Nature Spring flower take 2!

pbo · 04-15-2010, 08:30 PM

My spring flower take 2

This time, different lens, more thinking before taking the shot - I think I like it!

How about you? Any advice? Critique is always appreciated

Another one of them flower shots :) on Flickr - Photo Sharing!

By the way, I feel like the smaller version of it on flickr has more of a "3D" feel to it. Maybe because of sharpening when Flickr downsized the photo - I'll have to figure that out later. You can check it out by pressing link beneath the photo - I think it looks better than what you see in this thread

Last edited by pbo; 04-15-2010 at 08:37 PM.

jct us101 · 04-15-2010, 08:47 PM

Hmm, I really like this in a lot of ways, but unfortunately there are quite a few things that I also don't like. It would be so much cooler if your flower that was in focus was at the center of the frame, with the rest of them coming out on each side from it. It feels like you have way too much stuff on the right side and barely nothing on the left. I think you could crop out the left a little and fix that problem though. I agree this photo has a lot of a 3D feel to it, probably because of the really narrow DOF that you used on it (Flickr says that you were at f/2.4) but I actually think that it transfers well to the forum, for me at least.

The other issue here is the noise, it looks like you used some kind of noise reduction, but that might not have been enough for this, as the remaining noise (at least on the forums version) looks like kind of a mottle (which could be due to the compression and all that) but if there's any way you could get that down a little bit more, I would say that this is great. I really like this photo.

pbo · 04-15-2010, 08:54 PM

Quote:

The other issue here is the noise, it looks like you used some kind of noise reduction, but that might not have been enough for this, as the remaining noise (at least on the forums version) looks like kind of a mottle (which could be due to the compression and all that) but if there's any way you could get that down a little bit more, I would say that this is great. I really like this photo.

I'm rubbing my eyes... Can't see the noise you're talking about! Also it's ISO200, and no pushing... I've looked at it on several monitors before uploading - and it looked fine!

Quote:

Hmm, I really like this in a lot of ways, but unfortunately there are quite a few things that I also don't like. It would be so much cooler if your flower that was in focus was at the center of the frame, with the rest of them coming out on each side from it. It feels like you have way too much stuff on the right side and barely nothing on the left. I think you could crop out the left a little and fix that problem though. I agree this photo has a lot of a 3D feel to it, probably because of the really narrow DOF that you used on it (Flickr says that you were at f/2.4) but I actually think that it transfers well to the forum, for me at least.

I'll try that - it might turn out into a good 8.5x11 crop... But for now, gotta read psych - quiz tomorrow!

Thanks for suggestions!

AOShep · 04-15-2010, 09:17 PM

This is a really good shot. But I agree the main blossom should be centered. Rule of third's is ment to be broken in time like this. Besides the first flower is in the lower third. Looking at your exposer info, you can easily drop down to ISO 100. Then even the noise you can't see would be a minimal as possible.

Damn Brit · 04-15-2010, 10:09 PM

Hey Bo, good sharpness and exposure and good graduation in the DOF.
I think to improve the composition, tilting the camera would have been a good idea so that the flowers divided up the frame more or less diagonally (with the flowers occupying the bottom right triangle). That would give the image more negative space to balance out the image.

Tuner571 · 04-16-2010, 04:03 AM

This is a very nice shot, but I would also like a more interesting composition. As Gary said tilting the camera so the flowers split the photo at an angle would have been a very interesting composition. Also, I would like to say that I really like the colors in this shot and I don't see any noise whatsoever.

Secondly, I would disagree with a center crop on the main flower because centering anything like this shot would not work. With the flower slightly off center it looks much more professional and appealing as well. I also like the depth of field that you used on this shot. The bokeh created by the flowers in the background is really great and it really adds to the image.

I also like how sharp the one flower is compared to the rest. It is very sharp with no evidence of blurring and that is very nice as well. Overall, I really like this shot and I hope that my comments help you out.

Thanks for sharing,
Cory

johnmflores · 04-16-2010, 07:15 AM

For starters - it's a nice shot.

I would not center it either. In fact, I'd push it farther into the lower right corner and crop out that last flower jutting out on the upper right. Starting from the left, the flowers form this nice flowing chain. Keep the left and crop out the right and you have this nice, gentle s-curve.

Finally, I'd separate the main flow from the flowers just behind it a tad to make it pop more. Selective dodging and burning can push the others flowers back just a bit.

Just my $.02.

