The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I was scanning the ground for spring wildflowers and I saw these moss sporophytes in the light and thought they looked like a little forest with the real forest behind them.
Specific Feedback
This is a single shot but I wonder if it would be better to focus stack the sporophytes but leave the background blurry? Also, are the highlights too bright? I raised both highlights and shadows a little but still looking for a natural look.
Technical Details
Canon R6 m2 with 24mm f1.8 macro
1/200 f5.6 ISO 100
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
Bill, this is an interesting perspective and low to the ground too. Not sure I could get back up from this ground level POV. …
I might take a look at the processing here as the larger version seems almost too close? providing various anomalies. I’d be the first to admit I’m not sure how to correct or where it needs adjustments.
I like the idea of the composition overall, just wish I had thoughts on how to improve the overall outcome.
Maybe some macro folks have better thoughts than I do on adjustments and such.
Really great eye to see this, frame it the way you did and the title is perfect. I think the idea of focus stacking the moss section is excellent. It could get rid of the out of focus foreground bits that are a bit distracting-particularly the lower right corner. It would also make the sporophytes more prominent in the image. The background forest works pretty well though there are a couple of bright spots that tend to draw my eye.
Another thing you might play with is reframing this a bit to make the foreground more prominent and the forest less so. I did a simple crop to show the kind of framing I’m thinking of, but doing it in the field would work a lot better.
When I was cropping this, I noticed that the selection of the sky left a lot of transition areas around the sporophytes that look odd. Unfortunately , the selection tools aren’t very good at this kind of thing. You might look at some of the online stuff on handling hair in portraits-I think they have some good techniques for selecting fine details.
Bill: I find it interesting that you used a 24mm macro as I struggle with wide angle macro use. I got spoiled many many years ago with a 200mm macro and use it or a 70-200 with tubes for 98% of my macro work. Love the POV and the comp. I do think a stack would work better as I find myself hunting around for the sharp points and having a tough time discovering them. Great find and a solid concept. >=))>
Bill, Sporophytes make a great (and challenging) macro subject. This view looks very good as it shows off the depth of the sporophyte forest. While stacking might show off more of the sporophytes it comes with it’s own challenges, plus your wide macro may have enough dof to avoid stacking. I do think that showing less of the background forest and sky would put more emphasis on the sporophytes. I’m also imagining how small your working distance was for this view…
Hi Mark, thanks. Yes I was very close but I will try a smaller aperture to increase the dog, which just might work. I will also try focus stacking. I will need to reduce the size and luminance of the background more than I have but keep the trees in the background.
I’m coming in late on this, Bill. I have been rather busy lately. Hoping this coming week will be better. I love the low angle on this and the title fits nicely. I like what @Dennis_Plank did with the crop. I need to try more on the wide angle macro. I bought a lens a couple of years ago that I thought would be good for it. Looking forward to more shots of this.
