PDA

View Full Version : Azur Bluet



Michel Pilon
05-06-2011, 07:00 AM
Hello all,

Here is a delicate native flower called Azur Bluet photographed near home at Sherbrooke, Quebec.

I'm not used to photography plants and I find it very difficult to get a pov enough interesting. Difficulty come also with the wind, the DOF, and the exposition. So I'm more used with birds ;-) and that's the reason I don't present a lot of flowers on BPN...

So, Thanks for commenting that one :)

Michel

(Took with a Panasonic bridge FZ-20)

Houstonia caerulea produces showy flowers approximately 1 cm across. These flowers are four-part with pale blue petals and a yellow center. The foliage is a basal rosette. Stems are up to 20 cm tall with one flower per stalk. It thrives in moist acidic soils in shady areas, growing especially well among grasses.


http://parcours.pilonm.org/pictures/plantes/houstonieBleue2.jpg

Anita Bower
05-06-2011, 02:02 PM
I think you found a lovely angle for photographing this little flower--nice and low allowing us to look at the flower face on. I like the composition, with the two stems coming up near each other, the open flower in the right half and the bud a bit blurred and to the lower left. The dark bg, with hints of color, nicely sets of the light colored blooms. Nicely presented in a frame. You might want to clone out the little black spot on the furthest right leaf. Very nice work.

Julie Kenward
05-06-2011, 07:02 PM
I also like the angle here. I agree with Anita's comments and would add that I'd give it a bit more room between the top petal and the border you inserted - it's so close it's pulling my eye out of the frame.

Mitch Haimov
05-06-2011, 09:21 PM
Nicely balanced composition, Michel. I agree with Anita's comments, as well as Jules' (cloning out the dark speck is more important to me than expanding the canvas at top, but both would help). LL petal seems to be lacking detail that you might be able to recover with curves or, better yet, a slightly darker RAW conversion.

Michel Pilon
05-07-2011, 07:52 AM
Hello all thank you very much for your very pertinent comments which I really appreciate :)

And I agree with each one:

a) clone the little black spot (petal tear I think);

b) Put more canva on top of the image;

c) Rework the left petal which lacks details due to higher exposition but I should be able to recover them;


Thanks again: that's what I'm waiting from a picture forum dedicated to wildlife and faunas !!! :bg3:

Michel (please, excuse my bad english)

Anita Bower
05-07-2011, 11:23 AM
Hello all thank you very much for your very pertinent comments which I really appreciate :)

And I agree with each one:

a) clone the little black spot (petal tear I think);

b) Put more canva on top of the image;

c) Rework the left petal which lacks details due to higher exposition but I should be able to recover them;


Thanks again: that's what I'm waiting from a picture forum dedicated to wildlife and faunas !!! :bg3:

Michel (please, excuse my bad english)

You are welcome, and no worries about your English. It is WAY better than my French. :S3:

Ken Childs
05-07-2011, 12:45 PM
Michel, you should be pleased with this shot. These tiny flowers can be difficult to work with because they are so close to everything else in their tiny world. It's hard to get a nice looking BG because everything in the BG is so close to the subject but you did very well in this regard. Following the suggestions already given will improve this already fine image. Very well done! :S3:

Brendan Dozier
05-07-2011, 01:25 PM
Very nice composition, Michel. Like the dark BG and the black frame is a nice touch.
Good suggestions above to make it even stronger.

Michel Pilon
05-08-2011, 07:49 AM
Thank you very much for those additional comments which are very appreciated :)

Cheers,

Michel

Steve Maxson
05-09-2011, 03:08 PM
Hi Michel. This is a beautiful image and the tweaks already suggested above will make it even stronger. Well done. I hope to see more of your work. :S3:

Roman Kurywczak
05-12-2011, 09:05 AM
Hey Michel,
Great advice above. Following the suggested tweaks will only strengthen an excellent comp! Very nicely done.

Michel Pilon
06-17-2011, 07:20 AM
Thank you very much Steve and Roman for your additional and very appreciated comments.

I will try to work on this image next weekend following your recommandations...

Cheers,

Michel