Purple Flowers

[Justintime]

1.in what area is critique to be sought?

I would like feedback on composition.
I have composed the picture to make the purple stalk stand out but I feel that the red leafs below are abit distracting. Tried to somewhat apply the rule of thirds but does not seems very successful.

EXIF :
1/100 secs
F/5.6
ISO 100

Attempted to create a bokeh effect with F/5.6 and would like comments on how it turned out. (I personally liked the top part of the picture with slight circular patterns start to appear, was thinking if more can be achieved if I had use a larger aperture and boosting ISO or slower speed)

Used the lowest ISO possible as I heard that this will yield the best colour and contrast ?




2.what one hopes to achieve with the piece of work?

I wished to emphasized the differences of Purple flowers against a contrasting white&yellow background.



3.under what circumstance is the picture taken? (physical conditions/emotions)

I took this picture at 9am at the small garden outside Istana. Read that mornings and evenings provide the best natural lightings for taking photos and got this rare chance to take it.

The ample lighting also provided flexibility of using low ISO and high shutter speed ( cos not using tripod) and relatively small aperture to keep the whole flower stalk in focus.






Welcome all C&C

 

[lifepursuer]

To me the compo is fine but as you said the red leaves was distracting, whats your reason to include it, if so does it complement with your main intention of making the purple stalk prominent? i personally feel cropping away most of the red leaves leaving only a bit of indication would be better.

Also you might wana go closer to make the stalk features more bigger or consider using a macro lens, and i think the bokeh at the background is good enough to show a relation to purple flower, opening up the aperture would have lost any indication of its surroundings.

 

[Octarine]

A lower angle would be better, preferable lower to the right. The far background has a nice bokeh and would fit better to the stalk, make it more dominant against the background. The close background is still not blur enough and is catching attention. Also, the white in the blossoms merges with the white of the background.
Not sure why you used f/5.6, you could use a wider aperture if your lens allows it.
Composition is fine with me, let the stalk run diagonally across the frame. You can leave the red leaves, otherwise I find the stalk alone a bit too thin.
Regarding light: looks like the typical overcast sky, white and shadow-less but flat light. Sun at 9am would give great light.

 

[Justintime]

Hihi

Thanks for the C&C

Actually personally am still undecided between cropping away the red leafs or leaving them in the photo.

Agree that the flowers are too thin, not enough volume to become the main subject. But it was the 'fullest' flower around...

Tried a lower angle but there are some metallic structures behind which will show up and be distracting.

A bit regret now, should have used a larger aperture but not very good at estimating the DOF so rather played it safe and used F/5.6. Should have taken another at a smaller F number.

Would love to get a Macro lens .... Still postponing the purchase, better to improve and outgrow my current lens before getting it.

Thanks for all the comments

 

[Octarine]

A bit regret now, should have used a larger aperture but not very good at estimating the DOF so rather played it safe and used F/5.6. Should have taken another at a smaller F number.

Something to read No need to guess or estimate when you can calculate in advance.
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/depth-of-field.htm

 

[coolin]

i kinda like the dof. we've all seen thousands of shots where the subject is completely isolated from the background.
in this case i think f5.6 was nice.

 

[Justintime]

Hihi

thanks for all the comments

wow the article on DOF is "Cheem" :sweat: need to slowly read to digest.

Not sure if can post a 2nd pic here but have cropped away small red leaf portions, tried a few times and it seems leaving alittle bit of the leaves looks like the best option.

http://gallery.clubsnap.com/showphoto.php?photo=126532&cat=500

 

[night86mare]

for macro, isolation is very important. that's just the way it is, like it or not.

cluttered bokeh doesn't work. many subjects or distractions do not work. it is as simple as that.

can you go closer? i'm not sure, you might be limited by your lens.

 

[myladypeace]

the red leafs are too distracting. the red colour of the leaf is too eyecatching that it covers up the beauty of the stalk and the small purple flowers.

i think it will be prettier if you macro in the white flower at the background instead. =)

just my 2 cents. =p

 

[ssping83]

agree with most other commentators who said that the background (and red leaves) is too distracting and takes away from the subject..

and agree with myladypeace that the white flower in the background seems to be a better candidate for macro there.. =)

 

[Justintime]

Hihi

Thanks for all the comments !

Can't go any closer as using a 17-50 lens, definitely aiming a macro lens but postponing the purchase. Was thinking of a cheapo 3rd party extension tube first

Cropped away the red leaf parts here http://gallery.clubsnap.com/showphot...126532&cat=500
Looks better ?

Actually took some of the small white flowers behind but the results are not very nice

 

[Justintime]

repost correct URL :sweat:

http://gallery.clubsnap.com/showphoto.php/photo/126532/ppuser/65636

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

your latest photo works MUCH MUCH better, to me at least...

 

[sup3rm2n]

looks better!

 

[illuminatemylife]

yupp the most recent photo looks great