New to Post Processing - Flower

[codex0]

I'm just starting to learn post-processing techniques (have had my 20D for two weeks as of today). I was driving home on a cloudy day (just stopped raining), and I saw these by the side of road.

http://codex.i-steve.com/flowera.jpg

ISO 200
Focal Length :64 mm
F 8
1/200 sec

Please critique on processing and composition. Edits welcome. Thanks. :)

[Meerkat17]

Cody,
You might have been better off posting this on the Post Processing forum.

As for the composition I like it but feel it might have been better if the foreground Iris had been more into the picture and less of the background one, I also like the depth of field. Perhaps a little more saturation and also some sharpening will also help make it stand out a little more.
Just my observations.
Regards
David

[Viking Joe]

I like the composition. I get bored looking at a million photos that have "correct" composition. This pic jumps out at me because of the unique composition. I think if the background was blurred a little more and the foreground were sharpened a bit, the composition would be appreciated more.

[Hellashot]

WIth flowers, only the photographer knows what the color actually looked like when the image was taken. So only increase the saturation if you think the color looks pale, which it probably doesn't. It might need more sharpening. The general rule is the smaller the intended image size, the more sharpening you apply.

[garbidz]

OK, since you were asking a Post Process question, here's what I normally do in Photoshop.
I originally got the 4.0 version but you don't have to go about all that stuff with the multiple-undo 7 and up versions.
Normally I take the photo on the screen and press "F" two times to make it full screen.
Then I press "command-R" to get the rulers, "V" to get the pointer tool and pull down some rulers to get an idea if the photo is upright or not. If not, I go to "Image>Rotate Canvas" and set it straight. Then I move about the rulers to get an idea of the sroppable area, choose the crop tool wtih "C" and crop the image. The I do levels. If "command-L" -levels do not give me wnough space to control the lighting, I make a "Levels" adjustment layer, a layer mask and paint the parts I do not want to be affected with a black brush, gradient tool or whatever smear that happens to serve the purpose. As this step robs the image of colour saturation, I make either a "command-U" hues and saturation and add saturation a random 20 per cent, fool around a bit and stomp OK.
Then I create a new layer, push the option key and do "Merge Visible" which getts me a summary of thing done thus far. I duplicate this layer and stare at it for quite a while.
All Stamp tool stuff is better done at this stage, if there are telephone wires or coke cans that you want to blot away...
Then I sharpen it with the Unsharp Mask starting with 2 pixels, amount 70 and levels 8. I fool around for a while paying attention not to make it too "National Geography". When I got the result I like, I duplicate the layer and see if there are parts that need to be blurred away. I play around with transparensy ans and layer masks to get an effect that no amateur will notice. (I hope!)

This is the procedure described in the book "Photoshop Artistry" which comes sith a CD and worksop lessons. I liked it!

I think your photo is beautifully lighted and composed. No trickery will ever save you if these basics are not in line. Have fun!

[PhotosGuy]

Not bad, but my eye needs to see the yellow bits in focus. ;-)

[LadyHawk]

I like the composition. I get bored looking at a million photos that have "correct" composition. This pic jumps out at me because of the unique composition. I think if the background was blurred a little more and the foreground were sharpened a bit, the composition would be appreciated more.

Exactly... ditto!:)