Bird's Nest Orchid

[Thomas Herou]

Slightly cropped and curved.Usm for the web also.
Handheld as usual.

Pentax K-7,Sigma 180/3,5
1/25s,f/5,6,ISO 200

[Julie Kenward]

Very nice, Thomas! I love the way you work a background in your macro images - you do them so well!

I like the DOF here but wonder if a few places aren't oversharpened - just spots here and there. Maybe the plant had water on it that caused the areas to feel this way? Not sure...

[Thomas Herou]

Thanks,Julie!
You have a point about the sharpness.Yes,it had rained and the contrast was
rather low.I shall do the selective sharpness and see if it evens out.

[Dave Mills]

Hi Thomas, Interesting subject. I might suggest a few things.
First I prefer to see a flower like this on a slight angle since it appears static to my eye when it's a straight vertical. In this case I feel the backround might be overpowering the subject making it appear a bit dark. Another possible way of enhancing the flower is using a fill flash.

[Thomas Herou]

Thanks for the input,Dave!
This orchid grows very straight so an angle would look rather odd,
but the idea about a fill flash is very intresting.I shall try that next time
if it's not to late.Even if I like when the motive's not to dominating but melts into the picture

[Roman Kurywczak]

Hey Thomas,
You do get some great BG's!!! Does this plant have a waxy surface? Fill flash at very low power may work but perhaps a reflector would give that little pop and you could definitely control it better! I'm not that bothered by the central comp as the petals have so much interest. 1/25 HH.....very nice technique! I am not that brave!

[Anita Bower]

I admire those of you who can hand-hold macros. I have a hard time hand-holding for landscapes.:)

Lovely little flower. Like someone wrote, I wish the flower were a bit lighter against the beautiful bg. I used curves, and screen blending mode to lighten up the flower. Just an example. I like the straight up and down position.