Pretty Pink Flowers

Charlotte · 13-08-2007, 03:19

Haven't posted anything for a while, so thought I'd share this close-up with you, taken with my "nifty fifty" today.

**Markulous** · 13-08-2007, 06:45

Nice surreal feel to it with the flowers 'floating' and the comp suits.

Wonder how it'd look with just a touch more DOF so the leaves are sharper (tho' appreciate it may have the effect of 'crowding' the shot)?

Charlotte · 13-08-2007, 10:20

I could post one up later with the leaves a bit sharper ... with this one, I did USM selectively on the flowers to make them stand out (seeing as they're small in the frame + don't have a very strong colour). I agree that just the 3 leaves close to the flowers wouldn't detract if they were a bit sharper, as the BG is very blurred + attention would still be directed to the flowers. Thanks for your vision Mark.

stupot · 13-08-2007, 21:05

Like this Charlotte, great DOF, but would of prefered a slightly tighter crop as the flowers seem to get lost in the sea of green.

sawdust · 13-08-2007, 21:14

Like this shot Charlotte just the two spots in the back ground could do with cloning out.
just got my nifty 50 today will have play with it soon has poss.

Charlotte · 14-08-2007, 01:02

Stu, I see what you mean about the sea of green (Foxesbrew made the same comment in my gallery). It was tricky deciding how to crop this one, because I wanted to keep the two blurred pink flowers in the shot + also the two stems above + below the main flowers, + fitting all those in meant including a lot of BG

Which two spots sawdust? The brown patches on the RHS? Look forward to seeing your first shots with your new nifty fifty; a great little lens + so lightweight, it's a pleasure to have on the camera

I did minimal editing of this one, just adjusted WB, slight saturation + selective sharpening of just the main flowers. Not a work of art I admit. This is not, nor is it meant to be, a macro shot ... I hadn't used my nifty fifty for a while + decided to give it a whirl, so I took some family shots + then wanted to see how it would handle a couple of flower shots; chose these pretty little flowers, but 'cos the lens won't focus very close they are quite small in the frame.

Thanks all for your views on this one

**Dabhand16** · 14-08-2007, 07:38

I quite like this shot as it stands Charlotte, but I can see where the others are coming from.

Maybe some different cropping or presentation is the answer. I mean not a conventional landscape or portrait orientation, but on the slant, and/or cropped into a shape other than a rectangle/square.

The flowers could then be put into or close to a corner/angle to anchor the picture, and allow the rest of the elements to remain, albeit in different positions in the composition.

Charlotte · 14-08-2007, 13:57

Thanks for your take on this, Graham

Another thought occurs to me re: the expanse of BG ... I thought the BG was quite pleasing in itself + as such that it would not seem too imposing or distracting. Obviously no-one else sees it that way, + it could be a case of one seeing one's own work differently to the way others see it, i.e. if this were someone else's image I might not like the BG so much either, simply because I didn't create the image myself + thus don't see it in quite the same light as the person who created it

Does that make sense?

**Markulous** · 14-08-2007, 14:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Charlotte

Does that make sense?

Yup! I love all my shots - just not many others do!

But of course, you're bound to have some emotional attachment to an image - the trick is to try and see it through others' eyes whilst capturing it the way you want!

nichpr · 14-08-2007, 15:05

Like this one just as it is Charlotte. I can see why you cropped the way you did and it was a good choice. The two brown spots on the rhs are a bit of a distraction but easily cloned out.
Well done - like it!

- Paul

Charlotte · 14-08-2007, 15:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markulous

Yup! I love all my shots - just not many others do!

You know we do!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Markulous

the trick is to try and see it through others' eyes whilst capturing it the way you want!

I did try to

I try to critique all my own work, but it's not easy to be objective with your own stuff. Still, if it's for personal use + you love a particular image of your own, then what the hell, stick on yer wall, is what I say

Have to say tho' that this isn't one of my favourites, just a random shot I took + wanted to post something, as I haven't posted much lately.

Thanks Paul

I do appreciate all opinions BTW, good, bad or indifferent

Wouldn't be much use if ppl just said they unreservedly liked an image when they secretly thought it could be improved upon.

**Dabhand16** · 14-08-2007, 16:47

I think this discussion is now getting to nub of why different people get different things from the same picture. Photographs can range from a record shot to an image that has been changed slightly or radically to make it more pleasing to the eye (or the eye of the creator). Even so, you will still find some people on either side of the like/dislike fence, no matter what.

Other photographs can convey something - emotion, a story or a message. Within this group there are the obvious and the not-so-obvious, and this is where the photographer can be in a different place to his/her audience. Symbolism will usually mean different things to different people, so it is rare that your photo will trigger the same thoughts as you. Mule667's recent 'Green' photo is an example.

Charlotte's picture has drawn comments from opposing directions, just as almost every picture does. If it was presented in a different way, for instance with less BG and a central positioning of the flowers, I have no doubt there would be some comments saying there ought to be more BG and an off-centre composition.

You can please some of the people all of the time, or all of the people some of the time..........

Charlotte · 14-08-2007, 20:32

Apparently you thought that twice Graham

I agree (twice)

When we talk about personal pref + why we each like or dislike the same image(s), it's kind of stating the obvious, but the message I was really trying to put across is that I wasn't being defensive by saying that I personally am ok with the BG

It's also very ok that others aren't ok with it

I think what's been most useful about this thread is that considering the various (helpful but mixed) reactions here, this would probably be an image I might display in my own home, but not try to sell

13-08-2007, 03:19	#1 (permalink)
Charlotte Loves the place Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romsey, Hampshire Posts: 5,795	Pretty Pink Flowers Haven't posted anything for a while, so thought I'd share this close-up with you, taken with my "nifty fifty" today.

