Composition help...for C&C please...

[IzzieK]

All this morning shots before the rain...

1 the right file from yesterday's dogwood tree flower post...I would like help on cropping here. Is this a sharp enough shot?



2 The following are dogwood shoots on one trunk...I am aiming for composition and sharpness on the succeeding images, but my background sucks because I am facing the side of the house and on the other side, there were only white sky. So I thought use of empty space will be good here...what do you think?



3 I use the architectural grid to measure my rule of thirds or something similar...I was reading about it this morning and want to try my hand on how to use it, if it works in this situation...



4 I don't know about this one...I think I mucked up my focus or something but I still want your opinion as to how I did this time around with concern about my focusing...



I will appreciate any feedback...good or bad.

[Mike Buckley]

All of the compositions work well for me except the last one. Consider sharpening the very center of the flower in the first one. I would probably use Local Contrast Enhancement rather than traditional sharpening.

[bnnrcn]

I like the first three compositions, #2 is exceptionally nice

[Brownbear]

I like the compositions of #2 and #3, with the third being my favourite. Something about the close-up view of the beauty of the mossy bark and the three sets of leaves is especially lovely to me.

[Ziggy]

I have no problem with the composition in any of the shots.

I think #1 could be a little sharper. Maybe sharpen the whole image a little then sharpen the center of the bloom a little more.

[Geoff F]

#1 is OK. Yellow centered flowers with white petals are so difficult to get perfect. You have fractionally over exposed a couple of small areas on the petals and lost fine detail, but nothing too bad.

Incidentally, I was photographed some wild strawberry flowers today (white petals and glossy yellow centre) and shooting in shade plus a difflector so thought I was doing well; then I saw the results on my computer screen and ditched the lot!

#2 has too much negative space for me but #3 which is only slightly different works well.

I suspect #4 would have worked better without that stick coming up from the bottom which is distracting against the bark effect.

[Stagecoach]

Good work Izzie !

I have no problem with any of the compositions other than if being picky, two minor things, No 1 you could have possibly avoided clipping the lower petal and No 4 it 'may' have been possible to move that twig. Note, these are minor things but something to be aware of as you progress.

No 1 - As Mike said the centre of the flower needs picking out, I did it with local clarity and then local sharpening, it makes a tremendous difference. I would not undertake any global sharpening, it spoils the delicacy of the petals. What this image does show is what can be achieved with that 70-300 with psuedo macro 1:2 lens, great bokeh, adequate sharpness and hey, this was shot at 1/15s

No 2, 3 & 4 - These all work equally for me and again perhaps a bit of local sharpening in certain areas can help.

On No 4 you did not muck up your focusing ! There is adequate sharp material in the trunk where the shoots are coming from and the shoots leaves. It can be debated that you could have stopped down more to get all the shoots leaves within the DoF but again you were shooting at 1/15s.

General, all these images have very slight clipping when I open them in ACR which is easily solved by reducing highlights/exposure a small amount. Not sure of your workflow but in RAW I will set my black/white/shadows/contrast/clarity and make sure the histogram does not quite reach the ends (upper end is more important). This then allows some leeway for later sharpening and the very final stage can be to set the black/white point for which I use levels.

Generally I have found with close-up work that if you get things right in camera, especially ensuring no clipping at the white end, there is very little to do in post work, as we want things to look natural.

Well done

Edit : What I did forget to say was that with all these images you are getting the basics of the close up work right, we can easily nit pick but producing an image where only nit picking is required is an achievement in itself

Grahame

[wilgk]

A nice series, the composition of #2 is the best for me.

[marlunn]

As may well be noted with a few of my 'offerings' here my composition skills are immature and need more work so I can only say I like #2 and #3 and go along with everyone else

[IzzieK]

All of the compositions work well for me except the last one. Consider sharpening the very center of the flower in the first one. I would probably use Local Contrast Enhancement rather than traditional sharpening.

Thank you for the feedback...this is only better by the hair than the one I was referring to here because the other one was blurry with my hand shaking. I appreciate your comment..

[IzzieK]

I like the first three compositions, #2 is exceptionally nice

Thank you Binnur for following my progress in my macro shots...I do appreciate your comment and being able to choose a preference despite my trying hard.

And also to you, Christina...I will say the same to you for you both are more of an expert in photography than I do. I am grappling here with something like #1 as much as I do grow them, I do not photograph flowers before just here and there and I wasn't even after anything then. CiC changed this thinking for me...now I want to learn to photograph many things because I have seen many progressed from this forum...

[IzzieK]

#1 is OK. Yellow centered flowers with white petals are so difficult to get perfect. You have fractionally over exposed a couple of small areas on the petals and lost fine detail, but nothing too bad.

Incidentally, I was photographed some wild strawberry flowers today (white petals and glossy yellow centre) and shooting in shade plus a difflector so thought I was doing well; then I saw the results on my computer screen and ditched the lot!

#2 has too much negative space for me but #3 which is only slightly different works well.

I suspect #4 would have worked better without that stick coming up from the bottom which is distracting against the bark effect.

Thank you Ziggy and Geoff...I do appreciate your feedbacks and comments on my image/s, thank you very much.

Geoff, the stick coming from the back bothered me too so I tried Content Aware and the clone tool but it did not work. With the rains all day today if that flower there hasn't fallen down, I will do a reshoot but not before I tried to get that offending stem out of the way, if I can...I should had done it before I took the shot, but I was in a hurry as it was already starting to sprinkle...the only dried spot was under that tree...

