Crocus #3

[Christopher Miller]

Here's another crocus image, this time with the focus on the stamens. Any comments and critiques would be most appreciated.

Olympus SP-550 UZ
f3.5 @ 1/80, ISO 100
Aperture priority mode, pattern metering, cloudy WB
Processed in PS CS2; cropped, curves and color adjustments, noise reduction, and cloned out a small green spot on the bottom edge

[Vida van der Walt]

Christopher, this is my favourite of your Crocus images. Focal point spot on with sharp detail. Love the purple and yellow combination:). I would consider taking a tiny slice from the top to reduce the green or maybe even replacing the geen with white?

[Julie Kenward]

You have many choices on comp here, Christopher. I like it as presented very much. You could also do as Vida suggested or you could come in all the way below the green and do a really close crop as well. Lovely image so you have many choices! I do still think you could push those high toned whites just a bit more if you wanted. Very nice DOF and this is my favorite of the series as well! :)

[Ken Childs]

This is my favorite, too. I really like to see the stamens in focus on these kinds of flowers and I think a tighter crop would fit my preferences. There are a few black spots on the stamens that could be cloned away.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Chris....nice image of a common flower. I really like how you got in really close and filled the frame. Stamens look sharp. I agree with others that you should crop out the green at the top. Nice work!

[Christopher Miller]

Thanks everyone. Now that you mention it, I think a closer crop would be good. :)

[Stuart Frohm]

Beautifully done.
I like it with and without the green background.

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Christopher,
OK.....I'm in the minority...I'd keep the top as I like the curve and feel it helps the flow. The top of the petal on the left looks a bit too bright....so you may want to keep that in check while boosting the other whites. My favorite of the series too!

[Christopher Miller]

Thanks Stuart and Roman. Much appreciated. Roman, I kind of like the top curve too, so I'm not really sure which crop I'll finally go with. Thanks for the point on the whites.

[Anita Bower]

Christopher: You are doing such a good job of working this Crocus. I like the focus on the stamen, which are nice and sharp. The dark BG at the top bothers me a bit. What to do about backgrounds is a challenge I face when taking macros outdoors. Recenlty, I used an idea from someone on this forum and took a piece of foamboard outside and put it behind the subject.

[Christopher Miller]

Thanks very much, Anita. I'll have to remember to try that sometime. :)

[Ken Childs]

Thanks very much, Anita. I'll have to remember to try that sometime. :)
Tape a nail to it and you can stick in in the ground behind small flowers.