[Charlotte]

Been doing some macro flowers ... c+c on this one please

[Dabhand16]

I like this one better than the other one Charlotte. I'm not disturbed with the flowers going out of shot, and there is a good diagonal. You have captured the detial in the petals without them looking over-sharpened.

I guess I know why you chose the black background, but I wonder if the same colour as in the other shot might be better, less starkness between the flowers and the background?

[Angela]

I would disagree with Dabs, I think the starkness between the flowers and the background really set this shot off. Personally, I prefer to see the whole flower in a shot but Dabs is right, it doesn't distract too much.

It is a super shot though Charlotte

[P-E]

Is the dark background supposed to be completely black?........as I can see things in the background.

[Charlotte]

Thanks for your comments The BG wasn't intentionally black initially, it just turned out that way when I adjusted levels + curves, to get the most detail out of the petals I saw the artifacts after I uploaded P-E + couldn't be bothered to fix + re-upload, but perhaps I should The BG started off the same colour as the other flower shot (which is slightly off to the real colour of the lilac wall I used, as I experimented with colour changes during processing).

I was trying to emphasize fine detail + delicate shapes, without going OTT with processing. Did I achieve this?

[nichpr]

Originally Posted by Charlotte

I was trying to emphasize fine detail + delicate shapes, without going OTT with processing. Did I achieve this?

And that you accomplished quite well. Retaining the detail in the petals is not easy but essential in shots like this and you did it well.
Nice shot.
- Paul

[skipper954]

Needless to say, I like the diagonal composition here, Charlotte. Partial petals are not a concern here.

You have captured the detail very well, with wonderful subtle shading. And the bg works.

skip

[Charlotte]

Thanks Paul + Skipper

I do hope to get a few more reactions on this one, so if anyone else has an opinion on it, I'd love to hear it

[Mr Blue Sky]

Charlotte i really like this you have certainly achived what you were aiming for ie capturing fine detail and delicate shapes. the comp is good and i like the texture of the flowers and the dark background.
i do think though that having a full flower in shot as the focal point would have improved the shot

[Charlotte]

Good point MBS. Unfortunately a whole flower would've been impossible with this particular composition, because if I'd zoomed out it would've included more flowers at the top +/or bottom of the frame, which would've made the compo too cluttered. I could've shifted my viewpoint, but then I might've lost the balance of the compo + also the lighting, as I was using window light, so the light was very directional. I do see what you mean tho' + it's a pity the middle flower is partially obscured, although because of its angle, I wouldn't say it would've made a very good focal point.

I do find my eyes resting in two places, being (1) the upper nearly-whole flower, I think because it's the only flower with a full frontal view + (2) the fallen pollen on the lower flower. So I do feel that it has focal points, albeit 2 instead of the accepted norm of 1 ... but then I'm biased

Thanks for your input MBS, you certainly got me reviewing the way I could've done this shot

[HHRC]

I think its well captured. I think its so easy to point a camera with a macro lens on it at a flower and click away. Whats difficult is to get an image that makes you want to look at it more and more! Im not a massive fan of flowers, but this makes me look more and more!

I think the contrast between white and black really works, and the focus and clarity is spot on!

[RichW]

Good, well captured picture. The detail retained in the petals is great and the bg really sets off the flowers. Liking the diagonal composition, trying to remember that for my shots at the moment, something I have learned from this site!

Rich