The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
It’s that time of year when everything proceeds so fast that you get the feeling you can barely keep up. In this image, I wanted to show the almost perfect condition of this freshly budded beech leaf and the various shades of green that characterise spring.
As so often, I used my vintage lens, even though it is much softer at its widest opening (f/1.8) than my Olympus macro lens. I guess that I prefer softness over sharpness. My old lens also gives images a lovely glow.
Specific Feedback
What do you think about the (modest) level of sharpness here? Should I have used my pin-sharp Olympus 60mm instead?
Compositionally, I decided to photograph through a few other leaves, showing only the tip of the leaf. Was this a good decision?
Technical Details
Olympus (OM System) OM-1 with Pentacon f/1.8 50mm with M42 thread on a helicoid adapter, allowing (very) close focusing to approx 1:1.
f/1.8 at 1/8 sec, ISO 80, Sirui ST124 tripod.
Critique Template
Use of the template is optional, but it can help spark ideas.
I think that your choice of lenses works very well here. The gradation between the OOF leaf and subject is subtle and may have been too stark of a transition with your sharper lens. You have enough sharpness which captured enough of the details to hold the viewer’s eye. Well done…Jim
Gerard: Your technique of shooting through FG leaves for a soft surround is what we used to call cramming. It was in vogue several years ago on the old NPN site but for some reason faded away. I look for these possibilities and like the result when the conditions are right. I applaud all your decisions here. There is good sharpness where it needs to be which is a perfect counterpoint to the softer areas. All in all a superbly crafted image IMO. =))>
Beautiful image, Gerard. I don’t think I’d quibble with any of your choices of equipment or settings on this one. That lens may not be the sharpest in t he world, but it’s certainly sharp enough to provide plenty of detail as witnessed by the hairs around the perimeter of the leaf and the veins within it. Using out of focus foreground vegetation to frame it was an excellent choice and worked very well.
