Thought I would post this for anyone to have fun with. Not looking for anything in particular - just to see how creative people can get.
2024-02-26_09-05-43001.NEF (28.6 MB)
2024-02-26_09-05-43001.NEF.xmp (13.9 KB)
This file is licensed Creative Commons By-Attribution
Just remember; you asked. lol
Below’s the horizontally seamless result which was used to create the Micro-World. 
https://www.flickr.com/photos/163034485@N03/53969552430/sizes/o
This photo can go a hundred different ways and all of them are good. I like the Micro-World - what software was used to make it?
Thanks; just edited the original (saw some unacceptable flaws; still might have missed a few others) and re-uploaded it. Fortunately, the main links did not change (so didn’t have to re-edit my post; lol).
Nicely done, Popanz.
What a great image to play with. Nice capture. Open to many interpretations.
Guess I should have brightened up my previous effort. Resynthesizer is just way too slow on my PC to do the Micro-World, but below’s the horizontally seamless image modified.
I said I start with a B/W version. So there has to be a coloured version as well:
2024-02-26_09-05-43001.NEF.xmp (26,3 KB)
DT 4.8.1
The first is putting some new techniques into practice I learned today with Tone adjustments. The second, “Dream State”. is keeping with the running theme and having some fun mucking around with some sliders. Enjoy.
I don’t think it’s too much at all. I posted this because processing can go many different directions and still look great.
darktable 4.8.1
Your foreground doesn’t convince me. But starting with the sand it’s a great render.
Haven’t used Liquid Rescale in quite a while so thought I would toy with it. Still had to do some clone/healing work on the horizon since the mask I used was, well, quite loose. lol
