Mixed Feelings

[Ed Vatza]

Another Aster image. After the "spray" compositions of my previous two Aster images, I was looking for a different perspective. I decided to zoom in as close as possible. This image was actually made at 1:1 with my 150mm macro lens. On one hand, I like "in your face" feeling of the primary subject flowers. On the other hand, the way the flowers cluster makes the image's background look very busy. Your thoughts?

Canon Rebel XT; Sigma 150mm Macro lens; Canon 430 EX Flash with LumiQuest Softbox; Tripod-mounted with Novoflex focusing rail.

1/5 sec @ f/22; ISO 800; -1/3 EV; FEC -1

[Mike Moats]

Hey Ed, I love your flower stuff, but this ones not working for me, just a little to much going on. It's hard to tell you how to impove it as I think its just the wrong pieces to the puzzle. But maybe someone else will have another opinion.

[Anita Rakestraw]

I don't think I've ever seen an aster that close-up and I like that, but it's almost like you've got two focal points & I don't know where to look. The bg flowers seem too partial to me (esp. the bottom, llc, and ulc ones.) Without those, I think it would be a more balanced image and would feel cleaner & more pleasing to look at. But I may be 'all wet' from others' perspective....

[Ed Vatza]

Hey Ed, I love your flower stuff, but this ones not working for me, just a little to much going on. It's hard to tell you how to impove it as I think its just the wrong pieces to the puzzle. But maybe someone else will have another opinion.

Thanks Mike (and Anita). I don't disagree which is why I entitled it "Mixed Feelings". I was trying trying for something that I had in my mind and it didn't quite work out the way I had hoped. I posted because I wanted to hear what others said and felt. The flowers cluster in such large groups that it is very difficult to isolate one or two or three without starting to break off or bend back all the other flowers which I did not want to do.

What I was trying to capture was the flower with the bronze colored center surrounded by the two with the still yellow centers. But all the other stuff in the background kept getting in the way.

Again thanks.

[Robert O'Toole]

Ed
I think this image would have been great if you included the complete flower to the left. As is its too busy.

Always remember with DSLRs to expose to the right of the histogram then darken to reduce noise. A light image darkened in PS will have maybe -50% less noise then a lower ISO image made too dark and lightened in PS. In other words an ISO3200 image made to the right will have way less noise then ISO1600 or even 800 made too dark and lightened in PS.

Robert