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John Storjohann
07-29-2011, 04:07 PM
This water lily was shot at the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Image was shot with the 100-400 @ 375mm, f/22 @ 1/125. Converted from RAW in LR, minor touch-ups done in PS (cloned out a few minor blemishes on the pad). The image was shot on an overcast day; I'm not sure if the garden uses black dye in the water or not, but if you watch background reflections and the light angle carefully, you can usually end up with a black background for your images on cloudy days.

Thank you for looking!

Brendan Dozier
07-29-2011, 04:18 PM
Very nice image and composition, John. Love the soft light, colors, FG provides good anchor leading to bloom, and black BG really makes it pop. Just wish you posted it a larger size (did you try
"Fit Image" at 800 x 800 for vertical?) Well done!

John Storjohann
07-29-2011, 04:37 PM
Brendan, thank you for your comments...can you help me out with what you said about the larger size? I created the image at a height of 800 pixels to keep within the forum guidelines...and I'm new enough to posting images where you lost me with the "Fit Image" at 800 x 800 for vertical"...I'd be happy to re-post if I knew what you meant!

John Storjohann
07-29-2011, 04:41 PM
I think I may have worked it out...is this better?

Don Lacy
07-29-2011, 05:10 PM
Very nice comp and colors the black water really helps to pop the lily, well done

Brendan Dozier
07-29-2011, 05:54 PM
You got it, John, looks great!
Whenever you finish a file in PP and want to post it at the required BPN size, you can go to File/Automate/Fit Image and plug in 1024 pixels x 800 pixels. Then go to File / Save for Web to save it to 200k for posting.

John Storjohann
07-30-2011, 05:38 AM
Hi Don and Brendan. Thank you for the comments, and Brendan, thank you for the help...I'll get the hang of resizing for the web as time goes on.

Nick Palmieri
07-30-2011, 06:58 AM
Very nice composition and good technicals. I love the dark BG with these water lily's. I just wish the lily itself was in a little better shape but nothing you could do about that. TFS

Julie Kenward
07-30-2011, 07:44 AM
John, what a beauty! The lighting on the flower is superb but the fact that you got so much detail in the water at the base of the plant really sets this apart from most water lily images. That black BG really makes the whole thing pop!

I've never been to the Missouri Botanical Gardens - I usually hit the Powell Gardens which is much closer to my side of Missouri. Is it worth a trip east for me to check it out?

Steve Maxson
07-30-2011, 11:12 AM
Hi John. Another beautiful water lily image. Nice sharpness and comp, but the little pool of water on the leaf really sets this image apart for me. Very well done!

Roman Kurywczak
07-30-2011, 11:25 AM
Hey John,
Beutifully composed and as mentioned above by Steve....I really like the water on the leaf too! I will recommend something for you to try......just the lightest areas around the yellows.....take down the brightness a few points......that may make the center pop and glow even more! Just something for you to toy around with as this is very well done!

John Storjohann
07-30-2011, 06:31 PM
Hi Roman;

Thank you for the suggestion; is this what you had in mind? I appreciate your help!

Bob Miller
07-31-2011, 01:50 PM
John...beautiful work! Toning down the yellows really worked out well. Loving your composition and the water on the leaf! Keep them coming!

John Storjohann
07-31-2011, 03:17 PM
Thank you, Bob...you have me itching to try some images with camera rotation...I love your post in OOB!

Roman Kurywczak
07-31-2011, 03:59 PM
Oh yeah! See how the center now just explodes off the screen?!!! I hope you like it too!

John Storjohann
07-31-2011, 05:29 PM
Roman, I do like it...and I appreciate your time, comments and suggestions. Thank you!