Common Maplet

Image Critiques Weekly Challenge
1

Common-Maplet-minus-halo
Common-Maplet-minus-halo2000Ă—1974 702 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

I saw this in Thailand, with the butterfly resting on the underside of a leaf. Taken from below, with the surfaces more or less parallel to the ground.

Specific Feedback

I liked the contrast of textures, and thought that darkening the background would highlight this. I tried rotating the photo through 180 deg., but preferred the above. Agree?

Technical Details

D500 + 105mm macro + TC 1.4 1/200 f11 ISO 800

Selected leaf, butterfly and background separately in PS and adjusted Shadows, Highlights and Contrast for each till I liked the combination. (Black slider in LR for the BG finally).

Critique Template

Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.

  • Vision and Purpose:
  • Conceptual:
  • Emotional Impact and Mood:
  • Composition:
  • Balance and Visual Weight:
  • Depth and Dimension:
  • Color:
  • Lighting:
  • Processing:
  • Technical:
2 Likes
2

This is great, I love the color tones and balance, and the macro is super. Graphic quilty is also right on.

3

Great contrasting textures in the leaf and the butterfly, Mike. Also agree with your composition. For me at least, it is more dynamic this way! Nicely seen and captured.

4

Very interesting! I like the composition, and commend you for being able to shoot at what must have been an awkward angle. The balance of adjustments looks good to me. There is the tiniest light halo around the butterfly. If the adjustment to lighten it is a mask you should be able to shrink it a tiny bit in PS.

1 Like
5

Mike, I think this one is really cool! I love the textures in the leaf, and that nice clean bright edge. The buttlerfly is such and hidden gem, and you did an amazing job to get this from the sounds of the location and settings. The black BG is perfect for the setting too.

6

Mike - Beautiful textures both in the butterfly wings as well as the leaf veins.
Well seen and very well presented.

7

Mike: I like all your decisions here and how you composed and presented this. A wonderful find and a superb capture.>=))>

8

Thank you @Ed_Williams @Diane_Miller @Bill_Fach @SandyR-B @linda_mellor @Steve_Rosendahl for your comments. @Diane_Miller I’ve reposted with reduced halo - thanks for pointing this out!

9

Mike, this orientation definitely “feels” right. The backlit glow in the leaf does an excellent job of showing off both the texture in the leaf in in the butterfly. The sharpness throughout is great.