Misc Please don't hold back

pent axe · 06-18-2018, 04:18 PM - **2 Likes**

So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come.

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

**MossyRocks** · 06-18-2018, 06:34 PM - **1 Like**

To me it seems like more of the bud needs to be in focus but I don't know if that was possible given the arrangement. Also given that so little is in focus my eyes naturally go and follow the long pointy green leaves on the left and right of it.

pent axe · 06-18-2018, 07:43 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by MossyRocks

To me it seems like more of the bud needs to be in focus but I don't know if that was possible given the arrangement. Also given that so little is in focus my eyes naturally go and follow the long pointy green leaves on the left and right of it.

Good point! I dident think of that. Also could have worked with a less shallow depth to bring out more detail in the bud. Thanks for the feedback

torashi · 06-19-2018, 06:20 AM

Have you ever done a time-lapse? Magical.

Gesendet von meinem Mi A1 mit Tapatalk

krre23 · 06-20-2018, 09:56 AM

Hey! I like the colors.

I think that the photograph doesn't look like it had a subject, it's more like a landscape; To make the bud the point of interest it would need more definition or a change in the composition to make it stand out from everything else, unless your intention is to confuse the subject and the background.

pent axe · 06-20-2018, 02:54 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by krre23

Hey! I like the colors.

I think that the photograph doesn't look like it had a subject, it's more like a landscape; To make the bud the point of interest it would need more definition or a change in the composition to make it stand out from everything else, unless your intention is to confuse the subject and the background.

Thanks! True true; from far enough back, it does get lost in the context. Definitely not my intention so ill add that to the list

Anything come to mind in regards to angles, lighting, etc that you would change to bring that out more? (i was hoping for more of the "flat lay" perspective)

---------- Post added 06-20-18 at 05:56 PM ----------

Originally posted by torashi

Have you ever done a time-lapse? Magical.

Gesendet von meinem Mi A1 mit Tapatalk

I havent actually. Might be something worth trying with foliage/flowers/etc. Especially if i can tether it!

krre23 · 06-20-2018, 03:24 PM

Originally posted by pent axe

Thanks! True true; from far enough back, it does get lost in the context. Definitely not my intention so ill add that to the list

Anything come to mind in regards to angles, lighting, etc that you would change to bring that out more? (i was hoping for more of the "flat lay" perspective)

---------- Post added 06-20-18 at 05:56 PM ----------

I havent actually. Might be something worth trying with foliage/flowers/etc. Especially if i can tether it!

Oh, that's not so easy to answer, not being there it's hard for me to imagine exactly how you will find it the next time.

There are always options, if you read a bit about composition rules (to understand how they work and decide when or how to break them), you can use the light, colors, depth of field to separate your subject from the background. The point of view and the distance —even in little variations— can bring dramatic differences. Another way to learn is to check other photographers that have works similar to what you want to achieve, stare at their photographs many times and study their aesthetic.

I believe there are two ways of learning, studying and experimenting —best option might be to do both. If you want to experiment, visit the same subject at different times, different light, and make 3 photos each time, thinking it a lot before shooting, the more you think before shooting the better will be the results.

One of my teachers always said, "if you have doubts between a shot and another, take both!" You can always decide later which one is the best! haha Good luck out there!

FLVTISTPhoto · 06-22-2018, 02:41 AM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pent axe

So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come.

It's an interesting image, though the depth of field is so shallow, pretty much none of it is in focus. I think even if the flower you wanted was as in-focus as you wanted to it to be, the overall image is very static due to the fact you decided to center your subject. I'm fairly new with posting in the forums so I haven't seen your other photos nor do I know how far you are on your photography journey, so please don't be insulted when I ask if you are familiar with the Rule of Thirds? This is a concept I never got the hang of in my first semester of photography in college. I don't think I really even started to get the hang of it until after I got into digital photography. This site has been helpful to me so maybe it will be helpful to you too?

Rule of Thirds in Photography

antipattern · 06-22-2018, 06:07 AM - **2 Likes**

I think the idea behind this picture could work very well, but I'm not sure you have captured it in its entirety. The temptation to open the aperture fully is great (and I have fallen for it myself many times) but I think it would be good to get more detail by stopping down considerably. For a top-view of the bud it might be worth getting a bit closer (but the closer you get the more you have to stop down to avoid too much blur.

If you wanted to make the out of focus blur, it would be perfect to pick a bud that's sticking out a fair bit, and have the OOF-areas just set in where the bud ends.

Alternatively, you could also try to capture the bud horizontally.

I think the theme warrants a lot of experimentation and practice. Maybe you could do a photo series of 3-5 images of either the same or different buds from different perspectives? I think that could already be a wee art project... :-)

pent axe · 06-25-2018, 03:22 PM

Originally posted by antipattern

I think the idea behind this picture could work very well, but I'm not sure you have captured it in its entirety. The temptation to open the aperture fully is great (and I have fallen for it myself many times) but I think it would be good to get more detail by stopping down considerably. For a top-view of the bud it might be worth getting a bit closer (but the closer you get the more you have to stop down to avoid too much blur.

