Birth and Life of a Backyard Rose

[Daniel Majul]

Different states of a rose from my backyard
BIRTH

Camera:Lumix DMC-FZ35
Focal Length: 4.8*mm*(equiv. 27*mm; 3x*digital)
Aperture: F3.2
Exposure: 1/60"
ISO: ISO 80/20°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot

YOUTH

Camera:Lumix DMC-FZ35
Focal Length: 23.7*mm*(equiv. 134*mm)
Aperture: F4.5
Exposure: 1/60"
ISO: ISO 100/21°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot

ADULTHOOD

Camera:Lumix DMC-FZ35
Focal Length: 15.5*mm
Aperture: F4
Exposure: 1/40"
ISO: ISO 100/21°
Program: Manual
Metering Mode: Spot

[SpiderBob]

Nice, I like roses, have quite a few just outside my door.





this one is with a 100mm MACRO L

[Donald]

Daniel

That's a very good theme to adopt and you have made three very good images.

My only question is whether, in #1 and #2, it might have been better if the leaf on the left-hand side was not hard up against the edge of the frame? You may have felt that it was worth it, from the point of view that moving it in would have moved the flower head into a more central position, which may have weakened the images.

[Daniel Majul]

Thank you Bob, but yours are better, and of course, I agree 100 per cent about growing older and growing up, I know something about the first, but nothing about the second state...

[Daniel Majul]

You are right in both points of view, Donald. To tell the truth, in all three images I was trying my camera´s lens close up feature, and since any of these images are croped, I feel #1 is the only one that seems to be a close up. As I was concerned about deph of field and detail, I didn´t notice that I was cutting the sepal, and also, that the upper branches were eaten by the ants...
In fact, what I like about number one, is that the weight is balanced to the left, and (as we read from left to right) it make´s me return to the subject. Anyway it is not more than a backyard flower...
Thank you for taking your time to see my images!!!

PS:As I´m begining to feel more corageous, here are two more "Backyard Flowers"


Red Rose


Bottlebrush (Callistemon)

As you can see, I still don´t mind at the time to cut the leaves...

[Donald]

Another two very well put together images.

On this one in particular, I wonder what it would look like if we were to make a square picture by cropping it on the right hand side just at the point where the dark (in shadow) leaf starts at the very top of the frame.

This requires some cloning of the 'in shadow' leaf that is second from the top. I hope you do not mind, but this is what I mean:

[Daniel Majul]

Ha,Ha, if you think I don´t mind it! I mind it! and How!!! ...because you ar right!
Now in a more serious mood, I must say, that I think exactly like you, but I have 3 basic problems(an a lot more of secondary ones).
First: I always try to do my shots thinking they are going to be seen without any cropping, and afterwords, when I realize they need it, I still resist to do it... I´m working on that...
Second: My own definition of Nature Photography: I always thought Nature photography had to show first the "Specimen" and then be artistic if it could... may be this is not that way... I don´t know...
Third: I definitely don´t like square images, so, when I read your reply, I quickly closed firefox, and opened lightroom to crop my photo in the way "I liked"!, a rectangular shape...
I tried various ways mantaining the same proportions, until I was satisfied.
I came back up here, and start laughing, because of my results...
See it your self and laugh with me... (remember I don´t have in sight what you´ve done!)



Two more tiny nonsense: 1) After 20 years without doing a single photo, 2 month ago I bought a nice bridge camera, and landed in the digital era... I´m enough concerned about 1/2,33 CCD sensor to full frame conversion, Raw format, tricky AF sistems and so on...
...but I´m having fun working it out, and appreciate a lot your guide!
2) English is not my mother´s language, so I´m afraid I could be misunderstood about feelings... If so... please,excuse me.

[tihsgod]

nice idea!

I would like to see the death also, would make it a little more poignant. Also maybe shooting from the same position each time would be more interesting. neil

[Daniel Majul]

Death......hummmmm... Why not? The thing is, I didn´t think about before, perhaps because I feel it as degradation... and I was seeking just for graphical beauty... I should have to find the way to represent it in a poetic, and as you said, a poignant way...
Let me find the way...

[Daniel Majul]

This is not poetic, neither poignant... I also don´t like the frame...

[tihsgod]

yes I think that is a little far gone it loses the connection with the earlier shots... I think you will need to capture it as the petals start to wither... looks a little late for that neil