Critique Required

MichelleL

good morning everyone

Took this macro picture of native bees in a lotus flower. I'd like some comments on what people think of it compositionally - I'm in two minds about it. I was battling breeze and was hanging over the edge of the water to get as close as humanly possible without going for a swim.

Thoughts??

Thanks in advance everyone.

Robinivich

This image pulls me a lot of different directions, personally, I'd like to see it zoomed out a tiny bit, and a little less centered with the middle of the flower a little more right, less magnification would help with the DOF on whatever the top of the flower is, which looks awesome.

I know you said composition only, but I have to mention it's a bit underexposed and seems to have a green tinge, at least on the not great monitor I'm using right now.

davidweaver

I'd go for more abstract:

MichelleL

Robinivich wrote:

This image pulls me a lot of different directions, personally, I'd like to see it zoomed out a tiny bit, and a little less centered with the middle of the flower a little more right, less magnification would help with the DOF on whatever the top of the flower is, which looks awesome.

I know you said composition only, but I have to mention it's a bit underexposed and seems to have a green tinge, at least on the not great monitor I'm using right now.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. I'm not seeing the green that you are - mine is more yellow but I will keep that in mind when playing with the photo. I'm out that way again with in the next few days so I'll try again keeping your suggestion in mind.

Thanks.

MichelleL

davidweaver wrote:

I'd go for more abstract:

OOOHHH - now that is nice and does grab me.

You know when sometimes you take a picture and instantly upon looking at it on the screen you think "yep that's a winner" - you've now made me think that about my picture.

i'll have a play and make the changes.

Thanks for taking the time to reply - much appreciated.

Lord Vetinari

Well taken but #1 doesn't quite look right - always difficult with 2 competing subjects. The crop above works brilliantly by separating the two components of the shot.
Brian V.

Skippy

MichelleL wrote:

good morning everyone

Took this macro picture of native bees in a lotus flower. I'd like some comments on what people think of it compositionally - I'm in two minds about it. I was battling breeze and was hanging over the edge of the water to get as close as humanly possible without going for a swim.

Thoughts??

Thanks in advance everyone.

Hi Michelle, having read all the replies to your thread,
I too like the crop of the shot David suggested.
Those little bees sure must like the flower, there's enough of them on it

Quite an interesting flower, thanks for sharing Michelle ... Skippy
.

Wacrer

MichelleL wrote:

good morning everyone

Took this macro picture of native bees in a lotus flower. I'd like some comments on what people think of it compositionally - I'm in two minds about it. I was battling breeze and was hanging over the edge of the water to get as close as humanly possible without going for a swim.

Thoughts??

Thanks in advance everyone.

Hi Michelle,

A lot of good cc here I may be at risk of repeating some, so bear with This is for the original shot. Composition is really nice, maybe try a tiny bit lower of a perspective to allow the little nubs on top to stand out more. By lowering your angle you will pick up some needed dof, maybe add a stop or so in aperture. The shot is a tad on the gray side, I think some separation with a slight curve would give each subject due importance. Really nice shot.

MichelleL

Thanks Brian, Skippy and Scott - I appreciate the comments as it's how one learns. Whilst I thought the photo was ok - it just didn't have the 'wow' factor about it and the comments from everyone - including the crop have shown me different ways to take the picture and a different way of cropping/post processing it.

Thanks again everyone.

Dalantech

IMHO you should go back and re-shoot the flower instead of cropping the first image. You won't have anything to send to a printer if you crop...

Also I'd like to see a life size or higher magnification shot of those bees :cool

In the future pick a subject and shoot for it. If there is a bug in the frame and you compose for the flower at the end you'll have a perfectly good shot of a flower that's ruined by the critters on it...

MichelleL

Dalantech wrote:

IMHO you should go back and re-shoot the flower instead of cropping the first image. You won't have anything to send to a printer if you crop...

Also I'd like to see a life size or higher magnification shot of those bees :cool

In the future pick a subject and shoot for it. If there is a bug in the frame and you compose for the flower at the end you'll have a perfectly good shot of a flower that's ruined by the critters on it...

Thanks dalantech - I'm always at the gardens so I'll do that - your comment is much apprecited.