Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Photographed at the Planting Fields Arboretum in Oyster Bay, NY.

Settings: ISO 400, 105mm, f/16, 1/160 sec w/flash.

Critique & comments welcomed. Thanks 8-)

(Download)

1stJedi Loc: Southern Orange County

If soft focus was your goal, you did it very well. It is an interesting photo from a color and compositional point of view. I personally. would have preferred some part to be in focus. It would also seem that you over sharpened the image in an attempt to compensate for lack of focus. Over all, it isn't my taste.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thank you 1stJedi for taking the time to critique the image. Your points are well taken. I kept the image due to color and composition, and would have liked the flower to be sharper although I feel the foreground spines are well in acceptable focus and add a contrast to the softened flower. 8-)

geolaval Loc: Laval, Quebec

This is an attractive photo with a beautiful natural blend of colors. The composition is very good with the Cactus Flower sitting in its position of thirds. The foreground is quite sharp and the background is OOF as it should be (looks like you applied the blur tool as the back row is uniformly OOF). There is however quite a bit of noise on the flower itself which could benefit from de-noising or de-speckling.
Overall I like this photo very much. Nice job.

That's my non expert opinion.

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Hi, Bmac.
The blossom and detail in the close half of the image that is within your chosen DOF is exquisitely focused and glass shard sharp! I'm sure that it got some capture sharpening, but detect not the slightest artifacts thereof. Personally I'd have used a deeper DOF but your decision was for a selective mico-scape and it works for me.

Pixel-peeking at the down load showS a bit of inconsequential noise in the blossom that I wouldn't touch because its is imperceptible at NVD.

You ought put this in the Photo Critique Section for more greater variety comment from a greater variety of perspectives ( if there be ANY possible beyond my own - jussssst being pompous and kidding!)

Hell,I got a critique this morning on an image i worked hard on off-and-on for over two years about some color fringing I'd never noticed!

impact:4
tech:4
comp: 3.5
11/15

I like this cactus image and it really impresses me!

When I lived in Texas I kept trying for an image of a peak blossum and lots of "fluff" like this but they never quite came together like they do in this image of yours!

Best regards,
Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

I love the composition and like the contrast between spiky spines and soft flower.

There's a stray "string" that heads south from left side of flower I'd attempt to clone out :)

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

I really like this picture, the colors and composition are great. With the download I can see noise not only in the flower but in the rest of the photo as well. I think it would have come across better if the flower had been tack sharp as well as the foreground.

Dennis

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thank you Geolaval for your detailed critique. No blur tool was applied in post processing. The lens used was a macro and I was very close to the small flower, so even at f/16 the depth of field was very narrow. I considered addressing the noise, but doing so would degrade detail so it would be a balancing act. I may very well revisit the original for additional or different post processing. Your self stated non-expert opinion is certainly appreciated from me....a non-expert photographer. :D 8-)

Treepusher Loc: Kingston, Massachusetts

Technical aspects aside, as they've been addressed, I really like this, Bmac. Great use of color and composition, nice contrasts between the dark spines, the white fringing, and the beautiful cactus flower. A very appealing image.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thank you kindly Dave for your more than generous critique and well stated explanations, not to mention your always enjoyable humor. 8-)

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thanks Linda. I debated removing that "string" myself but after concluding it was actually a part of the actual cactus (I could be wrong) decided to leave it be. 8-)

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

Great color and composition Bmac...like being able to see the individual fibers in download..I like it!

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thank you Dennis for the critique and suggestion. Appreciate it. 8-)

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thanks Randy for taking a look and commenting. 8-)

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Thanks Rlaugh, glad you stopped by. 8-)