Board index Photography Artistic Questions Critique of photo by Jengle - Costa Rican Rainforest fern

Artistic Questions

Critique of photo by Jengle - Costa Rican Rainforest fern

Discuss style and artistic aspects of photography
jengle
 
Posts: 45

Critique of photo by Jengle - Costa Rican Rainforest fern

Post Sat Dec 30, 2006 5:06 am


In reading another forum about a request for a PaD type option to request a critique of good pictures or problem pictures I read about this forum.

I had hoped to get more feedback about my photography when I started posting at PBase, and later when I started my PaD I thought I would get some critiques. I have not gotten very much specific feedback, and that's probably partially my fault as I have not ASKED. But then, often my 'problem' pictures are not viewed anyways :?

So here's a posting which I think is very good, and I feel it was probably buried in my Costa Rica pictures and overlooked.

The Picture: Fern unfurling at http://www.pbase.com/jengle/image/70465308

What I like: detail on fern, colors, background of fully spread fern
What I don't like: I think a crop should tighten the picture

Ideas?

jdepould
 
Posts: 540


Post Sat Dec 30, 2006 6:29 am


Either a crop or a wider shot would probably improve it. There's enough context to draw the eye away, but not enough to add to the shot. Since you've already taken the shot, obviously your only option is to crop down. Don't be afraid to lose some of the leaf too, play around with it until you find something you like.

Also, why did you shoot it at ISO 1600? You have some noise creeping in. A shutter speed of 1/400 seems overkill to me, even accounting for any possible wind or camera motion. Some de-noising is called for, and maybe bump the saturation a bit?

It sounds like a lot, but its mostly little stuff.
Nikon D300, D200
Nikkor 50mm f/1.8D, 55mm f/1.4 micro, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G DX, 80-200 f/2.8D
Apple PowerBook G4, MacBook Pro
Adobe Lightroom, Photoshop CS3

ivinghoe
 
Posts: 138


Post Mon Jan 01, 2007 9:23 pm


I agree the picture is a little noisy, but I dont think it needs much cropping.
Possibly you could try cloning out the branch if you have the software to do it.
With the branch gone a tiny crop to remove the top right yellow leaf tip would do it for me
Best wishes for the New Year
Al

blachly
 
Posts: 131


Post Sat Jan 06, 2007 6:13 pm


I like the image in general. It is a sharp image and the colors are nice. If I could shoot it again I probably would blure the background fern a little more. I would also remove the stick and crop in closer. Good luck and I hope this helps! But all of this is little stuff. Overall, very nice image.

Mike

michaelsv
 
Posts: 802


Post Sun Jan 07, 2007 2:16 am


In general I like the image. I like colors, saturation, I do not care too much about noise on ISO1600, since it's 300d known to have low noise. I also like composition in general.

Here is what I think can be improved.

1. There is a compositional problem in the image. This thingy on the right (pipe or whatever) distracts me almost completely from the flower. It competes on the viewers attention, since it's practically most contrast zone of the image. And areas of high contrast tends to attract attention first. So...
Either I would recompose the shot to avoid it or if it's impossible I would clone it out in PS.

2. I would crop a 1/2" from left and top to make the flower less center positioned and also move a center of leaf in the background to one of the rule of thirds points at the left upper corner. Alternatively initially I would take shot the way that fern will be positioned 1/2" to left and top, revealing also the longer part of stem, which in current composition cut a bit short to my taste.

But again all these are to my taste. The picture is good as it is and thins that I've mentioned can be seen as minor changes.

Unfortunately sometimes is very hard to avoid some compositional problems when taking pictures of flowers, I've ruined so many shots :-).

Hope this helpes.

Michael.

jengle
 
Posts: 45

Monteverde Rain Forest modifications

Post Thu Jan 11, 2007 1:50 am


Wow,
This has been great feedback from all.
First I used Lightroom to crop and bring out the blacks and added some luminance to the red. This can be seen here http://www.pbase.com/jengle/image/72910340

Second update was to take the Lightroom version into Photoshop and soften the background using Blur tool, then smudged it a bit along with the vine in the lower right corner. Then I dodged the light areas of the background. I thought I liked the vine in the bottom right, esp. with the moss tendril creeping around it. Hmmm. The second version is posted here:http://www.pbase.com/jengle/image/72909801

ivinghoe
 
Posts: 138


Post Sat Jan 13, 2007 12:55 am


I prefer the second update, it has improved the picture quite alot imho
(still find the branch with the tendril competing for attention tho :P )

felicity6568
 
Posts: 5

Re: Critique of photo by Jengle - Costa Rican Rainforest fer

Post Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:25 am


Hmmm...hard to say. I also prefer the second update of your picture (its a beautiful plant by the way), but I also have the feeling that the branch takes the attention away from the flower. In the first update the branch is still blurred and that is what I like about the first version.

Hope you will now get more feedback on your pictures!
Felicity
________________________________
Love to post pics of flowers on line :-)


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