Fill-Flash Flower

[bthurlow]

Here's one I took somewhere along Rt 126 on Tuesday during a magnificent sunset that followed an afternoon T-storm. I used a flash (20D built-in) to keep from silhouetting the flower against the backlight. Any feedback & suggestions on this is appreciated...

[guitarman]

I love it. Very brilliant colors.

[Radtech1]

I think it is a wonderful shot, and, truth be told, I was expecting to not like it.

Fill flash shots usually look pretty bad. The most common problem is the color temp of the flash completely not matching the background. Here, with the selection of the yellow flower, it matches very well.

I think that the balance of the shot is well executed - note that the flower is facing into the blank area of the frame and in doing so, includes the emptiness as part of the composition. The shot would be ruined if it had been framed with the flower on the left half.

I expect a poster further down will say that the out of focus flower on the bottom should be cloned out as a distraction. Not so! It does catch the eye, but rather than a distraction, think of it as the perfect irritant to the flower. It pulls your eyes, but then you go back to the flower and get a second chance at looking at it. And again, and again. A tension that would not be there without it. Additionally, it adds a context. That this is part of a group, not an isolated flower.

Lastly, if there is anything I don't like it would be the dark lower right corner. So what. Minor bother in an otherwise wonderful shot.

Well done.

Rad

[Suedezu]

Couldn't agree more with Radtech1 about the out-of-focus flower. It plays an important role in the composition.

The think the I like more about your picture is the range of colours captured. Excellent work!

[bthurlow]

Thanks for the comments, guys! Radtech -- these are some awesome comments on composition; I hope you find some more critique requests of mine in the future...

To be honest, my biggest concern was the color/white balance between foreground and background. The flower came out with a bit less brightness and warmth than I had initially hoped for.

If one is to correct for the white balance of a flash, how does one accomplish this? I assume gel filters are a way to go, but what's out there, and how do you know what to pick?

[tim]

Beautiful photo, lovely colors.

[ephereal]

great shot!