The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
The Japanese Magnolias were mostly wiped out this year with a heavy rain but I found this little second prize on one of the branches.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
Focus stack after minimal global tweaks in LR in the raw stage. Then into PS for NR, cropping and a few very minor repairs to stacking artifacts. Cropped to 26% of original pixels.
Critique Template
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I’m definitely going to have to learn focus stacking better. We went to the local photo club meeting this week and the speaker was an expert on fungi, slime molds, etc. His photos weren’t necessarily done to be artistic, more scientific-documentary (he’s written a couple books on local fungi and wild flowers), but they were inspirational. I just had to go out and look for some. Of course, the results were less than stellar.
Thanks, @Bonnie_Lampley, @Dennis_Plank and @Youssef_Ismail! Bonnie – stick with it! Some cameras will do the captures by incrementing focus by parameters you enter, and if not you can increment by tweaking the focus ring on the lens – by smaller increments than you thought you could do. Very steady tripod and light touch needed but it works well. (Of course more DOF needs less closely-spaced increments. I rely on ESP.) PS will do simple stacking but if there is significant overlap of objects you need Zerene or Helicon.
Youssef – the final is flattened. Once I’m sure I don’t want to go back and do a partial stack, I delete all the source files. Sometimes I keep the first one with the most OOF BG* for compositing, but I have yet to need it.
It is recommended to start at the closest point and work back, one increment at a time, as with a very close subject you will get significant focus breathing. So you want to start with the closest focus where the image size is most magnified, otherwise you’ll crop more than what you initially started with.
Some cameras will process a stack, but you only get a JPEG with little if any control. Much better to feed the files into Zerene or Helicon, or use PS if you don’t have overlapping items.
Wow! Such a beautiful, tiny landscape of fungi I have never seen. The colours are gorgeous.
I thought about a smaller crop to take off most of the BG. I decided I liked the image as posted with no more cropping. The focus stacking has worked a treat.
We’re waiting out a cyclone here in South East Queensland. Cyclone Alfred should go overhead tomorrow as a Category 2. A good opportunity to stay indoors and delete, delete…so long as the power stays on!
Squee!!! I love this Diane. It’s such a tiny landscape of joy and color. Just yesterday I went over to a newly fallen branch that was sporting some bright yellow disc lichens and it was such a treat. Viewing large is like stepping into another world. So much detail and wee structures that leap right off the screen. I only see one tiny area where the stack is obvious, but it’s where there is a relatively large distance between the front and the back so it’s part of the deal and only noticeable if you’re looking for it. The background is so creamy and dreamy - perfectly sets off the interplanetary visitor.
Diane: Hard to add much to what’s already been said but if this is second place you ought to be real pleased with the silver medal. The intricate details on the lichen are so very nicely rendered and a delight to explore. Most excellent. >=))>
Thanks, @glennie, @Kris_Smith and @Bill_Fach! Good eye, Kris – there are several areas I should try to repair. Got lazy. I can probably find this one again – might actually revisit it. It may still be “in bloom” after some upcoming rain.
To me, the overall background luminosity seems to compete with the overall luminosity of the subject and I found myself looking at the background instead of the fungi. I like the square crop, but would like it to be tighter. A fine photo
Thanks, @Rob_Sykes! I could see going tighter top and bottom – maybe an 8x10 ratio would work, or not a standard one. Maybe a darker BG?? I had a go at it and like the results! Posted above.
Coming in late… this is really beautiful and I agree the rework gives more focus on the subject rather than competing with the background. Wonderful colors.
