wild Showy Ladyslipper Orchid

[Cheryl Flory]

shutter speed 1/20, on a tripod
F8.0
ISO 100
90mm
auto exposure mode
0.0 exposure correction

I would love to hear your comments and critiques on this orchid photo, though I doubt if I will ever get back to reshoot due to their very limited bloom time and the difficulty in getting to them. (Remember the scene in "African Queen" when they were pulling the disabled boat through the muck and swamp??? oh yea. that's where these orchids live.)

I did the typical photoshopping on this plus remembering the comment from my previous pictures being dark, I lightened it with curves. I think it could use more room, especially on the left side. I was trying to include the inside of the orchid blossom in the picture and was wondering if not keeping the second orchid in focus would add some depth to the photo. What do you think?

[Bruce Murden]

Lovely subject! First of all, traversing the muck makes the photo that much more beautiful -- at least for those who know that's where they came from.

For possible improvements, I see the image as a little too vertical. I think it should remain a portrait orientation, but I think the flowers should run diagonally, thinking upper left to lower right, and I'm curious how it would have looked with more of the small leaf on the right hand side.

The image also seems a little flat (but I've been guilty of that a lot on images I've posted here :) ). I thought it oculd use some more contrast, easing off the highlights on the large white petals, and a bit of saturation and sharpness. And cloning out what looks like some cottonwood fibers on lower left. Here's a quick approach at that from me.

[Alfred Forns]

Strong stock image and killer re post Might desaturate just a tad !!!

I like the selected aperture, dof is very pleasing. Still would try several other settings for comparison !!

[Lance Peters]

Love the repost. Congrats :)

[Harold Davis]

love the repost too!! really pops! good to see you back in here, cheryl!!

[Nonda Surratt]

Yes good to see you back Cheryl..Love the re-post

[Cheryl Flory]

Thanks, Harold. Yes its been quite a long time. At least it seems that way. But life sometimes gets in the way. You know how that goes.

I like the repost better too. But when adjusting, I didn't saturate that far since the flowers were not that intense in color. Same with the cotton wood fibers. (well that plus I didn't think I could clone well enough to get it pass inspection here. lol )

Do you keep the photo actual?? or go for more striking??

[Cheryl Flory]

Thanks, Nonda. I appreciate everyone's comments. They are very helpful.
Nonda, we used to drive through Hebron, OH a few years ago every time we visited my sister. Small world.

I really like your thread In the Beginning (Post your early mistakes). Great idea!

In the image of the week, do they every select one from the Eager to Learn forum? Seems like some nice ones are being posted here too.

[Gus Cobos]

Excellent repost, and great composition...:D

[Katie Rupp]

Nice capture, Cheryl and the repost does bring out more of the detail. I struggle with knowing just how much enhancing I need when post-processing.