The Soap Plant a few days later

Image Critiques
1

2025-06-15-17.11.11 ZS PMax-Edit.jpg
2025-06-15-17.11.11 ZS PMax-Edit.jpg2000×2000 1.31 MB

IMG_6706.jpg
IMG_6706.jpg750×1000 769 KB

Critique Style Requested: Standard

The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.

Description

A Soap Plant blooms over 2-3 weeks, at sunset, starting with the bottom buds, and each morning they fold up before first light and the next evening the next few up the stem open. This is the surviving plant this year after weed mowing, and the slope is quite steep making photography a challenge. And there is always a breeze in the afternoon and the long, thin stems move easily. The two I posted earlier were shot from the flat area above but that took my “1000mm macro” to isolate flowers. The stuff in the sky above the lens in the second shot is grass but the stuff on either side of the stake is buds. I’ve staked and tied the plant (string held with an orange baggie clip) to minimize movement. Just to make it more challenging, to use my old EF macro on the RF (mirrorless) body I add an adapter. Then here, to get more reach, I added an EF 2X, but it doesn’t mate with the lens so there is a short extension tube in between. The mess is surprisingly good optically but isn’t recognized in the metadata.

Specific Feedback

All comments welcome!

Technical Details

Screenshot 2025-08-01 at 4.11.34 PM
Screenshot 2025-08-01 at 4.11.34 PM303×103 17.3 KB

Focus stack. Very little done in LR; into Zerene then the DMap into PS for minor retouching. The stack isn’t perfect due to some slight motion missing the best sharpness for some of the slices.

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2

Diane: This image was certainly worth the effort and thanks for showing the setup as well. I still use my 200mm macro with my mirrorless body but it loses so many capabilities. Lots of times I just break out my old DSLR with old faithful aboard. I especially like the varying stages of the flowers and their arrangement in the frame. Top notch image. >=))>

3

This came out very well, Diane. An interesting setup that provided very good results. Thanks for the extended description.

4

Thanks, @Bill_Fach and @Dennis_Plank! I’ve recently located another one that I should be able to protect from weed mowing next year.

5

Amazing on the innovations photographers do to get the shot(s)! This is a very difficult subject and you captured this very well. I like the unopened buds as much as the open flowers. They provide some interesting elements to the comp. Stack looks good and I am very happy with the photo and your efforts have been rewarded…Jim

6

Thanks, @Jim_Zablotny! I’m sure I’ll be doing this again next year. The only other instances of this plant I’ve found are on the path to a small lake where I sometimes shoot dragonflies, in a “park” near town, but I wouldn’t go there is the evening without a security detail. There is no playground or picnic area – it seems be only a fishing and drug park.