Bluebells

[Kaye Leggett]

Like Geoff F I have tried many times to capture the essence of the humble bluebell which graces our woodlands in May/June. Whilst in Scotland, we saw more than I have ever seen and in particular alongside the Crinan Canal. For once I had some keepers.

1 - a wider shot trying to capture the 'drift' of flowers



2 - getting up closer



3 - using the breeze



C&C welcome please.

.

[Geoff F]

With #1, Kaye, it looks like you are trying the same trick which I have come to rely on for these scenes; get an interesting sharply focused object in the foreground and let the bluebells gently 'drift' into the background. It certainly works here, but could you get away with a fraction more midtone brightness while keeping the shadows as they are now?

Almost there with #2 but a pity about that piece of pale dead stick. I do so much in the way of 'gardening' before taking this sort of shot and too often I still miss something like this. Sometimes I return for a reshoot and still don't get it perfect. That is the trouble with real life photography.

The main subject bluebell works fine although I do wonder about a slightly tighter crop particularly on the left side?

#3 was a good idea but that second bluebell on the right spoils the scene for me. If it had been a little further away and blurred like the rest of the background this would have worked.

[Shadowman]

2nd and 3rd work well for me, the first I feel the stump and golden tones overshadow the bluebells. Nice captures.

[Ziggy]

Number 3 shouts out blue.

[Barbara Ponder]

Lovely flowers and nicely captured!

[Kaye Leggett]

Thanks all for your comments. Geoff I hadn't noticed the twig but have now cloned it out. I've also tried another crop on the first shot

[IzzieK]

I like #2 too -- if you can do a little bit more cloning now that the shot looks good...one little thing from me this time, please remove or blur out that plant at the left side as it doesn't do much to the beauty of your subject. Just my opinion...

[Kaye Leggett]

I like #2 too -- if you can do a little bit more cloning now that the shot looks good...one little thing from me this time, please remove or blur out that plant at the left side as it doesn't do much to the beauty of your subject. Just my opinion...

Thanks Izzie for looking and suggestions - always welcome. I blurred the white flower and then felt the green leaves in the bottom right needed the same treatment - do you think this is better ?

[Geoff F]

Looking good now, Kaye.

[IzzieK]

Yes, but you blurred the stem of the bluebells too...Sorry if it feels that I am picking on you...

Thanks Izzie for looking and suggestions - always welcome. I blurred the white flower and then felt the green leaves in the bottom right needed the same treatment - do you think this is better ?

[Kaye Leggett]

Yes, but you blurred the stem of the bluebells too...Sorry if it feels that I am picking on you...

Thoughts and critique are always welcome Izzie. I see what you mean and I guess sooc it is difficult to believe the stem would be blurred but I think the eye is better drawn to the blue this way. But of course if you want to see the whole plant then it doesn't work !

[IzzieK]

The original submission has the whole stem in it. If this is an edit, I thought you excluded the whole stem from the original post. Sorry...I was just thinking aloud. Working on editing and translating from RAW to JPEG is a whole lot of process to do and that was what and am doing all day and will be doing for the next few days on mine. I may be translating my thoughts to your shot being critical on mine as to crops, blurring, composition, you know..the works. Ignore me, I have PMS.............

[Kaye Leggett]

Ignore ???? now that would be dangerous..................