The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
Yesterday at the botanical garden I spotted this bumblebee and quickly started to shoot it when I realized it wasn’t moving. Then a honeybee came along and landed briefly, and the bumblebee rather feebly stuck out a leg but that was all. Apparently it is dying, and since the flower (a Japanese Anemone) is also past its prime, I thought it was a story worthy of a photograph. The bee seems to be grasping it for some sort of security. It was too breezy to stack so I did the best I could to get enough detail in focus.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome.
Technical Details
Shadows brought up and highlights down in LR; cropped from the sides.
Aww, poor old girl. But it is the way of bumblebees - none survive a winter except Queens. Still, she might just be taking a nap - they do get pooped in the funniest places sometimes. They nap often and can get a bit touchy about it, but in a soporific way. Just finished rendering my bumblebee video of one on a flower in my yard. She roosted two nights before I moved her into the sun on the third morning and off she went.
I think you have decent sharpness in the bee and I can even see her pollen baskets. The placement of the bee just off center works for me and I think the colors appear natural. Nicely done even if you couldn’t stack.
Thanks, @Kris_Smith – I’ll feel better thinking she may have just been tired. It was funny the gesture of swiping a leg at the honey bee, but no other motion. (That’s the leg she left out for the picture.) I felt very sad for her that she may have been on her way out.
Diane, without your background story, I wouldn’t have guessed what was happening. Maybe, like squirrels in the heat of Texas, I would have thought the bumblebee was splooting. Anyway, I love the soft colors and composition in your image. Honestly, I couldn’t have noticed if it was windy. You managed to get everything that’s relevant in focus. I also like the crop you used.
Nice and sharp and I like how you handled the whites of the anemone. Bumblebees do become quiescent at certain times of the day and I have seen them snoozing on flowers. I think that it is very suitable to not cover up defects in flowers due to aging. In this case, it adds to the story nicely and nature is rarely perfect except to the artist’s eye…Jim
Nice image and story Diane. the subtle colors look nice. Hopefully this guy lived to fly another day. Definitely interesting to see him wedged in the flower like this.