If you wanted to make the out of focus blur, it would be perfect to pick a bud that's sticking out a fair bit, and have the OOF-areas just set in where the bud ends.

Alternatively, you could also try to capture the bud horizontally.

I think the theme warrants a lot of experimentation and practice. Maybe you could do a photo series of 3-5 images of either the same or different buds from different perspectives? I think that could already be a wee art project... :-)

Nice idea. Ill just have to wait until the mrs. gets flowers again!

I appreciate all the suggestions given. Ill try it out either on the same subject, or apply to the next similar situation.

**henrikpedersen33** · 06-26-2018, 12:26 PM - **1 Like**

Originally posted by pent axe

So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come.

Ok - your explenation says it. So a good try. But I still would have had focused and sharpened the flower to come. You need more focus. Now it is just too blurry.

pent axe · 06-29-2018, 06:30 PM

Thanks to you all. Looking forward to the next one!

**CharLac** · 07-04-2018, 08:38 AM - **1 Like**

I'd say "try recropping" but as previously stated, something needs more focus in this picture

Photogoof · 08-25-2018, 02:11 PM

Originally posted by pent axe

So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come.

A little more depth of field would be good.

ChristianRock · 08-30-2018, 08:23 AM - **1 Like**

I don't think anything is in focus, as other pointed out. Even the bud seems front focused to me. Also, the highlights are blown out.
Composition-wise, I think I would try different angles next time but getting most of the bud in focus and exposing a bit lower to save the highlights might have made this work.
I do like what you were trying to accomplish, worth another shot for sure

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
My first atempt at portrait, please give me some feed back please	chris.britingles	Photographic Technique	10	05-22-2017 04:26 AM
Please. Please. Please resell me on Pentax	Buschmaster	Pentax DSLR Discussion	31	10-10-2012 08:38 PM
Pentax service documenting: parts hold back order	mirocal	Pentax DSLR Discussion	9	04-17-2012 11:27 PM
Oh man, please please please help....	deckroid	Photographic Technique	8	07-01-2011 09:08 AM
Money I don't have on things I don't need	daacon	Pentax SLR Lens Discussion	5	12-13-2007 10:04 PM

06-18-2018, 06:34 PM - 1 Like	#2
MossyRocks Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Nov 2017 Location: Minnesota Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 2,982	To me it seems like more of the bud needs to be in focus but I don't know if that was possible given the arrangement. Also given that so little is in focus my eyes naturally go and follow the long pointy green leaves on the left and right of it.

06-18-2018, 07:43 PM - 1 Like	#3
pent axe Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 53 Original Poster	Originally posted by MossyRocks To me it seems like more of the bud needs to be in focus but I don't know if that was possible given the arrangement. Also given that so little is in focus my eyes naturally go and follow the long pointy green leaves on the left and right of it. Good point! I dident think of that. Also could have worked with a less shallow depth to bring out more detail in the bud. Thanks for the feedback

06-19-2018, 06:20 AM	#4
torashi Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2017 Location: Medellín Posts: 1,322	Have you ever done a time-lapse? Magical. Gesendet von meinem Mi A1 mit Tapatalk

06-20-2018, 09:56 AM	#5
krre23 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Caracas Photos: Gallery Posts: 540	Hey! I like the colors. I think that the photograph doesn't look like it had a subject, it's more like a landscape; To make the bud the point of interest it would need more definition or a change in the composition to make it stand out from everything else, unless your intention is to confuse the subject and the background.

06-20-2018, 02:54 PM - 1 Like	#6
pent axe Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 53 Original Poster	Originally posted by krre23 Hey! I like the colors. I think that the photograph doesn't look like it had a subject, it's more like a landscape; To make the bud the point of interest it would need more definition or a change in the composition to make it stand out from everything else, unless your intention is to confuse the subject and the background. Thanks! True true; from far enough back, it does get lost in the context. Definitely not my intention so ill add that to the list Anything come to mind in regards to angles, lighting, etc that you would change to bring that out more? (i was hoping for more of the "flat lay" perspective) ---------- Post added 06-20-18 at 05:56 PM ---------- Originally posted by torashi Have you ever done a time-lapse? Magical. Gesendet von meinem Mi A1 mit Tapatalk I havent actually. Might be something worth trying with foliage/flowers/etc. Especially if i can tether it!

