The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I was up in Alaska on the start of my tour and fell in love with the giant flowers that grow down here in the lower 48 states. It just stopped raining and saw this beautiful red dahlia with water droplets. I just had to get a photo as I knew it would be amazing with the softer post-processing approach.
Specific Feedback
I love how this turned out but worry about over-processing my shots.
Technical Details
Canon R6
RF 24 - 105mm F4 at 105mm
1/1000 F4 ISO 400
It was a little windy out and shot this hand held.
I like the lighting on this a lot, Tina. The colors are amazing. I know you were going for a soft look, but to my eye there’s a bit too much Out of focus area on the left to the point where it starts to pull me away from the main image. I think a small crop from the left would take care of it.
Hello, @tina4! I, too, love dahlias! There are so many varieties, colors, sizes, etc. Lots of fun to photograph. I love your red dahlia. The gesture of the petal at the top is lovely. The colors look good to me. The one thing that doesn’t work for me is the softness (blurriness) of the petals at the bottom (they seem softer than the petals above) of the flower, as well as the flower’s center.
Here are a couple of tips for flower photography: 1) You might use a higher f/stop (f/16 or higher) for an increased depth of field so that the image is sharper front to back. But gauge the f/stop based on your goal for the image. Many of my close-ups of flowers may be soft along the edges or whatever, but it’s always planned and my focal point is always clear. 2) Make sure that you focus on the center or the most important part of the flower that carries out your vision for the image.
Pick up some flowers at the grocery store (Trader Joe’s is a great place for cut flowers if you have one) and practice in your kitchen or studio. Experiment with a range of f/stops (f/2.8 to f/22) to see the effects of the different settings. Have fun!
I look forward to seeing more of your photographs. I looked at your portfolio, and you have some lovely landscape work!
Tina: Frame filling fantastic IMO. Contrary to the other critiques I like the selective focus. The center of the flower is sharp which is where my eye centers and the rest is support. Nicely conceived, captured and presented. >=))>
Thank you, Bill! I appreciate your feedback. When I was shooting this I was trying to keep the center sharp for sure as that is the main focus of a flower to me.