[IzzieK]

As may well be noted with a few of my 'offerings' here my composition skills are immature and need more work so I can only say I like #2 and #3 and go along with everyone else

Aw...come on, Mark -- in line with my preparing for when the bugs come out, I am trying different macro possibilities and since Grahame said I am improving, I decided to move a little bit towards composition...I hope these are not "accidental" ones I did here and are still repeatable for me. I just have to get used to using my coconut every now and then and think : composition NOT snapshot!!! Anyway, thank you for the feedback and comments. I really do appreciate it very much...

Also to you, Kay...thank you for looking and commenting and choosing my favourite too...I put a lot of thought into that you know...it almost burst my brains out of my ears...

[IzzieK]

Good work Izzie !

I have no problem with any of the compositions other than if being picky, two minor things, No 1 you could have possibly avoided clipping the lower petal and No 4 it 'may' have been possible to move that twig. Note, these are minor things but something to be aware of as you progress.

Coming from you, I am getting flattered. At least that took off a bit of frustrations in this macro thingies for now. All I have to do now is practice, practice, practice and shoot everyday until the information that I used today and the last times will be ingrained...less to think of later on as I go along...

No 1 - As Mike said the centre of the flower needs picking out, I did it with local clarity and then local sharpening, it makes a tremendous difference. I would not undertake any global sharpening, it spoils the delicacy of the petals. What this image does show is what can be achieved with that 70-300 with psuedo macro 1:2 lens, great bokeh, adequate sharpness and hey, this was shot at 1/15s

No 2, 3 & 4 - These all work equally for me and again perhaps a bit of local sharpening in certain areas can help.

Thank you...that is very nice to hear...I need to work on my pp a little bit more...you see, because of my thinking that my D810 NEF cannot access Photoshop CS5, I forgot that D300s' NEF can...I cannot get CS6 until August when my class starts in a community school to get the program at a student discount price.

On No 4 you did not muck up your focusing ! There is adequate sharp material in the trunk where the shoots are coming from and the shoots leaves. It can be debated that you could have stopped down more to get all the shoots leaves within the DoF but again you were shooting at 1/15s.

Well, I should have thought more if not for the rain. I will be careful tomorrow if I will be able to shoot...it is supposed to rain again but we are located in the center of the the US --Missouri -- sometimes the rest of the country have tornadoes, we have sunshine. Most of the rains are somewhere near where Terry (Loose Canon) lives...

General, all these images have very slight clipping when I open them in ACR which is easily solved by reducing highlights/exposure a small amount. Not sure of your workflow but in RAW I will set my black/white/shadows/contrast/clarity and make sure the histogram does not quite reach the ends (upper end is more important). This then allows some leeway for later sharpening and the very final stage can be to set the black/white point for which I use levels.

Generally I have found with close-up work that if you get things right in camera, especially ensuring no clipping at the white end, there is very little to do in post work, as we want things to look natural.

Well done



Edit : What I did forget to say was that with all these images you are getting the basics of the close up work right, we can easily nit pick but producing an image where only nit picking is required is an achievement in itself

Grahame

Again, thank you so much for your help...you are a Gem! I will remember all of your teachings and your tips. I do appreciate every little help I got from you and will in the future...thank you.

[Shadowman]

Izzie,

All nice compositions, a crop here or there wouldn't hurt. If you use Elements, the software has templates (golden ratio, rule of thirds, grid) available when you use the crop tool; perhaps there are more templates available. I sometimes use the rule of thirds and have tried the golden ratio, however most of the time my images just don't line up with the proposed points. Sometimes the choice of crop comes down to personal tastes.

[Barbara Ponder]

Izzie if you keep this up you will be known as the "Macro Madame" I really like #1 and like the composition on the others. I can't wait to see what comes next. Keep up the good work!

[fotugraphy]

First 3 are working for me. #2 is brilliant. M just wondering if the yellowish cast is deliberate?

[DEAN01]

Izzie,
I like all of the shots. I would have rotated number one when shot to have the limb diagonally from lower left to upper right. Good work.

[IzzieK]

Thank you John for commenting. You know I know we have that in Photoshop too but I keep forgetting that it is there. Thank you for reminding me. You have three in Elements while Photoshop CS5 only have the grid and the rule of thirds...I will try to look for more templates. I like cropping nowadays (two days anyway...after I read your feedback here offline, I went looking for it in Photoshop and found it almost straightaway. Now to look for other templates... I love researching...

And before I forget, I have to thank you too for mentioning Nik Software in one of your response to my recent post...today I learned Viveza 2...I wonder what tomorrow will bring...but I thoroughly enjoyed the exercise, I almost forget to take some photographs for the day...you've been a big help...

[IzzieK]

Thank you for your comments and feedback. I truly appreciate them very much -- Barbara, Raj and Dean...

Barbara, I will be too far off being a Macro Madame yet...there are others far more knowledgeable than I am over here like yourself. Those macro experiments of yours are far more advance than mine...let us see if we can push Binnur to change her style to this genre...that will be fun...

Raj...the yellowish cast is deliberate if I may say so, I am learning some effects from Color Efex at the time...I will change my style soon...I am having too much fun I think...I tried to stick close to the real colour but my eyes got diverted to the files within each filter folders...

Dean...the tree limb is as is...if I rotate it for your viewing pleasure it will all be straight and flat and no curves at all. I agree that textures will still be there and it might be nice to see those little shoot standing straight but they are not growing on a straight limb -- they are growing on a curvature of the limb of the tree, as you can see from the last shot...I shot them going downwards hence the fork in the limb where there are lot more shoots in them...thank you for viewing and commenting and for the very kind feedback...