Valentine's Floral

[jdunphy]

Any critiques welcomed. :thumbup: :thumbup:

I'd love any opinions on the b/w conversion should I have decreased the levels on the greens to bring the leaves more in line with the blossom? Right now I'm afraid they're pulling focus.

 

[Sw1tchFX]

Yeah, i'd use a gaussian blur to get rid of the harsh lines of the leaves.

 

[jdunphy]

I redid the conversion and paid more careful attention to the value composition of the whole image. I think it's better, but I'd like to know if anybody else thinks it's an improvement.

 

[fstop23]

nice use of back lighting.

 

[DblArrow]

Forgive me if this out of line for a first post but... I think the first image of the flower itself was better as there is more detail available in the flower pedals, the rework seems a bit dark. I like how the pedals seem to emerge from the background on the 1st image.

 

[LaFoto]

Hiya Arrow and welcome to ThePhotoForum.
Nothing is out of line. You can critique in your first post, you can post a photo in your first post, you can go "downstairs" to Welcome and Introductions and introduce yourself in your first post ... we have no rules as to how a first post has to be .

And jdunphy, could you be so kind as to explain to me what value composition is? I really don't know. I see that the leaves are brighter in your second edit and the petals are a little darker, mostly so at their edges, where they set themselves off the white background. Which I personally prefer, I might add.

And I really like the way you lit the rose from behind, in both cases. I just like the technique. Did this photo have any merits in colour at all? Or have you meant to convert it to b&w right from the start and never considered a colour version as one possible version?

 

[jdunphy]

Arrow: Thanks for the comment.

And jdunphy, could you be so kind as to explain to me what value composition is?

It's most likely a term I just made up. I was referring to the way the levels of darkness drew they eye, rather than the forms themselves. I think the newer conversion tends to allow the form to work with the brightness levels in the image. Before the detail and the dark spot in the leaves were fighting each other for focus. I just wanted to reenforce my focal point.

Did this photo have any merits in colour at all? Or have you meant to convert it to b&w right from the start and never considered a colour version as one possible version?

The rose itself had some amazing color in the bloom. This is another shot from that day.

I was planning on b/w the whole way. I'm going to have to go back and take a look at the color version now! If it looks decent, I'll work with it as well.

 

[Alpha]

The first black and white photo is fantastic. I much prefer it to the second. I think that the blur is overdone on the second one, and the midtone contrast is much better than the first.