Rosebud w/Repost

Image Critiques Flora Critiques
1

Repost with a little more edge room:

20220701_074436_DBP7702
20220701_074436_DBP77021546×2048 247 KB

Original Post:

Rosebud
Rosebud1454×2048 256 KB

I had good luck at our Rose Garden here in Portland the last couple of days. Overcast sky, light wind, and few people, which is funny because the roses are exploding right now.

Anyway, here’s one of my favorites from this morning. I saw this little bud nestled within other roses in front and behind so decided to try a wide open shot to blur before and after.

Specific Feedback Requested

Any comments appreciated.

Technical Details

110mm, 1/600 sec @ f/2, ISO 500, polarizer, handheld.

5 Likes
2

Wonderful!! It has the look of a classic old lens! I love the soft shoot-through look and muted colors.

It feels a tiny bit crowded on the sides, but that’s definitely just a personal feeling of liking elbow room. (I don’t do well in crowds…)

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What a beautiful close-up! It’s all the more special being from the Rose Garden, in the city where I grew up. I love the Rose Garden when everything is blooming, and am happy you were able to slow down and see this little gem. Great job with the focus!

4

What a gorgeous snuggling bud. The dark LLC adds interest and leads up to the bloom.

5

Love this one, great smooth shapes and colors. Great use of shallow DOF giving a FG and BG that really supports the subject.

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@Diane_Miller, @Mark_Muller, @Mike_Friel, and @Ola_Jovall thank you for the nice comments. I really appreciate them.

Diane, I don’t do well in crowds either, so I posted an update above with a bit more edge room.

Mark, so glad the Rose Garden is here too. It is more colorful with more blooms than I have ever seen it.

So glad I splurged and picked up the 110mm f/2 lens. It was designed for shooting pleasing portraits at narrow focus with very pleasing sharpness falloff. I think of it as an art lens and it’s been glued to my camera since I got it.

Thanks again everyone.

Cheers,
David

7

If someone were to have a dream about beauty, I think it would look like that. Wonderful color, and the softness is exquisite. I prefer the roomier version too.

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John, thank you for the very nice comments. Much appreciated.

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I love the soft dream-like quality of this photo - it is almost like the colour has bled out of the centre of the rose and into the surrounding frame.

Both crops are lovely but I do like the original, tighter crop a bit more - I feel like the closer left and right borders help to “hold up” subject.

1 Like
10

Hi David! I love this! The colors and mood of this shot are excellent, and I love the shallow DOF of the shoot-through technique. Well done!

1 Like
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@mrbphoto and @Steve_Kennedy, thank you for the kind comments. I appreciate them.

Maxime, I waffle between the two crops and I do see your impression of the closer crop holding the subject up. Thanks for noting that.

Cheers,
David