The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I was on my way to run some errands this morning when I saw this rhododendron in a yard. These flowers were about 8-10 feet up on the bush so after I finished my errands I threw my camera and tripod into my wife’s trusty 1999 Tacoma and went back. I was in a hurry because the morning overcast was beginning to break up and I didn’t want direct light on the flowers. The road shoulder was just wide enough for the pickup, so I turned on the blinkers and set the tripod up in the bed. The distance was such that I couldn’t get an isolated cluster, but I ended up taking two stacks (one of 11 images, another of 8) and combined them into this panorama.
Specific Feedback
When I finished the initial processing the image felt unbalanced to me with not enough visual weight in the lower right. I did some dodging of the little half-cluster in that corner and burned the out of focus cluster in the upper left to try to balance it better. To me, it seemed to work,but I’d be interested in other folks opinions.
Technical Details
Sony A7Riv, Canon 180 mm macro, tripod, to stacks at f/5, 1/1250, iso 500. Images stacked in Helicon Focus and the two resultant images merged into the panorama in LR. Further processing in PS and LR CC.
PS: The oranges seem a bit more saturated after conversion to a Jpeg.
Oh wow, what a color! Like fresh peaches or melon. I think I’ve only seen them like this when I was in Bellingham visiting a friend many years ago. Quite extraordinary.
I like the undulating flow of the flower clusters you selected for this photo. Using a stitched stacks for a few photos in order to get them all was a great idea and one I’ll have to try to remember for this kind of thing. Positively above and beyond the call of duty. Looking at the larger view, I wish there was more detail in the flowers and that might be a result of the color amplification you see in the jpeg v. raw. I think, judging by some of the more shaded clusters, you could probably take the far one on the left down a bit more and it wouldn’t look too weird. I like the fresh green of the new growth, too. Combined with the snap of the orange, it’s such a spring-y image to me. Just what these winter-weary eyes need.
Thanks, @Kris_Smith We do have a love for Rhodies in this state. They won’t grow for beans on my property (wrong kind of soil), but the general western Washington conditions are great for them-including a native species. If you ever get out to the Seattle area in the spring, The Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden is a must see.
The website you linked to shows a wide variety of colors, as far as I know, the main color we have around here (in NC) is a popular pink/purple variety. I have seen a few in the mountains that are dark orange and a few white but most are pink/purple.
The clusters in your image are vibrant and appear to be at their peak.
The stack and stitch went very well for such a detailed image! I’ll have to remember to try that sometime when the need arises.
I’m picturing you in the back of your wife’s pickup taking shots of someone else’s flowers, I wonder if anyone passing by was thinking “Who’s is he spying on?”
Thanks @Merv They’ve changed the name of the garden, but it’s dedicated to growing the root species of rhodies from all over the world. Though they also grow a lot of the common crosses.
