Red and Green

[TomMewborn]

http://TMGraphics.zenfolio.com/img/v1/p981119365-5.jpg

Taken in a public greenhouse so no tripod was used. Nikon D90 with 60mm Macro, 1/90 of a second at f4.8. I used CS4 for PP, mainly curves, some burning, and selective bluring.

Thanks for looking,

Tom Mewborn
http://tmgraphics.zenfolio.com/

[Julie Kenward]

Hi Tom...welcome to the macro/flora forum! Overall, you got some pretty nice light on the blossom of the flower and I like the depth of the surrounding greenery - it's vivid without being overpowering.

A couple of things I might recommend...first, your focus seems to be on the middle of the bud so you're a bit out of focus (OOF) on the end of the flower. Also, the bloom is heading down - was there any way you could have gotten down lower to capture the bloom more 'head on?'

For post processing, I'd run some noise reduction on the background or else try to selectively lighten it up a bit - there is a fair amount of noise going on.

Looking forward to more...and, again, welcome to the forum!

[Mike Moats]

Hey Tom, welcome to the macro/flora forum, Nice first post (Christimas Cactus). I agree will Jules on the point of focus, just a slight move up on the stamens. Hope to see more.

[Ed Cordes]

Welcome Tom. Christmas Cactus are very hard to get right. I have tried many times with limited success. You have achieved good colors in this image, but the point of focus could have been more toward the front of the bloom so the stamens would be tack sharp.

[TomMewborn]

Thanks to everyone for the comments, your help is very much appreciated.

Tom

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Tom,
As usual.....I prefer more DOF but Jules and Mike have offered great advice on the selective focus point.......I will ask what your ISO was?.....if you can push the ISO a bit higher....you could gain some more DOF......since you have to run a NR on the BG anyway.....just something to keep in mind for future attempts. Welcome to the forum!

[Anita Bower]

Others have given you suggestions which I won't repeat. I love the vivid colors which are nicely set off by the green BG. I also like the curves of the petals. You captured them well. They seem like wings. Welcome to this forum.

[TomMewborn]

Everyone is absolutely right, I should have stopped down more by raising the ISO to extend the DOF. I shot it at ISO 200 and could have gone to 1600 and gained 3 stops.

Thanks for your help,

Tom