I think this is good

I have posted this elsewhere, but now I'm ready for the OPF acid test. I tend to post on OPF things I can't get a handle on. This, though, I think is one of my best I think it's good. Is it?



This is a red rose shot with a macro lens.

F/4.0, 125 shutter speed (tripod and remote release), ISO 400, shutter priority.

A major challenge for the new photographer is being able to separate the good from the mediocre.

Sensuous but red! The right half looks at first like human lips! Could you also post the unaltered orginal? That would be most enlightening and how you set this up?

Red roses are the dickens to shoot!

I hope you realize now that your own insight, education and hard work, filtering, trashing of the ordinary is the key to your success. There is no golden path nor true guru to guide you, only signposts you can occaisonaly find from us and others who are generous towards you and toelrate your crap to be rewarded with much, much better pictures. Thanks for keeping on with your journey!

asher

That is the unaltered original.

It's exciting but frustrating to see a neophyte groping toward enlightenment...I'm just unaccustomed to being the neophyte!

Interesting but sorry, just not working for me. The comp is too vague, just not getting context. I can see how some would like the fact that you have to think it through, but my initial impression is distribured, bleeding flesh. On the good side, it is original, which is always hard to do and I applaud going for something unique. Just speaking plainly, hope that is OK.

Plain speaking is ALWAYS ok! Thanks.

My reaction is different in that while I'm not sure I "like" it, I do think it's "working" on any number of levels. It's particularly interesting to me in that it's a flower photograph that's vaguely disturbing in a somewhat challenging way. If I were inclined to that sort of thing, I might almost say it presents the continuum from birth and perfection on the left, to death and corruption on the right. As such, it moves well beyond the typical "pretty" flower photograph to something considerably more.

Nill
~~
www.toulme.net

Rachel,

I really like this as an abstract image, without knowing the subject. On face value, it is a very good composition with striking color and interesting features. A success, in my view.

But, once I know it is a rose, some of the mystery is gone. My left brain wants to take over-analyze the image.

Well done.

Thank you all for your responses. I am particularly pleased with the variety of responses. The edgy nature intrigues me a great deal. I have a number of flower images but this one seems the most arresting. It is difficult to get beyond "Oh, a flower, how pretty." I may (with Asher's approval post a few other flowers in this thread for the purpose of comparison.

I've noted that some flower images are striking and lovely both. I've not yet determined what takes a flower from "oh that's nice" to "yes! that one works!"

Landscape images seem to work when the composition is pleasing and it evokes a certain mood. How does one evoke mood with flowers? That's what I'm trying to understand.

Another very interesting thing (to me) is that print images are often very different in quality from images on screen. In print, this seems far less edgy. I'm wondering if it's the context, as mentioned before. In print, you get physical distance and more surrounding space.

I have done a lot of work on flowers. I think this one is good as well. I would be interested in criticism. I am trying to sharpen my eye and hone my ability to spot flaws both in composition and execution.

It was not shot with the macro, but shot with f/5.0, 1/1600, 41mm, ISO 400.

Hi Rachel,

I refrained from commenting on your initial image. I personally think it is very good, something you should try again. I would of course want to crop it around, probably wrecking it in the process, but until you try, you don't know (well that's OK with editing images, maybe not Ok if you want to play hopscotch in the middle of the freeway).

This second one, the colours look grey, for me. Other than looking grey, there is nothing outstanding at all, unless you used it to create something else. A black background, - remove that. Think of some folds of red velvet - you know the stuff that <chaz> didn't use on his bits of tin - or maybe a piece of polished walnut with the corner of a brass plaque, or just dropped on the floor, next to a puddle by the sidewalk - look how I'm using your American terms, even, trying to encourage you, showing I'm on 'your side' in trying to get the best you possibly can from something, instead of the spraying and praying - or just the spraying. So now take some backgrounds, google around for optical illusions re why it looks grey, and get all you can from it.

I am concentrating on your statement re separating good from mediocre. This can be good, if _you_ want to make it so. As it is, it is like most of the images we see here, mediocre.

Did you think it was good? why? what is bad about it? what are you comparing it with. Can you see? can you get a 'book of flowers', or other images on the web, and see where yours is different. Is the difference good, or bad -in your opinion- not mine - . Does your opinion generally line up with your audience., etc. is it good you think it's good, would a florist or a caterpillar think differently.....

First, you have to see, then see through other's eyes, they see if it matters at all.

