Another white on white

[chauncey]

I sincerely wish that I had the eye to recognize a pretty picture rather than using hit or miss.
How does this look?

[bnnrcn]

Very nice flowers. The BG looks a bit too bright to me.

[HaseebM]

Very nice flowers. The BG looks a bit too bright to me.

Indeed the first thought that struck me but the flowers are beautifully composed.

[tclune]

I don't know whether I have a different monitor or just different taste from the other posters, but I don't find the background inappropriate at all. There is good contrast with every part of the flower to my eye.

[Krawuntzel]

I like the picture "as is", though I am very sceptical on "squares". The light colours of the flowers stand out "even" if there is no darker background. I would like to see this one printed (I know it is not possible here on CinC). Personal opinion as always.
Erwin

[DanK]

Like Binnur, I like the flowers but not the background. I wouldn't use a white background for white flowers; it doesn't make the flowers stand out. Then again, my default is black backgrounds.

[Shadowman]

It's pretty. Nicely done.

[chauncey]

As usual, the blooms are on a separate layer so swapping out background is no biggie...
what colors/background would be more appropriate?

[Mike Buckley]

what colors/background would be more appropriate?

I'm terrible at designing a scene, but it doesn't matter at all to me whether you use a bright or dark background for this. If you choose a bright background, I would prefer one that has varying tonality if it's only presented in the form of a vignette. If you choose a black background, that's the only color for which I would not need varying tonalities. So, if you choose a dark background that is charcoal or lighter, I would prefer one that has varying tonality.

[Brownbear]

I like the white background, but I usually do. Perhaps Mike's suggestion of varying the tonality is one to explore (for me, too.) Or perhaps its worth trying a very, very pale/soft pink (could be too sweet) or green, or a deep red as seen in the orchid.

If you use the colour picker tool to select one of the colours you can paint the background with a faded version of the same colour. I will send you a PM with a sample.

[tao2]

Hi wm c,

for me - doesn't work. The flowers are subsumed into the background. My eye keeps wandering tae the area between the flowers (and as izzie k said elsewhere.. it's "headachey")...

[bnnrcn]

What about grey?

[jcuknz]

My thought is a beautifully organised image but a pity that plants do not know the composition rule of evens and odds ... I really do not know which stem to look at.

With projected images I avoid pure white these days and go for the first step on the chart away from white. White glares, particularly in large quantities, while off-white does not. But in this case something around 250 or a bit less 248 removed the glare

[Alandb]

Every picture has a story. What story are you trying to convey? What is your vision? Ask yourself, "why did I shoot this picture?"

[Jill]

I have looked at your picture and looked at the comments.
There are a few comments on the background.

I don't think that the problem is white on white, it is that the orchids look pasted on white.
It is like there is no separation.

I am not even suggesting you should have have shadows. Just separation.

I can't explain in better I am afraid. It may be interesting to see if anyone else has this opinion.

[Mike Buckley]

Jill,

The reason there are comments about background is because Chauncey asked for them in his second post.

I agree with you that the orchids look pasted onto the background. Chauncey indicated that the subject is on one post-processing layer and the background is on another one. Such post-processing often (usually) results in the subject appearing pasted onto the background.

Where we disagree has to do with the separation: There is plenty of separation in my mind between the subject and background. When there is lack of separation, the viewer can't tell where the subject ends and the background begins. That's clearly not an issue on my profiled and calibrated monitor.

[DanK]

I have looked at your picture and looked at the comments.
There are a few comments on the background.

I don't think that the problem is white on white, it is that the orchids look pasted on white.
It is like there is no separation.

I am not even suggesting you should have have shadows. Just separation.

I can't explain in better I am afraid. It may be interesting to see if anyone else has this opinion.

I think I see what you are referring to. I'm wondering what causes it. I don't think it is a lack of physical separation, because when you shoot with a physical background some distance, there is nothing to show the distance. For example:



I have two hypotheses. First, I wonder if it is the very bright and similar color of the background. Chauncey could test this by simply changing the color of the background layer. My other hypothesis is that it may arise from the unnatural edges created by using selections to isolate the flowers.

[Stagecoach]

I sincerely wish that I had the eye to recognize a pretty picture rather than using hit or miss.

Chauncey, for me your statement above is far more significant than anything to do with the background.

Is this a picture, is it a contrived pattern or graphical art? I'm confused as to which

Would I hang it on a wall, can I think of any use for it, no. That is not to say that it's not an excellent example of the technical skill needed to produce it or that my views are right.

You have a a good macro lens, you have good flowers available and you now have lighting that can give you a white background easily for your images without reverting to selections and composites. As they say get in CLOSE !

[IzzieK]

+1 to Jill and Boab's comments. I concur about his "headachy" background.

[chauncey]

Is this a picture, is it a contrived pattern or graphical art?

The word confabulation comes to mind...your looking at four plants and stems that I tries to arrange
into something relatively attractive...I hoped, but alas...no eye for creating a pretty picture.

They were shot on a black background, probably should have kept it.