Peony

Nichols Arboretum (49.7 hectares) is operated by the University of Michigan. It’s particularly known for its collection of 516 peony cultivars in 27 beds, with plantings dating from 1927. It is the largest public collection of historic (pre-1950) herbaceous peony cultivars in North America.

This is one photo from two visits two weeks ago during the peak of the bloom.

Specific Feedback Requested

All comments are welcome.

Technical Details

Is this a composite: No
IiPhone 8, processed in LR mobile.

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Beautiful image, Paul! Great detail, and the off-center composition works well. The complementary purple and yellow coloring is very eye-pleasing. You could maybe consider adding a very slight vignette around the edges. But it’s certainly not necessary - it’s also very nice as it is. Great job.

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Very pretty. Really good dof and composition. It certainly shows what is possible with a phone and an app.

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Paul: Frame filling fantastic. I occasionally use my phone but seem to forget that it has a competent camera within. Just goes to prove that equipment is nice but a good eye is better. Top notch shot. >=))>

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The iPhone gave you amazing DOF and sharpness. The choice of subject and composition are gorgeous! I can never remember that I have a camera in my pocket.

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Thanks, @Diane_Miller @Bill_Fach @David_Leroy @Mark_Ali ; I truly appreciate the comments.

iPhone cameras getting better, and the apps for taking photographs - manual control of aperture, shutter, ISO, focus point, WB, having a histogram, zebra bars, and raw files - create new opportunities for control. Plus, the apps for processing - mobile Lightroom and Photoshop are slowly getting more and more like the desktop varieties. And the iPad is getting the power of a laptop, so fully mobile photography is coming closer and closer.

I won’t soon put my D-850 in the drawer to gather dust, but to have a camera in your back pocket that can meet even some demanding situations is magic.

AND, now you won’t believe this, but you can make a phone call with the camera! Hmmm… Maybe that’s why they don’t call it the iCamera.

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HAH! Years ago when we got our first iPhones, we were sitting on the couch exploring what they could do and suddenly I said, look, you can make phone calls on this thing!

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I still haven’t got a smart phone - I hardly know how to use my old fold-out phone (but it is mobile, not plugged into the wall). So when I see a shot like this, I begin to doubt myself. I love how the light is hitting the stamens here.

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Beautiful image. Composition works very well. The yellows of stamens stand out against the purple petals. I like the crispiness of the stamens.

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Amazing details, Paul! Really beautiful closeup!

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This is a great image, your choice what to include in the frame, the off-centre position, the colors, the DOF and the level of details are all excellent.

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I wouldn’t have guessed it was an iPhone, although I use mine a lot, I don’t do any “serious” photography with it. Maybe the processing apps don’t let you do clone stamping or use the healing brush tools, but I like that you left the tiny scar on the petal. We think of flowers as fragile things and to some extent they are, but they can take a beating sometimes and still fulfill their purpose. The scars tell that story and I like that it’s here for us to read.

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Kris,

Can we still be informal using “Kris,” or, as Moderator, is there a special title we should use? ;>)

Lightroom mobile has the clone and healing brush tools and most of the other features of Lightroom Classic - or whatever they can the desktop version. The Photoshop mobile also has a raft of features. Using both on an iPad Pro with the touch pen makes processing easy.

Some apps provide control of the camera in the iPhone. The most useful is ProPhoto.

You bring an interesting point about the scar. Ravi S. Hirekaturravi brings up a wonderful notion of wabi sabi in his comment about my Yu Garden Yu Garden 豫园 Shanghai, China (Rework 2) image. That notion has been rolling around in my head since I read the comment. I’m looking forward to when it hits my eye when a camera is in hand.

Namaste

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Gorgeous. Well-composed and lit.

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Congratulations, Paul for June 13-19 Editor’s Pick!

We chose this image for its merits of course - the crop, the light, the crisp detail and that tiny blemish - it’s a winner for sure and outside of your ‘comfort zone’ meaning the botanical print inspired series you do. We also love the fact that you’ve jumped into the NPN pool with both feet; posting images, commenting on others and taking ideas and suggestions on your own images and working with those.

So congrats again - keep up the good work!

Now it’s my turn for a “swelled head”. LOL

In a serious vein, thank you. I appreciate that very much, as I’ve come to appreciate NPN very much. It’s so refreshing to see other’s work, be able to answer questions, have experienced and creative artists comment on my work, and have fun.

Seeing images by others is pushing me well out of, as you say my “comfort zone”, I’m more inclined to say my “rut”, but that is exactly what is happening.

Thanks again, very much, to you are the others.

Namaste