The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
In North America, honeybees always get the credit for being excellent pollinators. However, native bees do a far better job as this queen bumblebee than honeybees. Up before sunrise, they begin foraging before the sun has warmed the environs. Our blueberry crop depends on the work of bumblebees and several will work these flowers till the sun goes down. In 20 years of living on our property, I only saw a single honeybee on blueberry flowers.
Specific Feedback
This is a standard behavior photo and did not do anything to artificially soften the BG. Would you do it?
Technical Details
Z9 105mm f2.8 Micro (1/200sec at f16, ISO 500, fill at -2.0ev) crop for comp, DeNoise, + adjustment to shadows.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Bumblers are the bomb. I love seeing them in spring as much as I love hearing my first peepers. They are a true harbinger of the season. And important, as you say. I like the hanging pose here - so necessary given the bell shape and cluster. She is sharp where she needs to be and the softness of the flowers complements the light. Other than moving to another spot or lots of remove tool/gen fill in Photoshop, I’m not sure what you can do there. Looks as if darkening would make it streaky or blobby so I’d avoid that if it does. See what Photoshop comes up with if you have a mind, it would strengthen the shot, but it’s pleasing the way it is.
Beautiful job on the Bumblebee and critical flower clump, Jim. The out of focus background is soft enough that it doesn’t bother me much. I like the composition and the lighting is excellent.
Jim: Marvelous detail on the bee and blossom. I’m OK with the BG and don’t think I would have remarked on it if you hadn’t mentioned it. I might try to make some of the relatively amorphous stuff oh the right side go away by painting over with some of the pastel green around it. The OOF blossoms work as is for me. Top notch shot well composed, lit and presented. >=))>
A lovely shot, Jim. Blueberry flowers are as beautiful to my eye as the fruit (if not so tasty), and they make a good backdrop here. If you’re using Lightroom, you could apply the Adjustment Brush (which I’ve just recently discovered and love) to the bee’s dark areas to bring out a little detail - and I second Bill’s advice about the bit to the right. But the rest of the BG is, as you say, standard environment for this shot and no problem.