04-15-2010, 08:30 PM	#1
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891	Spring flower take 2! Lens: 90mm Camera: Pentax K-7 Photo Location: in Ann Arbor ISO: 200 Shutter Speed: 1/500s Aperture: F2.4 My spring flower take 2 This time, different lens, more thinking before taking the shot - I think I like it! How about you? Any advice? Critique is always appreciated Another one of them flower shots :) on Flickr - Photo Sharing! By the way, I feel like the smaller version of it on flickr has more of a "3D" feel to it. Maybe because of sharpening when Flickr downsized the photo - I'll have to figure that out later. You can check it out by pressing link beneath the photo - I think it looks better than what you see in this thread Last edited by pbo; 04-15-2010 at 08:37 PM.

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04-15-2010, 08:47 PM	#2
jct us101 Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Rohnert Park, CA Posts: 3,793	Hmm, I really like this in a lot of ways, but unfortunately there are quite a few things that I also don't like. It would be so much cooler if your flower that was in focus was at the center of the frame, with the rest of them coming out on each side from it. It feels like you have way too much stuff on the right side and barely nothing on the left. I think you could crop out the left a little and fix that problem though. I agree this photo has a lot of a 3D feel to it, probably because of the really narrow DOF that you used on it (Flickr says that you were at f/2.4) but I actually think that it transfers well to the forum, for me at least. The other issue here is the noise, it looks like you used some kind of noise reduction, but that might not have been enough for this, as the remaining noise (at least on the forums version) looks like kind of a mottle (which could be due to the compression and all that) but if there's any way you could get that down a little bit more, I would say that this is great. I really like this photo.

04-15-2010, 08:54 PM	#3
pbo Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Ann Arbor, MI Posts: 891 Original Poster	Quote: The other issue here is the noise, it looks like you used some kind of noise reduction, but that might not have been enough for this, as the remaining noise (at least on the forums version) looks like kind of a mottle (which could be due to the compression and all that) but if there's any way you could get that down a little bit more, I would say that this is great. I really like this photo. I'm rubbing my eyes... Can't see the noise you're talking about! Also it's ISO200, and no pushing... I've looked at it on several monitors before uploading - and it looked fine! Quote: Hmm, I really like this in a lot of ways, but unfortunately there are quite a few things that I also don't like. It would be so much cooler if your flower that was in focus was at the center of the frame, with the rest of them coming out on each side from it. It feels like you have way too much stuff on the right side and barely nothing on the left. I think you could crop out the left a little and fix that problem though. I agree this photo has a lot of a 3D feel to it, probably because of the really narrow DOF that you used on it (Flickr says that you were at f/2.4) but I actually think that it transfers well to the forum, for me at least. I'll try that - it might turn out into a good 8.5x11 crop... But for now, gotta read psych - quiz tomorrow! Thanks for suggestions!

04-15-2010, 09:17 PM	#4
AOShep Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Eastern PA Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 293	This is a really good shot. But I agree the main blossom should be centered. Rule of third's is ment to be broken in time like this. Besides the first flower is in the lower third. Looking at your exposer info, you can easily drop down to ISO 100. Then even the noise you can't see would be a minimal as possible.

04-15-2010, 10:09 PM	#5
Damn Brit Guest	Hey Bo, good sharpness and exposure and good graduation in the DOF. I think to improve the composition, tilting the camera would have been a good idea so that the flowers divided up the frame more or less diagonally (with the flowers occupying the bottom right triangle). That would give the image more negative space to balance out the image.

04-16-2010, 04:03 AM	#6
Tuner571 Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Ohio Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,549	This is a very nice shot, but I would also like a more interesting composition. As Gary said tilting the camera so the flowers split the photo at an angle would have been a very interesting composition. Also, I would like to say that I really like the colors in this shot and I don't see any noise whatsoever. Secondly, I would disagree with a center crop on the main flower because centering anything like this shot would not work. With the flower slightly off center it looks much more professional and appealing as well. I also like the depth of field that you used on this shot. The bokeh created by the flowers in the background is really great and it really adds to the image. I also like how sharp the one flower is compared to the rest. It is very sharp with no evidence of blurring and that is very nice as well. Overall, I really like this shot and I hope that my comments help you out. Thanks for sharing, Cory

04-16-2010, 07:15 AM	#7
johnmflores Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Somerville, NJ Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,361	For starters - it's a nice shot. I would not center it either. In fact, I'd push it farther into the lower right corner and crop out that last flower jutting out on the upper right. Starting from the left, the flowers form this nice flowing chain. Keep the left and crop out the right and you have this nice, gentle s-curve. Finally, I'd separate the main flow from the flowers just behind it a tad to make it pop more. Selective dodging and burning can push the others flowers back just a bit. Just my $.02.