The Sophisticate

[FrankMi]

This particular Amaryllis Sophisticate is a challenge for me.

It is the first time I have come across an Amaryllis with two concurrent scapes that are blossoming at the same time with six blossoms on each scape! Not all of the blossoms are in full bloom and likely some will be past when the last are fully open.

I have been trying to retain the detail while getting a softer result. In this case, the image is a 4 shot focus stack that was duplicated and the duplicate copy softened with a combination of Gaussian Blur and Surface Blur. The I merged in the soft copy in the center of the pedals and tried to keep the edges sharp to retain the blossom's definition.

The dilemma is that with so many blossoms, how should I compose the shot? I've posted the entire plant but I would like some direction on how to take advantage of this unique situation and get a really dramatic result?



Suggestions anyone?

[Antonio Correia]

Excellent work.
No sugestions at all !!

[FrankMi]

Excellent work.
No sugestions at all !!

Hi António! I haven't seen on the forum for a while. Good to see that you are still active! Thank you so much for the kind words my friend.

[Brownbear]

Beautiful image! The flowers are absolutely gorgeous. I also love the black background. The only thing I can think of is to crop the plant pot off (even though the image works beautifully as is) simply because then the image it is all about the gorgeous flowers.

[FrankMi]

Beautiful image! The flowers are absolutely gorgeous. I also love the black background. The only thing I can think of is to crop the plant pot off (even though the image works beautifully as is) simply because then the image it is all about the gorgeous flowers.

Hi Christina! This one was more of a subject to solicit feedback for improvements. OK, I zoomed in a bit and raised the shooting angle just a bit but again this is just an experiment to see what might possibly work while I still have time to catch the blossoms before they start to fade. So, here it is with the cropped pot.



By the way, this one is using just a Surface Blur of Radius 10 and Threshold of 18 then blended in so that only interior places without edges get the blur.

Still looking for composition advise if anyone has any suggestions. Thanks in advance!

[Mike Buckley]

The dilemma is that with so many blossoms, how should I compose the shot? I've posted the entire plant but I would like some direction on how to take advantage of this unique situation and get a really dramatic result?

You have already answered both questions by posting both images.

[Pappadi]

The image is 'botanical', shall I say? The edited version is more appealing.
May I suggest a view from the top, with a five degree slant from the central perpendicular? You could cover the pot with black velvet. Rotating the pot would suggest a better composition.
I don't have a lily bloom right now, otherwise I could post an image in that way.

[Brownbear]

Hi Frank,

I get it now. I adore the composition of the flowers as you have it. The only thing I can think of is if you could gently tie the two rear blossoms together so they face forward and sit between the 1st and last blossoms in front. (with a soft ribbon so you don't hurt the plant)

[chauncey]

Frank, assuming that you have PS, try this...once you are basically finished with your image, make two completely different copies, flattening both>go into HDR toning,under image/adjustments, on each of them and treat them the same with the exception of the detail slider, moving that slider way left really softens the image as a whole>soften one of the HDR toned image and adjust detail to taste on the other one>move one of those images onto the other and use Auto Align>apply a mask and brush away for softness or crispy.

Hope that I'm being clear with my explanation, used it here Still groping

[FrankMi]

The image is 'botanical', shall I say? The edited version is more appealing.
May I suggest a view from the top, with a five degree slant from the central perpendicular? You could cover the pot with black velvet. Rotating the pot would suggest a better composition.
I don't have a lily bloom right now, otherwise I could post an image in that way.

Hi Ramachandran, when you say a view from the top, are you thinking of shooting straight down from above? I'm not sure I am following your suggestion clearly. Thanks!

[FrankMi]

Hi Frank,

I get it now. I adore the composition of the flowers as you have it. The only thing I can think of is if you could gently tie the two rear blossoms together so they face forward and sit between the 1st and last blossoms in front. (with a soft ribbon so you don't hurt the plant)

Hi Christina, so you are thinking of using the ribbon to close the gap between the back two blossoms then shooting from the other side of the blossoms?

[Wavelength]

Really well done

[FrankMi]

Frank, assuming that you have PS, try this...once you are basically finished with your image, make two completely different copies, flattening both>go into HDR toning,under image/adjustments, on each of them and treat them the same with the exception of the detail slider, moving that slider way left really softens the image as a whole>soften one of the HDR toned image and adjust detail to taste on the other one>move one of those images onto the other and use Auto Align>apply a mask and brush away for softness or crispy.

Hope that I'm being clear with my explanation, used it here Still groping

Hi William, I gave that a try but found that it very quickly wiped out all the detail. Detail defaulted to +30 and even setting it to +20 pretty well removed most of the detail so if I slid the control really far left it produced sharp edges but almost featureless solid colors. Thanks for the tip though, it might be useful on a different image. Thanks!

[FrankMi]

Really well done

Thank you for the encouragement, Nandakumar.

[bnnrcn]

Hi Frank , I like the shot and your edit very much I agree about the crop but I would actually crop some more from right and left sides and create a square frame. I would also rotate the image a little bit clockwise for a better look.

[Brownbear]

Hi Frank,

That sounds like a great option to explore. I was thinking of pulling some of the blossoms closer together (like a flower bouquet) and if possible turning the rear blossoms so they face forward, even partially forward (more so the blossom on the left hand side) to allow for a more frontal/side view of the blossoms on the top... Or just to bring all of the flowers closer together, and then explore the views of the petals from all the different sides.

I hope that makes sense. I'm having a hard time explaining it because of course I can't see what it looks like in real life.

Hi Christina, so you are thinking of using the ribbon to close the gap between the back two blossoms then shooting from the other side of the blossoms?

[Pappadi]

Hi Ramachandran, when you say a view from the top, are you thinking of shooting straight down from above? I'm not sure I am following your suggestion clearly. Thanks!

Exactly, Frank. A different view, worth trying, IMHO. But slightly to either left or right or top or bottom (as you look down) to your liking. May be a carefully placed reflector to lighten the petals from under to bring out the texture and some subtle colour. I went round to find a lily today, but in vain. It is June now and the monsoon has arrived early in the day.
Thank you and regards.

[FrankMi]

My apologies to Binnur, Christina, and Ramachandran for getting sidetracked a bit too long. The Sophisticate is down to just two active blossoms and I didn't get the chance to return for further exploration of your marvelous ideas.

I do take your views all in and will be experimenting with these thoughts as the opportunities present themselves so I am most grateful for your comments and suggestions.

[Marie Hass]

Hi, Frank,

Just a few suggestions. When I took pictures of my Gervase, I actually stuck a wedge between the two flower stems so they were not squished together. Also, I got eye level with the blooms and shot landscape. It gave a suggestion of fullness and pried apart, the stalks shone on their own account. Just an idea for your next shoot.

This is a very lovely image.

Marie