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Paul Burgess
10-03-2009, 06:10 AM
Hey folks,

Here's a shot of some Jack-in-the-pulpit fruit that caught my eye as I was photographing in the woods.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_NgELvbgT1k0/SsaqVHgwiGI/AAAAAAAABfE/juPXxMKJWVg/s800/Dead%2C%20but%20Fruitful.jpg

Rebel Xt, 24-105 @ 40mm, f/4, ISO 100, 1/15 sec.

Critique appreciated!!

Happy shooting and God bless,

Paul

Craig Thompson
10-03-2009, 07:58 AM
Hi Paul,

Cool find!! I live in MI. and have seen "LOTS" of JIP's roaming the woods,.. but I can't recall ever seeing one "fruited"!!! (...strange Huh??!! :) )

I like the fruit!! The rich color and shape of the (...can't recall the proper scientific terminology) cluster of berries is very nice! I think you could improve this image if you were to move in on it a lot more, place the stalk & berries with more dominance as the subject and possibly set them against a more oof bg! The bright, decaying leaves on the (LL) are a bit distracting as well!

Thanks for sharing this!!

Craig

Paul Burgess
10-03-2009, 08:32 AM
Thanks Mr. Thompson!

That is strange, because I just found my first-ever JIP earlier this year!

Thanks for the tips! If I can get back, I'll see about giving them a try.

Craig Thompson
10-03-2009, 08:39 AM
Paul,

Please!!!, ...Mr. Thompson was my Dad's name!!! :D ;)

I'm Craig!! Nice to meetcha!!!! :)

Steve Maxson
10-03-2009, 02:34 PM
I think this works well as a JIP-in-fall-habitat image, Paul. Nice sharpness and color. I think the image would look even better if you cropped a little off the top to eliminate the few sunlit leaves - and if you posted it here at a larger size. :) Craig's suggestion would also work well, but, of course, would give you a very different type of image.

Julie Kenward
10-03-2009, 07:21 PM
It's an interesting subject, Paul, but if you had asked me what the subject was in this image I'd be hard pressed to identify it...there's so much going on. There are a few things that I think could make this a stronger image that you could do in the field the next time you are out.

First, get down as low as you can so the fruit of the plant is at eye level. That will automatically cut out most of the surrounding distractions.

Next, using a longer focal lens or a specific macro lens would also help to soften that BG up a bit so the fruit would have more prominance in the image.

As far as pp goes, you have a bit of a blue cast (it's really showing up on the color of the front log.) I opened levels and went to the blue channel and adjusted the midtone slider just a bit to remove that heavy color cast.

You certainly ended up with a nice image of the forest floor - but if you want that particular plant to carry the weight of the image, I think closing in tighter, getting down eye level and using a longer focal length would really help. I did a quick crop to take out some of the distractions on the top and bottom areas of the frame.

Craig Thompson
10-04-2009, 09:30 AM
Paul,

After considering Steve's comments,


I think this works well as a JIP-in-fall-habitat image, Paul. Nice sharpness and color. I think the image would look even better if you cropped a little off the top to eliminate the few sunlit leaves - and if you posted it here at a larger size. :) Craig's suggestion would also work well, but, of course, would give you a very different type of image.

...and then seeing Julie's changes to your "original" image!

I feel a need to apologize (...at least a little bit anyhoo!) :D ;) Steve's comment about the suggestions "I" made for your original image, were absolutely correct!!! That would be a different image altogether!!

Julie's repost of your image is,.. an improved rendering of what I assume was more in line with your original intent! A JIP-in-fall-habitat image! Just as Steve mentioned!

Steve & Julie's suggestions involved improving upon the image you posted, whereas my suggestions involved creating,.. in essence a "different" kind of image in the first place. (...something I myself have had a little difficulty getting comfortable with & gracefully accepting in some of the critiques of "my" posted images!!) ;)

While my suggestions (..and the ones Julie made for later) would indeed work to create a better "portrait" of a fruiting JIP. Julie did a better job of focusing on improving the image you did make, and then suggested how to make a stronger, different image next time!! (..that's probably why she's a moderator, huh?) :D

...anyway, just felt a need to confess that!

Craig

Mike Moats
10-05-2009, 02:59 PM
Hey Paul, anytime you include a lot of forest floor materials you tend to end up with a cluttered image. I agree shooting a tighter crop would make a less messy image. Jules advice to get down low and shoot across the tops of the ground clutter rather then down into it always works best.

Paul Burgess
10-05-2009, 03:36 PM
Thanks for all the tips, guys!

Craig, no offence taken! Thanks, though.

I went back today, and it had rotted even more and wasn't really photogenic.

- Paul