksness © Julian KöpkeReflections inside from the outside © Julian KöpkeReflections inside from the outside © Julian KöpkeReynisfjara basalt formation © Julian KöpkeReynisfjara basalt formation © Julian KöpkePacific reflections © Julian KöpkePacific reflections © Julian KöpkeUpcoming clouds © Julian KöpkeUpcoming clouds © Julian KöpkeWall of Hamburg Philharmonic Hall © Julian KöpkeWall of Hamburg Philharmonic Hall © Julian KöpkeCog rail of the Zugspitzbahn © Julian KöpkeCog rail of the Zugspitzbahn © Julian Köpke -
Fusion Imaging of Flowers
12. Februar 2023 /Find some technical explanations in my FAQ section.
Composition with roses X-ray image fusion © Julian KöpkeComposition with roses X-ray image fusion © Julian KöpkeChrysanthemum X-ray fusion photography © Julian KöpkeChrysanthemum X-ray fusion photography © Julian KöpkeAmaryllis X-ray mammography fusion photography texturized © Julian KöpkeAmaryllis X-ray mammography fusion photography texturized © Julian KöpkeFusion X-ray photo Calla lilies IV © Julian KöpkeFusion X-ray photo Calla lilies IV © Julian KöpkeTwo roses fusion X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeTwo roses fusion X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeThree purple Clematis fusion X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeThree purple Clematis fusion X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeCornflower X-ray fusion photo © Julian KöpkeCornflower X-ray fusion photo © Julian KöpkeBlue aquilegia X-ray fusion photo © Julian KöpkeBlue aquilegia X-ray fusion photo © Julian KöpkeFusion X-ray photo Calla lilies IV. Black background using Lab inversion. © Julian KöpkeFusion X-ray photo Calla lilies IV. Black background using Lab inversion. © Julian KöpkeThree purple tulips fusion X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeThree purple tulips fusion X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeX-ray fusion image of yellow Calla Lilies © Julian KöpkeX-ray fusion image of yellow Calla Lilies © Julian KöpkeFusion image rose and pink dahlia © Julian KöpkeFusion image rose and pink dahlia © Julian KöpkeX-ray fusion image of a Gloriosa lilly © Julian KöpkeX-ray fusion image of a Gloriosa lilly © Julian KöpkeFusion image of a Bird of Paradise. © Julian KöpkeFusion image of a Bird of Paradise. © Julian KöpkeFusion image Hydrangea © Julian KöpkeFusion image Hydrangea © Julian KöpkeFusion image Dahlia © Julian KöpkeFusion image Dahlia © Julian Köpke -
X-ray of Flowers
12. Februar 2023 /Get some technical points in my section FAQ, e.g. X-ray flowers.
Dahlia X-ray photogram © Julian KöpkeDahlia X-ray photogram © Julian KöpkeRose mammography X-ray positive photography © Julian KöpkeRose mammography X-ray positive photography © Julian KöpkeAmaryllis X-ray mammography photogram © Julian KöpkeAmaryllis X-ray mammography photogram © Julian KöpkeOak leaves with acorns X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeOak leaves with acorns X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeOak leaves with acorns X-ray photo L-inversion © Julian KöpkeOak leaves with acorns X-ray photo L-inversion © Julian KöpkeX-ray Xmas floral arrangement photo © Julian KöpkeX-ray Xmas floral arrangement photo © Julian KöpkeBouquet of Sunflowers X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeBouquet of Sunflowers X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeX-ray three tulips © Julian KöpkeX-ray three tulips © Julian KöpkeFive Dahlias X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeFive Dahlias X-ray photo © Julian KöpkeDigital X-ray photo of a sunflower (inverted representation). © Julian KöpkeDigital X-ray photo of a sunflower (inverted representation). © Julian KöpkeX-ray Calla lilies © Julian KöpkeX-ray Calla lilies © Julian KöpkeComposition with roses X-ray photogram © Julian KöpkeComposition with roses X-ray photogram © Julian Köpke -
Flowers
12. Februar 2023 / -
FAQ: X-rays
11. Februar 2023 /