Phragmipedium brasiliense

Image Critiques
1

Phragmipediumbrasiliense.jpg
Phragmipediumbrasiliense.jpg1748×2000 240 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

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

Description

I visited an orchid show nearLansing, MI and was hoping to use my macro flash setup. Unfortunately, I left the lens ring adapter hat home and used natural light instead. This was handheld and I maneuvered the rig around until I found the best shot for isolating the subject from the surroundings. The BG is a black cloth that was used as a background and deliberately under-exposed the image to make the BG uniform in blackness.

Specific Feedback

How do you like this one? I wish that the light was coming from the RH side, but had to use what nature was providing.

Technical Details

Z9 105mm f2.8 Micro (1/100sec at f14, ISO 1600) DeNoise, Levels for black point, crop for comp, reduction in highlights, burned in bract on LH side of frame, rubber stamp tool for distracting element removal.

2

The existing light worked quite well for this, Jim. I think the angle was just fine and you managed a very nice background. Well done.

There’s a huge flower and garden show in Seattle in February that I used to go to when I lived nearer and an orchid show was always part of it, but photography would have been tough as the orchids didn’t have a lot of room and no one paid attention to backgrounds (plus the mob of people).

3

Wow! This is amazing on its own, but combined with the adapting you had to do it is even more astounding. It’s an incredible specimen and so typical of many orchid arrangements in the way the petals have morphed and changed to suit the environment and the pollinators, gypped though they are in the process. The arc of the stem and the opposing angle of the flower is really striking. Bravo.