Best wishes,

Ray

Thank you, Ray. I would respond in Brit slang but I only know the bad ones!

I appreciate your encouragement and the time you have given me over the months. And your points always make me think even if I don't agree. This critique will as well.

The black background is what I like about it. So, I need to assess why you respond to it negatively. What appeals to me is the simplicity. I also like the texture of the rose and the shading. Looking at other flower pics is a great idea. Dancing With Roger was inspired by a technique used by someone else. But....I don't want to simply imitate, either.

May I ask why you don't like the black background? It is unusual for a flower and a bit discordant, perhaps?

If I may pitch in, for me the black background doesn´t work, beacuse the rose itself, has very little colour and is a little bit dark. It doesn´t stand out enough from the background.

There isn´t any "bite" or "edge", for lack of a better word.

One thing that I would have tried, is cropping it in portrait, and taking away some black at the top, making it sort of, rising out of the black.



PS As someone once said "imitation is the highest form flattery", so dont let that scare you, imitate away All great artists do it ;-)

Thanks, Jorgen. I might hit the contrast and see how I like it.

Hi Rachel,

Jorgen said it. I said the rose looked grey. do a google for optical illusions - find the ones with coloured squares on coloured backgrounds, the yellows that look blue, whatever - you'll know it when you see it.

Best wishes,

Ray

mediocre artists borrow, great ones steal... I don't like that myself.

IMHO, the photo is just fine. It just needs some different processing. Here is a version using just the small jpeg provided.

The only adjustments made were Exposure, Contrast, and Highlights & Shadows.

Wow.....what a dramatic difference.

Still, Rachel, that first picture is still so very special. Do you have it un-cropped? I'd love to see how the lips and tongue look in a wider field!

Asher

That was (I believe) right out of the cam, shot with the macro. I'll look for others at the same shoot and see if I have one with a wider perspective.

In the meantime, I was wondering: Same objections to this as to the pink rose?

Rachel Foster said:

Same objections to this as to the pink rose?

Click to expand...

This is a great shot, IMHO!

It's a bit too small to judge its technical merits, but it seems to be exposed correctly (technical imperfection is a distractor/killer for me, unless it is on purpose and it works).

I like the fact that the part that received the most light is positioned off-center far enough to avoid a static impression. Because of that, there is a 'leading' diagonal, at least for 'Westerners' (I don't know if it works out the same way for 'Orientals', or right-to-left readers), from lower left to upper right, which leads the viewing direction. It fades to black at the top right, which adds to a certain mystery, yet the total composition is balanced in the center.

Well done!

Bart

Thanks... now I need to carefully compare and contrast this to the other two. This is very helpful!

Asher, that was shot on the day I was learning to use the macro. Some of the failures are here...










If you'd like I can pm you the link to the rest of the failures.


Bart, this is the daisies bigger.

Rachel Foster said:

Bart, this is the daisies bigger.

Click to expand...

Okay, it looks like the highlights may be somewhat compromised, but the focus (pun intended) was on the more centrally located daisies (which helps to draw attention). Maybe the Raw files have more highlight detail, but it looks quite decent (from a technical point of view).

Part of the attraction (for me) is in the Black/White subject, yet in color (I like subtle).

Bart

The lower left daisy is a bit blown. Is this fixable in post processing?

Hi Rachel - See.....

Best wishes, Ray

Rachel Foster said:

The lower left daisy is a bit blown. Is this fixable in post processing?

Click to expand...

Depends. Assuming it is a Raw file, what happens when you use ACR and pull exposure, and increase highlight recovery? Can some/all of it be recovered? If so, then you can blend the pulled rendering with the original one.

Bart

Rachel
the rose is crying shot* or rose
for me this evokes the mood of nurturing mother earth-how even in our worst as humans destroying parts of the earth as we are, that mother earth is still more beautiful than even we can understand or continue to believe in- for me a great message I think the photographer is showing a beautiful thought
I really like the tear effect or another interpetation, a water life effect-either way it's effective for the green earth metaphor
good going*I really like this! color and intentions

Charlotte

Charlotte...I don't know how I missed your comment. Thank you for the input and kind words. Your interpretation is very feelings oriented and in being so, very helpful to me.


On another topic, I've been trying for a decent bird shot since last Fall. I am almost pleased with this one. I only have my laptop available, so it may not be what I think it is, but fingers crossed.....


Note: Nothing edited. Straight out of the cam.