Description: Bug sits atop yellow sunflower with vine twining around pedals. I’m completely obsessed with summer sunflowers. I love the structure and the colors. I dive into the sunflower fields looking for the one hero shot.
Specific Feedback Requested: I struggled a bit to get both the bug and the flower sharp. Is the bug obvious enough? Does the vine add something to the flower?
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites)
Focus stack with bug handled separately.
Sony A7R3, 256mm, f/11 @ 1/320, ISO 250
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We have sunflower fields about an hour’s drive from my home. I try to get there at least once a year, but have missed the last couple.
This is such a vivid image, but not overdone at all. The patterns in the sunflower seed head and petals is just amazing. I like the vine and the little bug is easy to spot. Of course, the dew, or raindrops are the icing on the cake.
Jennifer, this is a great look at this sunflower, with some very nice extras. The bug, the tendril of vine and the water drops add to make for a fun view and you’ve got excellent detail in the flower’s center. However, I asked for red green and blue for this week’s theme and I don’t see any red so this would fit better in the Flora or maybe Macro galleries. I can move it if you’d like.
That is a tiny insect, and the flower really shows how small he is. I enjoy how you framed the flower in the composition and how this little insect is sitting on the edge. Nice one Jennifer.
Jennifer, while yellow, blue and red are considered primary colors in the art world, photography has used red, blue and green as it’s primary colors since color film was first developed. In the description of the challenge, I stated red, blue and green. Sorry for the confusion about who’s definition of primary was being used here.
A dramatic shot in any case, with the bug and vine nice additions. I wonder if you can find more tonal detail in the yellow petals on the left? Yellows are difficult, for sure.
Jennifer, this is a great look at a sunflower and the extras, like the vine, bug and droplets. I like the composition, where you cut off the bottom of the sunflower. Well done.
Jennifer: Really nice comp choice and I think the bug and vine are fine complementary elements. I cleaned up some of the blemishes/debris on the petals. The yellows are a bit blown. Careful monitoring of the histogram at time of capture is a nice habit to get into. One other thing to consider is the size of your image when posting. Guidelines suggest a long side of 1500-2000 pixels on the long side but posting full size images taxes the server a bit and makes your images a more inviting target for thieves. Glad that your post ended up here in macro and looking forward to more of your work. >=))>
