B&W Flowers

[Mike Buckley]

I'm on a quest to finish converting my better images from the past to black-and-white. These dogwood blossoms in my backyard were captured on a point-and-shoot digital camera in 2005. Sorry, but I don't know enough about trees to know anything about the different species of tree in the background other than to know that it is about 100 feet (30 meters) tall.

C&C is encouraged though I don't have anything to ask.

[teokf]

I like the "clean" feel of this picture as it is not cluttered and the weathered-look texture of the bark enhances the softness and fragility flower.

Somehow I feel if you had more space (that is more bark) around the flower and in a square format, it would look much better.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks for the helpful critique, Steven. I wish I had had more space on the left and right sides also, but I didn't capture it that way. I can tell by the shape of the tree that there was not a lot more of the tree to be photographed, so that might have been the reason. Maybe not.

I'm a bit lost (or unimaginative) as to understand how a square format would have enhanced this particular subject, especially considering that the perimeter of the subject is so unsquare (my spell checker is telling me that "unsquare" is not a word). Please feel free to expand on that.

[teokf]

Don't worry we are equals in the field of creativity

When I saw your photo, the first thought was; this could be one of a 4 square collage picture frames. Part of the the extra space would include a bit more of the branches and leaves at the top. If these were included the perimeter could be changed to a square format to give the balance to the photo. So, when I said having that extra space, it was meant for that purpose too

Hope I made sense

[Mike Buckley]

Yes, that makes all sorts of sense. I do remember, partly because I see the same dogwood tree daily, that I would have had to have used a ladder to include blossoms that were above the five that I captured and to retain the approximate perspective as in this photo. I even seem to remember considering that option, but laziness prevailed.

[Sergio M.]

Very nice detail and clarity for a point and shoot, Mike. I like the B&W conversion and as Steven said, there is a very clean feel to the image. The bark and leaves make a very nice contrast (but not overdone) to the blossoms. Can't help on the species since I slept through most of my Botany class.

[Mike Buckley]

Thanks, Sergio! You don't mind taking that Botany class again, do you?