Faded Glory

[David Cowling]

Panasonic GH 2 : Pentax Asahi 100 mm Macro : Tripod

1/20 @ f 16 ISO 200

[John Robinson]

Nice one David Anemone ?? Like the wtwo hanging buds at the bottom. Good DOF for 16.
Surely this is not the Asahi Pentax 100 mm I used in film days is it ? It used to be a cracking lens.
John

[David Cowling]

Certainly is John. Bought it on ebay for £50 and have used it on various cameras over the last three years using adapters. Have just got an adapter to use it on the 7D so will see how it goes. I love the "Pre-digital days" effect it has.

[John Robinson]

David
Crikey
I,ve still got mine !! I did all my early slide macro stuff with it with two flashes strapped to the barrel. Every macro and flower pic I ever sold was with that lens. Must dust it off !
Happy memories
John

[Jonathan Ashton]

A very attractive image, how was it processed? I like the textures, the colours are pleasing but it does not appear to be a conventional presentation of a natural history image to me?
If it was manipulated I would suggest the Out of the Box Forum maybe better for critique/constructive feedback.:S3:

[David Cowling]

Nothing special about the processing Jonathon, in fact very little processing done at all. The BG is a backdrop. The lighting is natural window light with reflection off white painted walls. It was taken indoors but I don't think that is too out of the box. It is not a wild flower so does not qualify as natural history but the Forum is headed Macro and Flora. If a moderator is of the opinion that the image should not be here then I have no objection to it being removed or deleted.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Nothing special about the processing Jonathon, in fact very little processing done at all. The BG is a backdrop. The lighting is natural window light with reflection off white painted walls. It was taken indoors but I don't think that is too out of the box. It is not a wild flower so does not qualify as natural history but the Forum is headed Macro and Flora. If a moderator is of the opinion that the image should not be here then I have no objection to it being removed or deleted.
David there is no objection to the image being in this forum, it is my mistake for thinking that it had been manipulated! As regard subject matter it is fine right here. There is something about the processed image, it almost has a painterly quality to it. The background appears slightly uneven in texture almost posterised in parts, have you applied a noise reduction/sharpening mask? Was the image underexposed? I am intrigued with the colours and textures. The yellows are partly blown and yet the colours seem to be complimentary and deliver a very attractive image.

[David Cowling]

Thank you for your comments Jonathon but I am really not that clever with Photoshop. I took this image last autumn in my "Studio" ie Garden Room, and apart from the light reflected from the white walls I positioned white card reflectors to where I thought the light looked good on the flower. I aimed for the painterly effect and guess I just got lucky. I am presenting this image as a print in a competition this evening and will be interested in what the judge makes of it.

[John Robinson]

David
In my long expereience in clubs and judging -it could do really well or terrible. It all depends on the judge and his personal prefs !! I know - I was one.
I didn't need any qualifications - just what I had produced in the past- it was good enough.
John

[Russ Norwood]

I like this image a lot David. At first glance I noticed what looked like some burning in or brightening on the bud at lower right and also in the background long the main stem. From your comments I gather that the effect was the result of the fill you added with your reflectors. Yellow detail is lacking in a few of the brighter areas, but that doesn't bother me. I think that bright red-orange at upper left might be a tad distracting and could benefit from being toned down slightly. Your composition is appealing and I like your choice of subject; A bloom past its prime that still manages to suggest its beauty when fresh and new. Nice work. Good luck with the judging, and let us know how it goes.

Russ

[David Cowling]

The judge liked it and marked it 9.5 out of 10. He dropped the half point because of the red upper left. I quit liked it and so left it in. that's judges for you although on balance I think he was right. Gave me two tens for bird images though!!

[Diane Miller]

My first impression was "painterly" -- which some take as a putdown, but for me, it's a great complement. However you did it, the composition and flower are wonderful.

I could wish for a little more room on the right and bottom. It almost looks like the aspect ratio has been distorted.

I have to agree about the red -- I'd tone it down. But it's your art -- go with what you love!