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Nasturtium
Nasturtium
pechka


Photograph Information Photographer's Comments
Challenge: Black & White II (Basic Editing I)
Camera: Olympus C-4000Z
Location: backyard
Date: Nov 13, 2004
Galleries: Nature, Black and White
Date Uploaded: Nov 14, 2004

N/A

Statistics
Place: 481 out of 636
Avg (all users): 4.6498
Avg (commenters): 4.5833
Avg (participants): 4.4887
Avg (non-participants): 5.0208
Views since voting: 690
Views during voting: 399
Votes: 317
Comments: 13
Favorites: 0


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AuthorThread
11/30/2004 01:11:09 AM
Hello from the Critique Club.

Initial Thoughts

Interesting view of plant life, but a little fuzzy and flat. Sure don't like that shadow.

Composition / Content

Your composition is pretty nice here, although I think it may be cropped just a little too closely at the bottom. Nothing really screams "great" however, and your choice of subject, while it *is* an interesting viewpoint, isn't all that inspiring. Last, but not least, the shadow across the main leaf here really doesn't do anything for the photo, is pretty distracting, and kind of takes away from a "sunburst" look the leaf could have had without it. Try experimenting with angles and perspectives to try and eliminate aspects such as this.

Background

I think it's a little distracting that the lower layer of leaves isn't more out of focus. A shallower depth of field may have helped here.

Camera Work - Technical

Hard to know what to suggest when there's no information on what settings you used to take this, but closing down the aperature, and zooming in as much as possible could have helped get a shallower DOF. (I'm well aware how difficult it is to achieve this on a compact digi-cam though). Your exposure seems to be ok, but your focus is a little soft.

Digital Processing

This image is lacking a little bit of contrast I think, so some work with that could be beneficial. A little more work with USM or other sharpening methods would help the soft focus as well.

Fits the Challenge

It's grey-scale, so fits the challenge.

My Opinion on the Photo

Not a huge botany fan, but you've done a good enough job capturing the essence of the plant. A few minor details in processing and camera work could improve this shot a lot. Don't be afraid to take dozens of photographs from all kinds of views and angles. That's a real benefit of digital. Good luck in the future.
 Comments Made During the Challenge
11/23/2004 06:28:11 PM
The shadow on the front leaf is distracting
11/21/2004 01:00:34 PM
I think it's quite nice. Reminds me of a walk I took with a high school sweetheart back on '01. We were walking along poking each other in the ribs as we often did, we we came upon a peculiar leaf in the middle of the path. She said it resembled the tree star from Land Before Time. I told her she was crazy. Sher looked me in the eye and just started laughing. She said, "You're the only one I can be this stupid around." That's when she kissed me.
(8)
11/20/2004 01:01:27 PM
Maybe if the camera was further back or at a different angle, you wouldn't get the shadow of it hovering over your subject.
11/20/2004 06:16:20 AM
nasturtium is so very photogenic, isn't it! it's one of my own favorite models, too... however, i would like to see the whole, uncropped leaf in the picture...
11/20/2004 01:44:32 AM
nice detail. Like the shadow too.
11/18/2004 07:28:49 PM
the shadow of the photographer takes away from the composition
11/18/2004 05:32:02 PM
is that your shadow?
11/18/2004 03:06:19 PM
I would give it a more contrast to bring out leaf textures..
11/18/2004 11:08:52 AM
Is that your shadow?
11/17/2004 10:21:41 PM
Strange shadow across the middle of your shot.
11/17/2004 02:29:11 PM
nice
11/17/2004 06:44:21 AM
soft left side distracts from otherwise cool photo.


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