Hibiscus

Image Critiques Flora Critiques
1

2023-05-28-19.54.13 ZS DMap-Edit-3.jpg
2023-05-28-19.54.13 ZS DMap-Edit-3.jpg2500×2073 1.11 MB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

I wasn’t expecting to shoot a Hibiscus in Wichita, KS, but the friends we stayed with had several planters of them in full bloom. (They’re moved to an indoor shelter in winter.) The morning sun on this one was too lovely not to try for a shot. I didn’t have a tripod with me, but there was a nearby pedestal that I could prop the camera on, with a rolled up dish towel to elevate the lens a little. I set up a focus stack and used the 10-second timer to start it. Luck was with me.

Specific Feedback

All comments welcome!

Technical Details

Screen Shot 2023-05-29 at 2.59.31 PM

Highlights down in LR, stack of about 8-10 exported to Zerene. The DMap was best; into PS to blur a very distracting BG, with no way to recover a good-looking stem so I tried for an artistic look. Our older daughter and her husband have a very large oil painting of one (also red), with a very similar positioning and almost identical lighting, just the isolated flower like this on a black BG, and it was clearly in my subconscious when I saw this bloom.

2

Hibiscus in space! I like the result even though for a moment it was kind of puzzling. We expect flowers to be attached to something. The light is really wonderful and brings out so much detail. The stack looks really good, too, with only a little bit of weirdness at the very tip of the stamen (?). While I do admire your courage, I wonder if the new Generative Fill in the Beta version of Photoshop could invent a stem for you. An interesting case for sure.

3

Thanks, @Kris_Smith – I’m wondering if I could pick a leaf and tuck it behind the flower on the left… And it’s looking a little underexposed now. I’ll play with it when I have some time. Somehow I was thinking I could fix the mess on the left with a blur but it didn’t work out well. The stem is there, though, so I might salvage something after all.

Then of course there is AI… Not ready to give in yet.

4

Another beautiful focus stack, Diane. I do think getting some support for the blossom would add a finishing touch to this one.