Autumn

[Adrian David]

Model : NIKON D300
Exposure Program : Aperture priority
ISO Speed Ratings : 400
Shutter Speed Value : 1/9 sec
Aperture Value : F20
Exposure Bias Value : -8/6 EV
Max Aperture Value : F2,9
Metering Mode : Spot
Light Source : Unknown
Flash : Flash did not fire
Focal Length : 105,0 mm
Sensing Method : One-chip color area sensor
Lens : Nikkor 105mm f:2,8 VR

[Ramesh Adkoli]

Nicely composed image, Adrian. Perfect exposure too. The texture of leaves, acorns and BG has come off well. Only suggestion i have is to either clone or tone down the whites on the top right and bottom right. They are distracting a bit. Minor thing, but changing it would work better for the image. TFS.

regards,
ramesh

[Steve Maxson]

A nicely designed image, Adrian. I would agree with Ramesh that cloning the light areas would make for a stronger image by producing an even background and directing all our attention to the leaf and acorns. Yes, a minor thing, but I think it would make a big difference. :)

[Julie Kenward]

This is a nice autumnal image, Adrian, and the others are right about those two spots they mentioned - removing them would certainly strengthen the image you have here. It's always good to remember to "groom" your background before you take the image, though - as that keeps you from having to clone out distractions in pp.

I also feel a little more counter-clockwise rotation of the leaf, putting the ends of the leaf more in the URC and the LL corners, would also have strengthened the image even more, pulling the viewer's eye from top to bottom and vice versa. To be honest, I didn't even see the leaf debris in the URC at first because my eye stopped at the edge of the leaf. Turning the leaf a bit more probably would have helped my eye focus up at that top edge more.

Also, your leaf and acorns seem to be fairly sharp and crisp but the grass feels oversharpened to me. You might back down on that just a bit on the grassy areas of the image. (This is assuming that the original print is this way as well. Sometimes uploading JPEG's can do funky things!)

One last thing - I see you used f20 @ 1/9th of a second. Did you use a tripod or handhold? Either way, I think with how flat the focal plane is here you could have certainly gotten away with a shallower DOF and picked up a little more shutter speed. Another benefit to this would be that the grass wouldn't be quite so sharp and wouldn't be competing so much for the attention that the leaf and acorns should be getting.

Nice image with a few more tweaks...keep 'em coming, Adrian! It's always great to see how you're growing here in the macro forum.

[Adrian David]

First of all, thank you very much for the kind words!
Sorry that I've not mentioned that I've used a tripod...
I totally agree with you about the rotation of the leaf, and I will give it a try.
The two bright spots are some lichens on top of the moss.It is moss there, not grass, and it has a huge amount of tinny details! It was my intention to keep those details on the moss visible, as the green life opposed to the dead leaf...It may be distracting, but that was my intention...This doesn't work...it's god to know....something to think of, and keep in mind! Thank you for pointing it to me! This will help me to get better! I really appreciate it, Julie!
About the cloning of the two bright spots, I was afraid that because of the fine textures and details of the moss, it will be visible, and get artifacts...I will give it a try...

[Mike Moats]

Hey Adrian, very cool comp, and the cloning would be very easy with all that texture. I like the idea of the leaf and acorns on a more diagonal starting out of the top corner. Jules and I disagree on the sharpness in the background, I tend to like this very sharp look.