And some tonal tweaks that I hope address some thoughts brought up in the comments? I left the crop as it was so it’s easier to toggle back and forth and see the changes, as some are subtle.
The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
I have a few stray Cannas that are apparently not considered edible by the plethora of herbivores here, both above and below ground. Every year I marvel at the unfurling leaves and every year I manage not to photograph them. I finally managed one yesterday.
Specific Feedback
All comments welcome!
Technical Details
No LR adjustments. Focus stack of about 15 (DMap, in Zerene). Then into PS for some retouching because of some slight air movement and a little cleaning of the leaves. BG (cardboard) blurred. B/W adj layer.
Ooooh, this is a lovely and different take on canna leaves. The framing/comp is , with that horizontal bottom leaf and the others emanating from it. What’s really nice, though, is the way the light subtly transitions from dark to light up the frame.
You guys are killing me! I’ll NEVER be able to do an EP if you guys keep flooding me with truly astounding and distinctive photos like this.
Seriously, this is so subtle yet powerful. The soft tones and the odd folded shapes make for an intriguing image to peruse. I love the dark bit at the end of the furled leaf. What a nice element. I do wonder if you could spotlight the bottom leaves a bit more to make it stand out. A radial or gradient would do it with maybe a mid-tones mask. Just so buttery smooth. Lickable.
Thanks, @Kris_Smith! I was afraid this was too subtle to get much attention. (I do seem to be going through a subtle – or is it indecipherable – phase lately. I actually surprised myself with this one and the rising moon I posted in Nightscape/Astro.)
Another plant had a hint of lovely light on a new leaf that first attracted me, but I liked the composition more on this one. Then I discovered that the right balance of B/W sliders made the right edge of the new leaf almost invisible against the one behind it, which appealed to the trickster in me.
I like the subtle shades in this, Diane. At first I wasn’t sure about having the background leaf lopped off at the top, but it’s not really about that leaf, so it works. Choice of a very similar gray for the background is interesting as well, but seems to be working for me. The only think I might suggest is to bring down the background leaf ever so slightly to allow the unfurling leaf to stand out just a bit more.
Thanks, @Bonnie_Lampley (I missed seeing your comment before!), @Dennis_Plank and @David_Bostock. Dennis, I was thinking about that and may do another version, but I liked how the two were tonally entwined. I have another tweak to try along those lines, too.
Hello Diane, This image is lovely! In terms of composition, I’d almost like to see more of the top cropped off (almost to a square aspect ratio, just below the area on the left where it is darker — I haven’t actually looked at it in PS) since it leads my eye away from your heroine, that beautiful, swirled opening leaf. I think that doing that would keep my eye where it belongs, on the dynamic of the leaves leading to the unfurling one. I’m not sure about the values — the lower leaves seem a little too dark to me, and perhaps a little more separation of the heroine from the leaves behind it would make it stronger. You might experiment. I do love this image, regardless of my nitpicky issues!
Thanks, @Jens_Ober and @Susanna_Euston – I went back and forth on the top crop. I felt 1:1 put the tip of the hero leaf too close to the top, even with a little expanding on the sides. And 8x10 left a little too much of the top leaf (which is appropriately uninteresting) but did put the tip of the unfurling leaf at the magic point of thirds. So this is an odd in-between ratio that felt like the best compromise. I thought about going into the darker area.
Stand by for a RP, with some work on the bottom leaf and maybe tonal separation of the hero leaf, but not in the obvious way. All the tonal adjustments are with masked curves (as adjustment layers) so it’s easy to fine-tune them.
Nice changes, Diane. They’re actually a bit easier to see in the smaller version, I think. And you’re right about them being subtle, but they are effective.
Diane, the changes work! And, with those, the crop may not be needed. There is now a smooth transition while maintaining the separation. that is lovely.
Hi Diane–Awesome. I like the slight increase in contrast as seen in your second image. I have lots of cannas, but the Japanese beetles chewed holes in all the leaves. Perfectly fine as presented with a slight favoring for the second image…Jim
