The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This cactus started to bloom about a month ago, and I was lucky to catch a fresh bloom in early light, illuminating a tree behind it. Yesterday’s spent bloom has already folded. I’m not sure what kind it is.
Specific Feedback
All comments appreciated!
Technical Details
Focus stack. A little tonal tweak to bring out detail in whites in LR and then in PS. A nice thing about focus stacking is that I can use a wide aperture to blur the BG naturally, as I did here.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
There’s such wonderful detail in the image Diane. The intricies of the stamen is quite remarkable as is the texture of the petals. Beautiful light and the yellow background really sets the scene.
One day when I have more patience, I’ll try focus stacking again.
I like the spent bloom and thought it was a bud until I read your post. The angles are nice as is the light. I’d have thought it was afternoon, but either is possible. Terrific background. Can’t think of anyting to improve. I light the bit of blue in the petals themselves.
Thanks, @Dennis_Plank, @glennie and @Kris_Smith! The flower was in open shade with a blue morning sky and the sunrise was just kissing the BG tree. It was worth getting up well before sunrise and making the drive!
Glennie, I’m usually one of those Patience My A__ types, but stacking is worth the trouble!
Large version is perfect. The BG is perfect for this flower. Whites exposed perfectly and quite frankly, I can’t find any nits to talk about. Perfect as presented…Jim
Wonderful capture here!
The background is lovely and it does a great job of presenting us with this really nice flower, a flower that sort of appears to be the result of an explosion that took place in the upper section of the cactus.
Anyway, it’s gorgeous and you’ve done a great job of capturing it in the best way for all to see and enjoy!
Using a dedicated wide aperture shot in the stack specifically for the background is a good idea!
I like the fact that the BG is blurry enough to prevent dithering details from overpowering the main character.
Well done!
I’m not an expert on cactus names, or flower names for that matter, I’m really pretty lacking in that department but I was curious about the name of this one so I did a quick search. Near the beginning I found this located on the “The Cactus King” website.
It may not be the exact species, but it does look close, to me.
Diane: I’m late to this party but what a wonderful capture! I love cactus flowers and most of ours bloomed in the spring but there are some buds poking out on some of ours that have me anticipating new subjects. Normally spent blooms don’t do much for me but this is an exceptionally good complementary element and speaks to the life cycle as well as if there was a bud there instead. Great find and an even better final result. >=))>
Thanks, @Mike_Friel, @Jim_Zablotny, @Merv and @Bill_Fach! The best I’ve been able to guess is an Echinopsis, but a Trichocereus looks possible too. Each species seems to have a variety of differences in both flowers and especially in the trunks. Here’s a picture of the trunks.
