Beauties and the Beasts

Image Critiques Flora Critiques
1

Beauties-and-the-Beasts-48514A7r3-25.jpg
Beauties-and-the-Beasts-48514A7r3-25.jpg2000×1334 2.88 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

I am always amazed at the delicate flowers put out by these somewhat fearsome cacti. This bunch was really overcrowded in their original pot so Chrissy repotted them a few weeks ago. It is NOT easy repotting cacti! I was a good spectator and was happy to help with shovel work but she did the hands on stuff and got stuck many times. Ouch. We were concerned with how they would tolerate the move but here is the answer. Four of the flowers bloomed this morning and I liked how this pair fell across the field. >=))>

Specific Feedback

It’s been really windy the past few days so stacking has been almost impossible. I wait for a calm respite, remote shutter in hand and then fire off a burst of shots hoping one or two will catch a still moment. Lots of motion blurred shots end up in the recycle bin but pixels are cheap. I remember trying this technique way back in the film days when single capture was the only method available. Pain in the pocketbook could be considerable and landfills were loaded with rejected slides.

Technical Details

Sony A7rIII
Sony FE 70-200 f2.8 GM-II @ 188mm
ISO 400, 1/40 @ f22

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1 Like
2

You’ve been doing fine without stacking on these images, Bill. You obviously haven’t gotten rusty with the old techniques. A nice composition and gorgeous flowers, very nicely photographed. The contrast between the delicate flowers and the rather fearsome cacti comes through very well.

3

Beautiful look at the flowers and then the eye wanders over the gorgeous cacti. Well composed.

4

Bill another great cactus flower take, juxtaposing the prickly thorns and the soft, inviting flowers of these cacti. Yes, it’s great that digital photos are so easy to discard…however, we do pay somewhat in that the cameras are more expensive.

5

Good point. I remember that in the film days the camera was for the most part something to hold the film and we spent our $$$ on lenses and film. Now the camera technology is advancing. I rarely upgrade one step at a time but usually a two step upgrade offers pretty significant performance boosts. I’m toying with the idea of getting an A7rV which will give me 61 megapixels instead of 42 and the ability to auto-stack and better AF, etc. Of course that will come to the tune of $3500 or so :roll_eyes:. Oh well, it’s only money.

6

Bill, I’m with you on the two step improvement before I upgrade. With computers that always made the improved performance readily noticeable and I use it for cameras also.