purple water cannon

[Osmer_Toby]

suggestions for improvement? i'm looking for critique of composition and dof, particularly.

 

[canonrebel]

I like the colors. It's a beautiful flower
The Edit work isn't accurate and it lends to the feel of fake, but that's ok--its still a pleasant picture.

The leafs in front of the flower are blurred while the leaf that frames the flower is in focus and doesn't share the relationship with the shallow DOP.

I would like to see the photo with that leaf on the right border blurred.

 

[Osmer_Toby]

ok- good suggestion- i'm gonna try that and repost. is there anything in particular about the edit job to which you were referring? what specifically are you picking up on? i think i have a heavy hand sometimes in ps, and am trying to identify where i need to become more subtle...

 

[canonrebel]

Please do not missunderstand me, I really really like the shot. But if you were to post this in the "Critique" thread, the PS edit would be pounced upon imediately. I'll explain what jumps out at me, but keep in mind that this is only minor as far as the overall strength of the photo.

The Photo has a narrow depth of field (and that's a good thing). Meaning the foreground and background was intended to be out of focus (similar to all strong macro closeups). The broad leaf against the right border is in sharp focus but should be blurred because it is too far from the flower to be included in its depth of field.

Notice how the front edge of the leaf beneath the fower is blurred in order to define the beginning of depth of field (DOP).

Could you go back into PS and blur the entire leaf that's on the right border and then determine which version you prefer.

 

[Osmer_Toby]

actually, i'm looking for good hard critique, so you don't have to step softly! i truly do need to reign myself in with some of the filters and tweaks i use in ps. the edits you suggest are easily done- was there anything else that drew your eye and elicited a feeling of "wrongness?" no need to be gentle, seriously

thanks for the input, man. soon as i get a chance i intend to play with the suggestions you've made so far...

 

[canonrebel]

was there anything else that drew your eye and elicited a feeling of "wrongness?" no need to be gentle, seriously

In photography as well as in everything else in life, ATTITUDE is everything. You have the proper attitude, Dude. Only your imagination will limit what you will accomplish. You're on your way.

I would scrap this version of the flower and start over with the original.
Because some things are easier to redo than to mend.

Next time:

Use the same blur radius but blur everyting that is not the flower. This will aid in the illusion of three dimensions when the flower is separated from the background and foreground.

The flower stamen (the white Q-Tip-looking thingy) is out of place--clone it out or place it where it fits in the anotamy of the flower. it should originate from deep within the flower or remove it completely--nobody will notice if the flower doesn't have it's reproductive paraphenalia.

Get rid of the bird poop on the border leaf. For this, you can use the healing brush or the patch tool, or the smudge tool. Or it might just dissappear with the global blur that you use to define the DOP.

I want to comment on your camera. It's really doing a nice job for you. It even captured the filial on the edge of the top leaf.

I look forward to viewing more of your photos.

The Rebel