Luminous Landscape Forum

The Art of Photography => User Critiques => Topic started by: Bob_B on August 08, 2018, 04:10:29 pm

Title: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Bob_B on August 08, 2018, 04:10:29 pm

An experiment with a 70-200mm, 1.4x extender and 35mm extension tube. Yes, no, maybe?

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Jeremy Roussak on August 08, 2018, 05:13:23 pm

Works for me.

Jeremy

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: John R on August 08, 2018, 06:06:07 pm

I think it is reasonably good. But since you are looking for critique, I would say two things that I don't like:
1) The top leaf above the flower is disruptive to the flow of the image and draws too much attention. 2) You have a large black area under the flower which draws the eye downward and out of the image.  The black areas almost work (except the area I mentioned), in that they act like a vignette. I would suggest using clothes pin to tie back the leaf next time you come across a similar situation. Macro is hard work because even the out of focus areas create shapes, lines, textures and colours,  that have to be taken into account when composing.

JR

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Bob_B on August 09, 2018, 08:33:57 am

Thanks Jeremy.

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Bob_B on August 09, 2018, 08:35:01 am

Quote from: John R on August 08, 2018, 06:06:07 pm

I think it is reasonably good. But since you are looking for critique, I would say two things that I don't like:
1) The top leaf above the flower is disruptive to the flow of the image and draws too much attention. 2) You have a large black area under the flower which draws the eye downward and out of the image.  The black areas almost work (except the area I mentioned), in that they act like a vignette. I would suggest using clothes pin to tie back the leaf next time you come across a similar situation. Macro is hard work because even the out of focus areas create shapes, lines, textures and colours,  that have to be taken into account when composing.

JR

Great points! Thanks for the tips John. Here's a quick attempt to correct a few points you brought up.

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Chris Kern on August 09, 2018, 10:06:24 pm

Quote from: John R on August 08, 2018, 06:06:07 pm

Macro is hard work because even the out of focus areas create shapes, lines, textures and colours,  that have to be taken into account when composing.

A related point: where flowers are concerned, my experience is that it's often best to frame the subject very tightly (https://www.flickr.com/photos/chriskernpix/42902222124/in/datetaken-public/) to eliminate background distractions.  (That link is to a sunflower rather than a black-eyed Susan, but I think the principle generalizes reasonably well.)

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Bob_B on August 10, 2018, 08:04:48 am

Thanks Chris.

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Rajan Parrikar on August 11, 2018, 11:17:54 am

The second version is beautiful.

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Farmer on August 11, 2018, 05:29:31 pm

Quote from: Rajan Parrikar on August 11, 2018, 11:17:54 am

The second version is beautiful.

+1

Title: Re: Black-eyed Susan in the morning light
Post by: Bob_B on August 11, 2018, 06:00:09 pm

Thank you Rajan and Phil!