13-08-2007, 06:45	#2 (permalink)
Markulous Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Peak District Posts: 9,691	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Nice surreal feel to it with the flowers 'floating' and the comp suits. Wonder how it'd look with just a touch more DOF so the leaves are sharper (tho' appreciate it may have the effect of 'crowding' the shot)?

13-08-2007, 10:20	#3 (permalink)
Charlotte Loves the place Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romsey, Hampshire Posts: 5,795	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers I could post one up later with the leaves a bit sharper ... with this one, I did USM selectively on the flowers to make them stand out (seeing as they're small in the frame + don't have a very strong colour). I agree that just the 3 leaves close to the flowers wouldn't detract if they were a bit sharper, as the BG is very blurred + attention would still be directed to the flowers. Thanks for your vision Mark.

13-08-2007, 21:05	#4 (permalink)
stupot Forum Regular Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Corfe Mullen, Wimborne, Dorset Posts: 1,318	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Like this Charlotte, great DOF, but would of prefered a slightly tighter crop as the flowers seem to get lost in the sea of green.

13-08-2007, 21:14	#5 (permalink)
sawdust Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Ashby de la zouch Leicestershire Posts: 700	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Like this shot Charlotte just the two spots in the back ground could do with cloning out. just got my nifty 50 today will have play with it soon has poss.

14-08-2007, 01:02	#6 (permalink)
Charlotte Loves the place Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romsey, Hampshire Posts: 5,795	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Stu, I see what you mean about the sea of green (Foxesbrew made the same comment in my gallery). It was tricky deciding how to crop this one, because I wanted to keep the two blurred pink flowers in the shot + also the two stems above + below the main flowers, + fitting all those in meant including a lot of BG Which two spots sawdust? The brown patches on the RHS? Look forward to seeing your first shots with your new nifty fifty; a great little lens + so lightweight, it's a pleasure to have on the camera I did minimal editing of this one, just adjusted WB, slight saturation + selective sharpening of just the main flowers. Not a work of art I admit. This is not, nor is it meant to be, a macro shot ... I hadn't used my nifty fifty for a while + decided to give it a whirl, so I took some family shots + then wanted to see how it would handle a couple of flower shots; chose these pretty little flowers, but 'cos the lens won't focus very close they are quite small in the frame. Thanks all for your views on this one __________________ Work Smarter, Not Harder

14-08-2007, 07:38	#7 (permalink)
Dabhand16 Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dunstable Bedfordshire UK Posts: 8,979	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers I quite like this shot as it stands Charlotte, but I can see where the others are coming from. Maybe some different cropping or presentation is the answer. I mean not a conventional landscape or portrait orientation, but on the slant, and/or cropped into a shape other than a rectangle/square. The flowers could then be put into or close to a corner/angle to anchor the picture, and allow the rest of the elements to remain, albeit in different positions in the composition.

14-08-2007, 13:57	#8 (permalink)
Charlotte Loves the place Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romsey, Hampshire Posts: 5,795	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Thanks for your take on this, Graham Another thought occurs to me re: the expanse of BG ... I thought the BG was quite pleasing in itself + as such that it would not seem too imposing or distracting. Obviously no-one else sees it that way, + it could be a case of one seeing one's own work differently to the way others see it, i.e. if this were someone else's image I might not like the BG so much either, simply because I didn't create the image myself + thus don't see it in quite the same light as the person who created it Does that make sense?

14-08-2007, 15:05	#10 (permalink)
nichpr Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Michigan, USA Posts: 849	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Like this one just as it is Charlotte. I can see why you cropped the way you did and it was a good choice. The two brown spots on the rhs are a bit of a distraction but easily cloned out. Well done - like it! - Paul

14-08-2007, 16:47	#12 (permalink)
Dabhand16 Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dunstable Bedfordshire UK Posts: 8,979	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers I think this discussion is now getting to nub of why different people get different things from the same picture. Photographs can range from a record shot to an image that has been changed slightly or radically to make it more pleasing to the eye (or the eye of the creator). Even so, you will still find some people on either side of the like/dislike fence, no matter what. Other photographs can convey something - emotion, a story or a message. Within this group there are the obvious and the not-so-obvious, and this is where the photographer can be in a different place to his/her audience. Symbolism will usually mean different things to different people, so it is rare that your photo will trigger the same thoughts as you. Mule667's recent 'Green' photo is an example. Charlotte's picture has drawn comments from opposing directions, just as almost every picture does. If it was presented in a different way, for instance with less BG and a central positioning of the flowers, I have no doubt there would be some comments saying there ought to be more BG and an off-centre composition. You can please some of the people all of the time, or all of the people some of the time.......... __________________ Graham

14-08-2007, 20:32	#13 (permalink)
Charlotte Loves the place Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Romsey, Hampshire Posts: 5,795	Re: Pretty Pink Flowers Apparently you thought that twice Graham I agree (twice) When we talk about personal pref + why we each like or dislike the same image(s), it's kind of stating the obvious, but the message I was really trying to put across is that I wasn't being defensive by saying that I personally am ok with the BG It's also very ok that others aren't ok with it I think what's been most useful about this thread is that considering the various (helpful but mixed) reactions here, this would probably be an image I might display in my own home, but not try to sell

14-08-2007, 21:29	#14 (permalink)
Dabhand16 Pixalo Crew Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Dunstable Bedfordshire UK Posts: 8,979