Dreamy Effect

I'm always fascinated with this kind of editing style; it's as if I was in a dream. But what I did is a slight deviation from the usual. The dreamy effect usually has a bright image; the one that feels like the image is entirely covered with clouds.

For this image, I went for the dark look. I dialed down the shadows & the blacks to the minimum values. As a result, the mini flowers stand out and the background recedes. It gives me the feeling of waking up in a dark forest or something similar.

The shallow depth of field also helps accentuate the subject and keep the focus on the emphasis.

I also created a black and white version to see if it's any better. For this image, I think the colored version has a better effect. I like the warm vibe of the colored version.