learning curve ~ is this too harsh

[JBW]

[KHarmon]

I don't think it is harsh at all. Maybe a little busy on the left side for my eye, but otherwise it is outstanding.

KHarmon

[Shadowman]

Not really, looks like it was shot in dappled light.

[JJvanDelft]

The flower is very well shot. The left and right side makes the image to busy and distract the eye away from the flower. Well done!

[JBW]

Not really, looks like it was shot in dappled light.

so it was

[JBW]

The flower is very well shot. The left and right side makes the image to busy and distract the eye away from the flower. Well done!

it is certainly a busy picture. the thing of it is that this is a ground flower in a tropical semi wild garden. hard not to have stuff around it. I was hoping the framing effect would center the eye but that apparently did not happen.

[Shadowman]

so it was

Did you try to minimize the dappled light in post processing? Sometimes letting it appear all natural can add dramatic effect to the image.

[JBW]

Did you try to minimize the dappled light in post processing? Sometimes letting it appear all natural can add dramatic effect to the image.

I did darken things down a bit and try to even out the background. next time I will try to enhance the dappling.

[Geoff F]

With subjects like this, I usually apply selective sharpening to just the intended subject, not the background. But that does rely on having suitable editing software.

[JBW]

With subjects like this, I usually apply selective sharpening to just the intended subject, not the background. But that does rely on having suitable editing software.

I have yet to sort out just how selective i can be.

[mknittle]

I like it the way it is.

[JBW]

I like it the way it is.

which just goes to show that every now and again I meet someone with excellent taste!

[mknittle]

Brian, To my thinking I has a natural quality to it.

[jcuknz]

If as you mentioned on another post you have worked out selective sharpening I would suggest that probably you can also do selective softening. The flower might be a bit too sharp, a matter of personal preference, but the sharpness of the main subject can be emphasised by the softness of the background. So an overall softening might be more pleasing to you if you also do a 'double' softening of the background.

With my editor having made a selection to selectively sharpen I can 'invert' the selection to deal with the background with other tools.

[JBW]

If as you mentioned on another post you have worked out selective sharpening I would suggest that probably you can also do selective softening. The flower might be a bit too sharp, a matter of personal preference, but the sharpness of the main subject can be emphasised by the softness of the background. So an overall softening might be more pleasing to you if you also do a 'double' softening of the background.

With my editor having made a selection to selectively sharpen I can 'invert' the selection to deal with the background with other tools.

I will check it out.