The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
We have one flowerbed out front that reveals an early Spring’s presence with ;pts of flowers of winter aconite. This flower is partially open and will close if cloudy conditions ensue. I took over 60 images and then stacked them before extensive post processing. I selected the background and darkened it be turning down the exposure by 1.3 stops. I also reduced red saturation and increased green saturation in the BG. Finally, I created a layer as a Smart Object and finalized the comp with a vignette using the Camera Raw filter in Photoshop.
Technical Details
Z9 105mm f2.8 Micro (1/30 sec at f11, ISO 64 + 1 flash at 1/16 and another at 1/32 power). 66 image Stack with Pmax, square crop, bandage tool and rubber stamp tool for removing artifacts and dirt particles on the flower…Jim
Jim: A lot of effort went into this and it shows. A lot of thoughtful choices and thanks for detailing your steps. I’m not familiar with this flower so it’s a double treat for me. Superbly crafted image. >=))>
A lovely flower, and very nicely processed!! The subtle treatment of the foliage works very well here to cradle the lovely blossom! I love the color and tonal treatment!
Not a criticism of this one in any way, but the strong geometric shapes suggest this one offers a twofer as a B/W.
Wow…that’s dedication to one’s art. Worth the effort though. I was admiring all the crispy pollen detail even before reading your explanation of the process. It’s beauty and a flower I’m not familiar with, but since I’m not a gardener that’s not surprising. I have always loved the symbiosis with bees that extends to the times when they don’t fly as much - cloudy days, so why open for business?
Thank you @Bill_Fach , @Kris_Smith , @Diane_Miller , and @Barbara_Djordjevic for the critiques and comments. Every year, these flowers magically appear out of the snow and are very challenging to photograph. Because the distance of the leaves is about an inch from the tip of the petals, I did not have enough room to get the correct amount of light drop off so Photoshop came to the rescue. I may dabble around with a BW version too…Jim
