Is This Focus Appealing? Photographed in Clarke Botanic Garden located in Albertson NY. Everything was purposely blurred except the center. Does the selective focus work in this image?

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Photographed in Clarke Botanic Garden located in Albertson NY. Everything was purposely blurred except the center. Does the selective focus work in this image?
ISO 200, 105mm, f/3.2, 1/2500 sec.
Additional critique, comments and suggestions welcomed. Thanks.

Select download for additional resolution.

(Download)

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Bmac wrote:

Photographed in Clarke Botanic Garden located in Albertson NY. Everything was purposely blurred except the center. Does the selective focus work in this image?
ISO 200, 105mm, f/3.2, 1/2500 sec.
Additional critique, comments and suggestions welcomed. Thanks.

Hi, Bmac,

Nice placement of that thin slice of DOF smack-dab precic3ly across the middle of the blossom!
Works for me...Well done!

Dave

Linda From Maine Loc: Yakima, Washington

Per our pm, I'm going to post a different edit than the one I sent you. At first I felt there was too much out of focus and I kept trying to squint to "see better," but then I thought, what if there is more deliberate blur? That, with a slight crop of right side, is what came out:

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Uuglypher wrote:

Hi, Bmac,

Nice placement of that thin slice of DOF smack-dab precic3ly across the middle of the blossom!
Works for me...Well done!

Dave

Thanks Dave. Needed the high shutter to get anything in focus at that f/stop. I was handholding because I was hunting insects.

UTMike Loc: South Jordan, UT

Artistic result!

throughrhettseyes Loc: Rowlett, TX

No

Longshadow Loc: Audubon, PA, United States

Not to me.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

A wonderful image!

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Linda From Maine wrote:

Per our pm, I'm going to post a different edit than the one I sent you. At first I felt there was too much out of focus and I kept trying to squint to "see better," but then I thought, what if there is more deliberate blur? That, with a slight crop of right side, is what came out:

Interesting, I do like your edit Linda. You have a good point. Thanks.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

UTMike wrote:

Artistic result!

Thanks Mike, glad you liked it.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

throughrhettseyes wrote:

No

A man of few words, thanks for opining.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

Longshadow wrote:

Not to me.

Thanks for taking a look and commenting Longshadow.

Bmac Loc: Long Island, NY

CHG_CANON wrote:

A wonderful image!

Thanks, appreciate it Paul.

rlaugh Loc: Michigan & Florida

I think the selective focus does work...the petal colors, and pattern still show through, but our eye is drawn to the prickly center, which is unusual...Linda might be right with a little more blur, and a centering crop!!

traderjohn Loc: New York City

Bmac wrote:

Photographed in Clarke Botanic Garden located in Albertson NY. Everything was purposely blurred except the center. Does the selective focus work in this image?
ISO 200, 105mm, f/3.2, 1/2500 sec.
Additional critique, comments and suggestions welcomed. Thanks.

I have looked at your picture and the other version. Not my cup of tea.