Just One Bleeding Heart

[Bob Miller]

One of my favorite flowers from my garden.
Nikon D-300
1/125 sec f5.6
ISO 800
Tamron 90 mm f/2.8 Macro
blended bg a bit-Thank you Jules

[Julie Kenward]

And a lovely job you did on the BG, Bob! That is one perfect bleeding heart! I think you might be able to compose this a little better, though. Try bringing the stem on the left in from the bottom instead of the side. (It always feels more 'natural' if the stem enters from the bottom of the frame.) Also, if you can't get the two buds to be in focus, you might try one of two things - blend two frames together with the buds in focus on one and the heart in focus on the other...OR...cut the frame so just the stem and heart remains.

It's not that there is anything wrong with the buds being OOF but, for some reason, I find it distracting here - maybe because they are so close to the focal plane? If they were more in the BG I don't think I'd think twice about them but here they bug me. Let's see what the others say...

Overall, it's still a really lovely image. That heart steals the show!

[Nick Palmieri]

Agree with Jules on the perfect bleeding heart! Nice exposure, very nice light on this one. My only critique would be to not have the main subject so dead center.

[Ramesh Adkoli]

I liked the Beautiful colors and soft light here, Bob. Agree with Nick, the flower being in dead center takes away a possibly stronger composition. TFS.

regards,
ramesh

[Stuart Frohm]

I understand the point about placement off center, and many of my photos have benefited from off-center placement.

But I have no problem with the placement in the photo "Just One Bleeding Heart."

And I like both the slight diagonal and the V of the stem at left and also the V of the stem above the bleeding heart's stem.

Bravo! Thanks for posting the photo.

[Mike Moats]

I'm going to agree with Stu on this one. I think it balances well with the subjects right and left. I do agree some more focus on the buds would be nice.

[Ken Childs]

I also don't mind the flower in the center. The stem and bud balance it out nicely but I do wish the bud was in focus.

[Jerry van Dijk]

Nothing to add to the advice already given, but some extra compliments for your work on the BG, the lovely colors and lighting.

[Dave Woeller]

I also agree with the comments given, and I give super credit for that soft silky backround.

[Bob Miller]

Thanks so much for the comments and suggestions. I don't know how I could have gotten the buds in focus without going to a higher aperture and then I would lose the bg
Jules...If I go with a blend ...would I not have to use the same aperture on each so the bg stays the same?

[Anita Bower]

This flower is just perfect, and perfectly beautiful! It is mesmerizing. Simple and lovely.