Pretty as a Primrose

[Kaye Leggett]

Yesterday and today I have been trying to capture the essence of the primrose.....but somehow I don't feel that I have got there. Thoughts please....and then I'll try again tomorrow

1



2



3



4



5

[ClaudioG]

Hi Kaye, sory, i am no expert on flower photography, and even less so on the identification, to me they look VERY Creamy yellow orangy ( I have no idea what to name this colour, maybe very light beige???), is that the colour they supposed to be?

For me, i like 1 and 3 , but the leaves in 3 dont look "green" enough. This is why im guessing your white balance is off?

[bnnrcn]

Hi Kaye,I agree with Claudio about the colours.I have got those flowers in my balcony and they are white and lively,yours are very pale and may be they have an orange colour cast.If you can adjust your WB I think they will look much better. I like #3 and #4

[IzzieK]

Hi Kaye...yours is a yellow primrose...I like #3 and 5. It shows more of the kind that I like to look in a flower. Lacks more yellow but otherwise, those two I prefer are very good.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Isabel, the essence is yellow in a white primrose too.Those above might be yellow primroses but all colours in the images look pale although primroses are vivid coloured flowers.That's why I think adjusting WB might improve the images

Hi Kaye...yours is a yellow primrose...I like #3 and 5. It shows more of the kind that I like to look in a flower. Lacks more yellow but otherwise, those two I prefer are very good.

[Stagecoach]

Hi Kaye,

I understand your dilemma and have to agree there's something missing here. Flowers are an area I experiment with at times and often not too successfully but I'll throw in a few thoughts that may give some ideas.

a) As for the colour of the flower this can easily be sorted in PP to what you want but I do not think the brown background helps in these, it may be that you have options or are stuck with this.

b) I have read, 'never shoot down' on a flower and I think this is applicable in many cases but not all.

c) The lighting has given a rather flat result on the petals so they lack definition and contrast, not sure what the source was but would be worth considering.

d) Not sure of the shooting data or lens you have but in image types No 1 & 2 it may be worth experimenting with a shallower DoF so that just certain parts are in sharp focus.

Hope there may be something of use here.

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Hi Kaye,

All very pretty, and I especially love 1,2 and 4... With #2 being my favourite for the composition. I especially like the soft colours, looks like softly lit by sunlight to me. I'm not familiar with the flower or true colour but I think these are beautiful.

[Kaye Leggett]

Thank you all for your comments. I will try a different background and look at the white balance.

These flowers are a pale yellow - I always think of them in this traditional colour - well in the UK anyway, but yes there are myriad colour variations. They grow in clumps and love a bit of boggy ground as well as surviving neglect with no water, and they self seed....so very hardy little things. For me a sign of spring along with the daffodil and snowdrop.

[Kaye Leggett]

And so, I braved the drizzle and took some shots in situ paying particular attention to white balance and came up with this....



Do you think it matters that actually we can't see any one of the flowers in its entirety ?

[ClaudioG]

As i say, i havent done flowers Kaye, but i this is MUCH better. That orangy colour cast is gone. Good job!! I like

[Kaye Leggett]

Thanks Claudio

[deetheturk]

Much better Kaye,well done

David

[Brownbear]

Hi Kaye,

Just to say that I can see a truer white balance in this image by the greener leaves...but I like the warm golden cast in the close-up shots of these flowers. Either way, beautiful images.

[Kaye Leggett]

Thanks David and Christina. As you well know, you get so immersed in what you're doing you can't see the wood for the trees. The white balance was obvious really, but I just couldn't see it !

[bnnrcn]

Much better now

And so, I braved the drizzle and took some shots in situ paying particular attention to white balance and came up with this....



Do you think it matters that actually we can't see any one of the flowers in its entirety ?