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I took this cosmos photo in my garden . D 850, Lensbaby Sweet 50, ISO 125, 1/1600 second, pretty wide open. Selective normal processing with masks, no textures or artistic filters.
I am working on a contest entry. I love this photo but sometimes I look at it and think it is so lightweight. Feel free to make any commentary. Is the crop right? I have room at the top and the bottom and could go to a 4 by 5 treatment, this is 13 by 19. Is it too bright? Sometimes I prefer a slightly less bright treatment where the whites don’t go all the way to the right end of the histogram.
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Hi Kathy! This is a lovely photo. Personally, I like the first version the best. I like the little extra brightness and colors. As for crop, if you have a little room on the right as well as the top, I would experiment with a small amount of extra room on both the right and top. I don’t think adding just the top would add much. However, it is beautiful as is.
Beautiful image, Kathy! I really don’t have anything to suggest. I actually think the crop is fine as it is - the flower seems to have ample room on all sides. (However, adding some room on the top and right as Steve suggested is certainly worth trying.) My eye doesn’t see too much of a difference between the first and second version - so I like them both. Well done!
Kathy: I think this is exceptionally well done in composition, capture and presentation. My only teeny tiny nit is the little bit of yellow center peeking out. It catches my eye disproportionately to its presence in the frame but it does distract a bit. I took the liberty of removing it for your consideration but this is a beautiful image as presented. >=))>
Bill’s cleanup works for me, but it is such a beautiful image that that takes it from a 10 to an 11 (on a scale of 10). The crop works for me and the blush of violets in the BG is wonderful! The high key works so well here, for the delicate subject. Nothing looks close to blown out. Best of luck with the contest!!
To my eye Bill’s version has the center petal just a little sharper and it gives it a little more punch. I agree that a little more room on the top would be nice. All suggestions are fine, but it is your presentation. It is a lovely image.
Beautiful image! Love the shallow dof and I like the crop and brightness as in the first image. Probably adding room as suggested may improve it slightly, but it looks great as it is. Yes, Bill’s version removes the distraction. Beautifully done and good luck in the contest.
