Would you "fix" this (flower photo)

[fjrabon]

So me and my girlfriend will be moving in together when my lease is up in August, and she wants some prints. She really likes nature stuff (yeah, guess we're not going to be putting any gritty street photos of buskers up on the walls). Flowers, landscapes, etc. Anyway, I took this shot this morning of a backlit flower. This is the SOOC JPEG. In going to edit it, I just can't decide if I want to clone out those holes in the leaf. My first instinct was immediately to reach for the clone stamp, but A) I'm worried that it will be hard to do it just right, so you can't see where the clone was put in, for what will be a decent sized print on a wall and B) I think in some ways they add to the shot, kind of giving a bit of contrast to the "perfectness" of the backlit flower. Anyway, IDK, what do you guys think?

FullSizeRender 5 by franklinrabon, on Flickr

 

[sm4him]

I say clone 'em out. It *could* just be because you've pointed them out, but for me, my eye just tends to go straight to those "holes" in the leaf instead of to the flower.
As a girl who also likes flowers, I'd say the flower itself and the way the light is shining through it, is what your GF is going to love about it. The white spots are just a distraction.

 

[limr]

I say keep the holes. I don't like "too perfect."

 

[sm4him]

^Ha! Well, two opinions so far, two different choices. That seems about right.

 

[annamaria]

I'd clone the holes. Just my 2 cents.

 

[Parker219]

Yes, not only would I close out the holes, but even though I see where your going with the black / dark theme and the flower, I would still lighten up the darks, as they are a little too dark...for me anyway....might just be a matter of preference.

 

[fjrabon]

Yes, not only would I close out the holes, but even though I see where your going with the black / dark theme and the flower, I would still lighten up the darks, as they are a little too dark...for me anyway....might just be a matter of preference.



View attachment 100024

Thanks, though I'm not really a fan of the exposure in this one, I appreciate you taking the time to do it. I have this same exact exposure as well (I took like 10 slightly different exposures) all ranging in different levels of underexposure from 0 to -3.

 

[weepete]

Yep, clone tham out I say. Just make sure the veins conect correctly and it should be possible.

 

[DarkShadow]

I say on to thee, Clone them out and lighten the darks a little and lose the Vignette.It is a Purdy flower though and nice a shot.Good luck with the moving in together,Well there goes your side of the bed and a closet or two.LOL

 

[waday]

#TeamCloneThemOut

 

[fjrabon]

I say them Clone them out and lighten the darks a little and lose the Vignette.It is a Purdy flower though and nice a nice shot.Good luck with the moving in together,Well there goes your side of the bed and a closet to two.LOL

There isn't a vignette, that's the sky's gradiation when you're shooting directly into the sun (which is behind the flower).

 

[DarkShadow]

Oh I see my bad.

 

[fjrabon]

Oh I see my bad.

yeah, no worries. Even if I wanted to get rid of it, it'd be relatively annoying to do so, since it's not a standard lens vignette, it doesn't have a lens vignette shape to it, and it's not centered.

 

[fjrabon]

Here's what I ended up going with at the end. Thanks guys!

holesremoved.jpg by franklinrabon, on Flickr

 

[Parker219]

^ Your whites are not white, your blacks are really black, and the photo is very flat, but if that's what you like, go with it.

You are going for a dark, gloomy, sad vibe I hope...that's what I get from the photo anyway.