06-20-2018, 03:24 PM	#7
krre23 Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Caracas Photos: Gallery Posts: 540	Originally posted by pent axe Thanks! True true; from far enough back, it does get lost in the context. Definitely not my intention so ill add that to the list Anything come to mind in regards to angles, lighting, etc that you would change to bring that out more? (i was hoping for more of the "flat lay" perspective) ---------- Post added 06-20-18 at 05:56 PM ---------- I havent actually. Might be something worth trying with foliage/flowers/etc. Especially if i can tether it! Oh, that's not so easy to answer, not being there it's hard for me to imagine exactly how you will find it the next time. There are always options, if you read a bit about composition rules (to understand how they work and decide when or how to break them), you can use the light, colors, depth of field to separate your subject from the background. The point of view and the distance —even in little variations— can bring dramatic differences. Another way to learn is to check other photographers that have works similar to what you want to achieve, stare at their photographs many times and study their aesthetic. I believe there are two ways of learning, studying and experimenting —best option might be to do both. If you want to experiment, visit the same subject at different times, different light, and make 3 photos each time, thinking it a lot before shooting, the more you think before shooting the better will be the results. One of my teachers always said, "if you have doubts between a shot and another, take both!" You can always decide later which one is the best! haha Good luck out there!

06-22-2018, 02:41 AM - 1 Like	#8
FLVTISTPhoto New Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Location: Arizona Posts: 20	Originally posted by pent axe So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come. It's an interesting image, though the depth of field is so shallow, pretty much none of it is in focus. I think even if the flower you wanted was as in-focus as you wanted to it to be, the overall image is very static due to the fact you decided to center your subject. I'm fairly new with posting in the forums so I haven't seen your other photos nor do I know how far you are on your photography journey, so please don't be insulted when I ask if you are familiar with the Rule of Thirds? This is a concept I never got the hang of in my first semester of photography in college. I don't think I really even started to get the hang of it until after I got into digital photography. This site has been helpful to me so maybe it will be helpful to you too? Rule of Thirds in Photography

06-22-2018, 06:07 AM - 2 Likes	#9
antipattern Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Berlin, Germany Photos: Albums Posts: 232	I think the idea behind this picture could work very well, but I'm not sure you have captured it in its entirety. The temptation to open the aperture fully is great (and I have fallen for it myself many times) but I think it would be good to get more detail by stopping down considerably. For a top-view of the bud it might be worth getting a bit closer (but the closer you get the more you have to stop down to avoid too much blur. If you wanted to make the out of focus blur, it would be perfect to pick a bud that's sticking out a fair bit, and have the OOF-areas just set in where the bud ends. Alternatively, you could also try to capture the bud horizontally. I think the theme warrants a lot of experimentation and practice. Maybe you could do a photo series of 3-5 images of either the same or different buds from different perspectives? I think that could already be a wee art project... :-)

06-25-2018, 03:22 PM	#10
pent axe Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 53 Original Poster	Originally posted by antipattern I think the idea behind this picture could work very well, but I'm not sure you have captured it in its entirety. The temptation to open the aperture fully is great (and I have fallen for it myself many times) but I think it would be good to get more detail by stopping down considerably. For a top-view of the bud it might be worth getting a bit closer (but the closer you get the more you have to stop down to avoid too much blur. If you wanted to make the out of focus blur, it would be perfect to pick a bud that's sticking out a fair bit, and have the OOF-areas just set in where the bud ends. Alternatively, you could also try to capture the bud horizontally. I think the theme warrants a lot of experimentation and practice. Maybe you could do a photo series of 3-5 images of either the same or different buds from different perspectives? I think that could already be a wee art project... :-) Nice idea. Ill just have to wait until the mrs. gets flowers again! I appreciate all the suggestions given. Ill try it out either on the same subject, or apply to the next similar situation.

06-26-2018, 12:26 PM - 1 Like	#11
henrikpedersen33 Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: Roskilde, Denmark Photos: Gallery Posts: 2,624	Originally posted by pent axe So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come. Ok - your explenation says it. So a good try. But I still would have had focused and sharpened the flower to come. You need more focus. Now it is just too blurry.

06-29-2018, 06:30 PM	#12
pent axe Forum Member Join Date: Nov 2017 Posts: 53 Original Poster	Thanks to you all. Looking forward to the next one!

07-04-2018, 08:38 AM - 1 Like	#13
CharLac Loyal Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2018 Location: Ottawa Photos: Gallery Posts: 8,419	I'd say "try recropping" but as previously stated, something needs more focus in this picture

08-25-2018, 02:11 PM	#14
Photogoof Pentaxian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Prague Photos: Gallery Posts: 6,422	Originally posted by pent axe So many pictures of flowers open and thought it would be nice to focus more on one that wasent open, while having plenty in the back open. Trying to give/portray the idea of whats to come. A little more depth of field would be good.

08-30-2018, 08:23 AM - 1 Like	#15
ChristianRock Pentaxian Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: People's Republic of America Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 9,910	I don't think anything is in focus, as other pointed out. Even the bud seems front focused to me. Also, the highlights are blown out. Composition-wise, I think I would try different angles next time but getting most of the bud in focus and exposing a bit lower to save the highlights might have made this work. I do like what you were trying to accomplish, worth another shot for sure