I hope I’m posting this properly! Anyway, here is a redo of the image — I added a bit of canvas to the top (is it enough?) and redid the flower. This works better, I think (hope!). Please let me know. Thanks!
Critique Style Requested:Standard
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
This image is one of a collection I’ve been working on this summer. I’m not sure if my fascination with these beautiful flowers is because my name means “lily,” or if that is just a coincidence! They are beautiful, and I hope my images do them some justice.
Specific Feedback
As always, I appreciate any and all feedback! Thanks. PS I know that the edges of those leaves on the right look a little gnarly. Do you think I should try to smooth them out? That’s how they actually look in the RAW image.
WOW!! Aglow is right!!! The flower is beyond wonderful and the BG so nicely fitting and supportive. I love the composition! The “gnarly” leaves work for me – they are so nicely subdued but look real. The stem appears to be rising out of some primordial mist. The vignette keeps my eye in the image and I love the sharpness of the petals on the right against the BG. I wouldn’t change a thing!
Super tonalities in the monochrome! The flower is so nicely isolated, but the leaves are in frame and it’s balanced. Again though, I can’t get past the processing - to me it’s a bit heavy handed and obvious, especially as the edges of the flowers aren’t blending well with the rest of the petals. I know you’re going for drama and you’ve achieved that, but for me it’s at the expense of appreciating the natural form and grace of the scene. Probably just me.
Hi Susanna. Another beautiful black and white lily. I don’t have any problem with the edges of the lily pads. To me, the flower is sitting a bit too high in the frame. I don’t know what you had to work with above it, but I think it would feel more comfortable with some room off the bottom and the equivalent added to the top.
@Dennis_Plank and @Kris_Smith — thanks for your feedback! I’ll take a look at your suggestions. Kris, drama was not what I had in mind, rather allowing the lily to be central, the “light at the end of the tunnel.” I also love the effect of low key processing. I seem to swing back and forth between high key and low! Perhaps a reflection of my life right now. Thanks for the composition idea, Dennis. Thanks heavens for generative expand! I’ll work with it.
I like @Dennis_Plank’s idea of more room on top. Generative expand would work but plain old content-aware fill is easy too. Sometimes a bit of cloning needed.
