More Day Lilies

[MiniChris]

Any and all criticism is accepted and built upon. Please feel free to have a go at anything I post.

[ktuli]

Chris,

I'll try and hit both photos...

Photo 1:
The first thing that jumps out at me about the first photo is the background. Did you clone it out or is that a weird exposure? There seems to be background there (in the grass) but then it just vanishes. I personally find it very distracting. If you cloned it out, I think you need to just clone it all out and just do the main subject flower/stem.

Additionally, your crop is just a tad aggressive. The top of the stem and the bottom petal break the frame. With the background being made to isolate the flower, I find it even more distracting that the main flower breaks the edge of the frame (usually I can overlook that kind of stuff).

Also, I don't know how you feel on this, but I'd say that potentially, the far petal of the flower needs to be pulled back a shade in terms of being a little too bright, but also the reflections on the stem (two directly opposite the flower and one slightly higher) could be toned down some too to reduce them as distraction points.

Aside from those (mostly minor) items, I'd say you hit the focus dead on, and the colors are fantastic. A couple little PP tweaks (hopefully you did leave yourself room to crop) and you've got a beauty there.

Photo 2:
I don't have as much to say on this one... first, here the flower breaking the frame is fine because of how large in the frame it is, and it just reinforces the size of it by making it obvious that the frame would not hold it (and it breaks the frame on every side).

There is one bluish dot in the upper right corner (between the two petals) that needs to be cloned out. And maybe the same for the green stem/leaf on the upper left. Of debate would be to also go the "blossom on black" route with this one and eliminate everything - particularly the additional flower below and behind the main flower.

Hope this helps!

- Bill

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Chris,

I haven't "had a go" at one of yours for a while

#1 instant impressions;
too contrasty, perhaps the disappearing background Bill discusses
rather lacking in texture, but maybe that's what these plants/blooms are really like, or is it a missing step in sharpening workflow, seems to be missing the tiny radius element
I miss the bit leaving the bottom of frame, spoils the composition for me

#2 better I think, I prefer the composition here, although still has some lack of texture (to my eyes) and it does look over exposed, I suspect the red and green channels may have blown

Sorry to be fairly negative, that's how they looks to me

Was this a case of trying a different PP workflow or process, e.g. as prompted by something you've read or seen?
My instinct tells me you were concentrating on the process more than the resulting image, or am I way off the mark?

[MiniChris]

I was shooting strictly for color saturation using a modified spot metering system I read about...can't say I like it or not yet as I haven't really given it its due time...but so far, cannot jump up for joy. I'mm still trying to figure out how to work in channels, so any input there you could send me would be a great help.

These flowers don't have a consistent texture...you might have a very smooth area and a rough flair within centimeters of one another which makes it difficult to get a good eveness. I was also forced to shoot at higher shutter speeds that I would have liked due to the wind.

I was shooting with the kit lens 18-105 and it just doesn't have the macro ability I would like...still though, they are pretty sharp. I did do some with the 50mm 1.8. Soon, I will have my 105 macro and should eb able to correct some of this focusing issue.

Thanks to both of you for your comments...I'm pretty thick skinned and don't figure I'm going to learn much by being coddled. It's pretty much how I deal with my students. I'd rather pole-axe betwixt the eyes than lead them to believe crap deserves an A.

[ktuli]

Thanks to both of you for your comments...I'm pretty thick skinned and don't figure I'm going to learn much by being coddled. It's pretty much how I deal with my students. I'd rather pole-axe betwixt the eyes than lead them to believe crap deserves an A.

I figured as much, and I'm really resisting the urge to put "Disclaimer: All comments are meant as constructive criticism only. If I were intending to offend, I would have resorted to name-calling and making funny faces." in my signature. Then again, they do have it at the beginning of every darn DVD...

Looking forward to the next round, Chris.

- Bill