The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I continue working on my Dahlia portfolio. This image is a composite of three to achieve selective DOF in various locations. My goal is not to have it perfectly sharp front to back. Just looking at it here, I can see some more issues that I need to address, but will wait until I get some feedback. This was a challenging image to work on in post because of the whites and the need for subtle adjustments to contrast, etc. Not sure it’s successful (yet)! By the way, I did apply a texture to the bottom area. PS I named this Dahlia Dancing because the petals at the bottom look like they’re swaying!
Specific Feedback
Does it “work”?
Technical Details
Three images combined in PS (manually); ISO 2000, f/4, 1/800 sec — all three images were shot with these settings, just different focus points.
Hi Susanna, this is such a unique view of a Dahlia. I really like the perspective. High Key works quite well too. No sure what you’ve noticed to work on, but I’ve found that Dahlias in the wild (farm) tend to have lots of dirty spots on them requiring a lot of healing…I see a few on this one too.
I also like the background at the bottom, was that part of the image, or a post process?
Works for me, Susanna. I really like the way a couple of petals curve back and make it look like the flower is hugging itself. Great use of selective depth of field. The texture of the bottom is interesting but to me it clashes a bit with the feel I get from the flower.
“We do not take pictures with our cameras, but with our hearts and minds,”~ Arnold Newman
 Sent from my iPhone
| Dennis Plank Avian and H&F Moderator September 6 |
| - |
Works for me, Susanna. I really like the way a couple of petals curve back and make it look like the flower is hugging itself. Great use of selective depth of field. The texture of the bottom is interesting but to me it clashes a bit with the feel I get from the flower.
Dancing Dahlia is a perfect title. It’s not just the bottom, but the middle petals look like they’re dancing, too. I’m enjoying your framing. I do agree with Dennis on the texture, though - it’s a bit crunchy for the mood. I think a texture with a softer pattern would work better.
@Diane_Miller@Bonnie_Lampley, Thank you! I reworked the texture, using a bokeh style. Hope it works a little better. If not, I’ll keep at it! I also freed a petal tip at the very bottom, but think it may be a distraction.
Oh, the rework is definitely better with that softer texture. I like the extra petal tip at the bottom, also. It’s not a distraction at all! I love that it’s peeping out from behind the stem. It adds more depth.
If you want, you can add the rework to your original post. At the bottom of your original post, click the little pencil icon. That will open up a screen to add the rework and any additional comments. Usually, if folks do this, they edit the title, also, to add “+ Rework” to the title (or something to that effect). By adding it to the original post, we can easily move back and forth through the images to see the changes.
Oh, the rework is definitely better with that softer texture. I like the extra petal tip at the bottom, also. It’s not a distraction at all! I love that it’s peeping out from behind the stem. It adds more depth.
If you want, you can add the rework to your original post. At the bottom of your original post, click the little pencil icon. That will open up a screen to add the rework and any additional comments. Usually, if folks do this, they edit the title, also, to add “+ Rework” to the title (or something to that effect). By adding it to the original post, we can easily move back and forth through the images to see the changes.
You can also ask a question in the Site Support chat area, here. I’m not sure what your screen looks like, but you should be able to access by clicking “Community” at the very top of your screen, then “Join Chat Group”. That will bring up a list of the chat channels you can join.
I think the new texture suits the photo better than the first one you chose. It’s more harmonious and of a piece.
It is a good idea to show your edited image side by side with the original image. That way viewers won’t have to scroll up and down to search for the edited image. While doing this, it is also helpful to edit the title of the post to indicate there is a revised image. Here’s what I suggest:
(1) Just click the pencil icon to modify that title first. Add +rework or +re-edit to the very first line of your post that shows the title.
(2) To add the re-edited image next to the original one, you’ll click on the pencil icon at the bottom of the original post. You are then taken to the edit mode of your entry. I would suggest placing the cursor at the very top before the original image. That way, the re-edited photo will be the first we see. Please make sure you do not remove the original image. If you want, add some text after the re-edited and original images. That will help viewers know which image they are looking at, if not completely obvious. By doing this, when we click on the first image, we can keep clicking on the arrows to see the others. It’s a lot easier than scrolling up and down.
| 
| 