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Jonathan Ashton
08-19-2010, 12:43 PM
Sorry lost the RAW file but most likely ISO 100 or 400 f8, f11

All comments welcome.
Steve Maxson
08-19-2010, 04:00 PM
Hi Jonathan. Looks like you've got it all going for you here - soft light, good sharpness and comp, excellent background, and the little Syrphid fly is frosting on the cake! Well done.
kostas nianiopoulos
08-19-2010, 04:45 PM
it looks pretty good to me and sharp , i like the bee on the air , well done !
Dave Leroy
08-19-2010, 05:09 PM
Lovely shot. I really like how the flower is nicely accented with the bg.
Jim Bridges
08-19-2010, 06:49 PM
The fly is a bonus on this one and I really like the direction of the light.
Julie Kenward
08-19-2010, 08:28 PM
Jon, the coneflower is so lovely and the insect is a big plus. I feel like there's a bit too much room at the top - I'd take 1/3 to 1/2 off and get the head of that flower closer to the top of the frame.

I'm also wondering if there's any way to make the BG in the upper 2/3 of the image less "murky"? I love the light on the flower but the BG feels a bit "hazy" or murky to me. Did you play with any curves adjustments at all?
Jonathan Ashton
08-20-2010, 02:28 AM
Jon, the coneflower is so lovely and the insect is a big plus. I feel like there's a bit too much room at the top - I'd take 1/3 to 1/2 off and get the head of that flower closer to the top of the frame.

I'm also wondering if there's any way to make the BG in the upper 2/3 of the image less "murky"? I love the light on the flower but the BG feels a bit "hazy" or murky to me. Did you play with any curves adjustments at all?

Jules I did play around a bit with the composition but if I take more off the top the flower head looks very wide in the frame. I didn't play with curves, the background is the lawn, some of which was in deep shade - the image was taken early morning (I was photographing flowers because the butterflies weren't playing with me and I was sulking!)
Thanks to everyone else for your comments, I had seen so many good flower shots over the past weeks I was a little reticent over submitting one.
Mike Moats
08-20-2010, 05:29 AM
Hey Jon. I really like the feel of the image. Like the positioning of the flower and stem, and I agree with cropping some off the top.
Stuart Frohm
08-20-2010, 05:50 AM
I formerly asked my barber to please take a little off the top. That's no longer necessary. :) But I agree with Mike Moats and others who suggested that you try doing it in your very pleasing photo.
Mike Fuhr
08-20-2010, 08:43 AM
Very nice shot compositionally, w good lighting. I agree about a sliver or two off the top. I think this might be a coreopsis (tickseed) not a coneflower????
Roman Kurywczak
08-20-2010, 10:31 AM
Hey Jonathan,
You know I won't mind the bit off the top!:D......but all in all.....sweet light and the fly puts it up another level! You may also want to toy with the idea of taking some off left and top....proportionally....just to see what that does for you comp wise......but nice luxury to have is multiple crop choices.....but all in all a very well composed and beautifully lit image!
Anita Bower
08-21-2010, 07:49 PM
What I especially like about this image is the position of the petals. They look like they are dancing. The angle of the stem is pleasing, and the colors are lovely. Nice detail in the flower head. That bee is a bonus, probably trying to lure you out of your sulk. I, too, would crop a bit off the top and, unlike Roman, off the right side. I think the flower is a Sneezeweed, Helenium autumnale.
common sneezeweed