a pox on watermarks ~ no more will I use them

[JBW]

[FrankMi]

A nice composition with a relatively simple background Brian. It may be my eyes but it looks like the spines behind the flower are sharper than the flower itself?

[JBW]

A nice composition with a relatively simple background Brian. It may be my eyes but it looks like the spines behind the flower are sharper than the flower itself?

Nope not your eyes. And I have no idea how or why the focus ended where it did.
B

[Colin Southern]

Have you considered sharpening the image to improve it?

[JBW]

Have you considered sharpening the image to improve it?

actually, I did. the focus is simply on the spikes rather than the blossom.

[Colin Southern]

actually, I did. the focus is simply on the spikes rather than the blossom.

Seemed to work a bit better for me

[JBW]

Seemed to work a bit better for me

indeed it does. what software do you use?

[Colin Southern]

indeed it does. what software do you use?

Just an unsharp mask in Photoshop, but just about any package like GIMP will do it too.

[JBW]

Just an unsharp mask in Photoshop, but just about any package like GIMP will do it too.

Photoshop must be better or I must need to refine my use of it in Gimp.
B

[Colin Southern]

Photoshop must be better or I must need to refine my use of it in Gimp.
B

Best guess is we're just plugging in different values.

[Donald]

Photoshop must be better or I must need to refine my use of it in Gimp.
B

Have you tried the Wavelet Sharpening plug-in for the GIMP? Great little tool. Get it via the plug-in register.