Comments on: Self Critique of my Best Flower Photo http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/ A Photography Resource for the Aspiring Hobbyist Thu, 21 Aug 2008 20:46:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: lingerie http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-77723 lingerie Fri, 30 May 2008 10:50:03 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-77723 When you shoot a macro, focus is all important. Your plane of focus is very shallow - just a fraction of an inch. So you have to make another decision: Exactly what part of the flower do you want to be in sharp focus? The pistil? The stamen? A petal? (We've run out of high-school biology terminology, but you get the idea.) Unless you're a botanist, you will probably make this decision "on the fly" - that is, as you look through the viewfinder. When you see the image that you want, snap it! When you shoot a macro, focus is all important. Your plane of focus is very shallow - just a fraction of an inch. So you have to make another decision: Exactly what part of the flower do you want to be in sharp focus? The pistil? The stamen? A petal? (We’ve run out of high-school biology terminology, but you get the idea.) Unless you’re a botanist, you will probably make this decision “on the fly” - that is, as you look through the viewfinder. When you see the image that you want, snap it!

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-3915 Brian Auer Thu, 26 Jul 2007 04:23:48 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-3915 Wow! Thank you so much! I'll leave some words over on your post. Wow! Thank you so much! I’ll leave some words over on your post.

]]> By: Jayson Conner http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-3912 Jayson Conner Thu, 26 Jul 2007 03:55:24 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-3912 I love your photograph! It truly makes the viewer stand back and study every single pixel. I was very inspired by your work so much so that i have released one of my photographs called <a href="http://nycgraphix.com/blogphoto/photo-gallery/an-orchids-heart/" rel="nofollow">An Orchid's Heart</a>. Let me know what you think about it. Thanks Jayson I love your photograph! It truly makes the viewer stand back and study every single pixel. I was very inspired by your work so much so that i have released one of my photographs called An Orchid’s Heart. Let me know what you think about it.

Thanks
Jayson

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2440 Brian Auer Fri, 15 Jun 2007 00:11:36 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2440 Maybe you're right about the focus of the tip -- I DO still have this feeling that SOMETHING is off in this photo. That could very well be it. Unfortunately I didn't take any shots completely out of focus. I might be able to jimmy it in Photoshop to give it some blur, but I find that there's nothing quite like the real thing when it comes to lens blur. Thanks for the comment, I think you've given me some insight into my own feelings on this photo! Maybe you’re right about the focus of the tip — I DO still have this feeling that SOMETHING is off in this photo. That could very well be it. Unfortunately I didn’t take any shots completely out of focus. I might be able to jimmy it in Photoshop to give it some blur, but I find that there’s nothing quite like the real thing when it comes to lens blur. Thanks for the comment, I think you’ve given me some insight into my own feelings on this photo!

]]> By: Claudia http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2433 Claudia Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:13:06 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2433 I like this photograph, Brian. I have no problem with your changing the colour at all, I'm only interested in the result. I must say I like especially the blurred parts of the flower, the ghostly, paintlike quality of it. I also like the faint lines you can see running down the petals, suggesting some kind of geometry which counteracts the blurriness. I'm not sure about the tip of the petal being in focus. I would like to see it with no focus at all. This particular tip doesn't look the way I'd like a tip of a petal in such a flower painting to look. If you see what I mean. At the same time this somehow undecided focus on this almost unsightly tip is something that nags at you ... you keep wondering about it. So, the photograph doesn't leave you in peace, and that's something I like. I like this photograph, Brian. I have no problem with your changing the colour at all, I’m only interested in the result.

I must say I like especially the blurred parts of the flower, the ghostly, paintlike quality of it. I also like the faint lines you can see running down the petals, suggesting some kind of geometry which counteracts the blurriness.

I’m not sure about the tip of the petal being in focus. I would like to see it with no focus at all. This particular tip doesn’t look the way I’d like a tip of a petal in such a flower painting to look. If you see what I mean.

At the same time this somehow undecided focus on this almost unsightly tip is something that nags at you … you keep wondering about it. So, the photograph doesn’t leave you in peace, and that’s something I like.

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2166 Brian Auer Mon, 04 Jun 2007 21:18:39 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2166 Thanks Mike, I'm glad to hear that. I'm very interested in getting a good critique from the "Master of Macro" -- but just be honest. You won't hurt my feelings with some honest points of improvement! Thanks Mike, I’m glad to hear that. I’m very interested in getting a good critique from the “Master of Macro” — but just be honest. You won’t hurt my feelings with some honest points of improvement!

]]> By: Michael Brown http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2149 Michael Brown Sat, 02 Jun 2007 16:51:28 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2149 Probably one of the best "self critiques" of a individual's own image that I have seen in quite some time now! My congrats to you!! For my critique of the image, ... I'll wait until I put it up and link it for the project sometime on or after the 16th. This will be a good one for that project! Thanks again Brian, Mike Probably one of the best “self critiques” of a individual’s own image that I have seen in quite some time now!
My congrats to you!!

For my critique of the image, … I’ll wait until I put it up and link it for the project sometime on or after the 16th.
This will be a good one for that project!

Thanks again Brian,
Mike

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2085 Brian Auer Wed, 30 May 2007 13:15:10 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2085 Thalia, I kind of felt the same way about this photo -- it was okay at first, but it keeps growing on me more and more every time I look at it. You can't tell by this photo, but there are actually 6 petals total on the flower (it's a hyacinth). And I agree with you on manipulating photos -- Photoshop is just another tool in the toolbox to help me get my ideas out of my head and into something other people can see. Thalia, I kind of felt the same way about this photo — it was okay at first, but it keeps growing on me more and more every time I look at it. You can’t tell by this photo, but there are actually 6 petals total on the flower (it’s a hyacinth). And I agree with you on manipulating photos — Photoshop is just another tool in the toolbox to help me get my ideas out of my head and into something other people can see.

]]> By: Brian Auer http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2084 Brian Auer Wed, 30 May 2007 13:08:22 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2084 Thanks for the comments Lynda. I like that term "dignified" -- I think it suits the colors in the photo well. There is a center pollen area on these flowers, but it's pretty deep inside and hard to catch unless you shoot straight down into it. Thanks for the comments Lynda. I like that term “dignified” — I think it suits the colors in the photo well. There is a center pollen area on these flowers, but it’s pretty deep inside and hard to catch unless you shoot straight down into it.

]]> By: Thalia http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2080 Thalia Wed, 30 May 2007 12:34:58 +0000 http://blog.epicedits.com/2007/05/28/self-critique-of-my-best-flower-photo/#comment-2080 Dear Brian, That was a very interesting post! About the image - to be totally honest, I didn't find the picture very appealing at first, but you know after looking at it for a while, I really like it! Those three (or is it four?) blurred petals in the background look brilliant, just like the soft, glowing flame of a candle! I think you did the right thing in turning the colour to gold (even if it was by accident),I can imagine how it would have been in purple and the gold version is definitely charming! I don't see anything wrong in changing the details of an image, after all it is the artist's perspective that matters, the picture has to reflect the artist's viewpoint and imagination. Dear Brian,

That was a very interesting post! About the image - to be totally honest, I didn’t find the picture very appealing at first, but you know after looking at it for a while, I really like it! Those three (or is it four?) blurred petals in the background look brilliant, just like the soft, glowing flame of a candle! I think you did the right thing in turning the colour to gold (even if it was by accident),I can imagine how it would have been in purple and the gold version is definitely charming!

I don’t see anything wrong in changing the details of an image, after all it is the artist’s perspective that matters, the picture has to reflect the artist’s viewpoint and imagination.

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