The First Flower

[Tinka]

Hi all,
This cacti has flowered for the first time this year, the photograph was taken yesterday, it is a straight image out of the camera in macro mode, with very slight unsharp mask only, the Mono version was converted in PS 7. Both images framed in PS 7.

[Ian]

Re: The First Flower

Hi all,
This cacti has flowered for the first time this year, the photograph was taken yesterday, it is a straight image out of the camera in macro mode, with very slight unsharp mask only, the Mono version was converted in PS 7. Both images framed in PS 7.

Hi Tinka, not sure about this one. I get an instinctive feeling that not enough of the flower is in focus?

It's a hard one to get right. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the picture yourself?

Ian

[Tinka]

Re: The First Flower

Hi Tinka, not sure about this one. I get an instinctive feeling that not enough of the flower is in focus?

It's a hard one to get right. What do you feel are the strengths and weaknesses of the picture yourself?

Ian

Hi Ian,
You caught me out on this one, never been asked to critique/comment on my own work before Had to go away and think about this one.
I have tried to look at the image from anothers point of view, to see it how they may see it, difficult but here goes.

LIKES:
I like the vibrant color of the flower, contrasted against the muted colors of the out of focus background, I do like the darkening of the edges of the image to form a soft framing of the image and the white box, together I feel they concentrate the viewers attention on the subject but allow the view to wander around the image. I also like the way the pinkish brown of the wall compliments and does not compete with the flower color. again this helps to concentrate the interest on the central subject but alows the viewers attention to wander around the image and back to the centre.

Dislikes/Not sures:
The main flower, the cental focus of the whole image may not have enough of the flower in focus? I did try to get the large stamen head and the central stamens in focus but failed to do so, however I feel that this does not detract too much from the overall pleasure of the image, I do admit it would be an inprovement to at least get the central stamen in focus.
Marks on the petals could have been cloned out.

The image was taken in a very cramped position as the plant could not be moved, I had to use a mini tripod and focus looking at the screen from about 18 inches away and rely on the autofocus and macro prog to cature the image.
I will have to try again and move the plant, but will have to wait till my good lady goes out