Flower suggestions?

[MCB]

I like this image, but am trying to improve my technique. Any suggestions to make it more interesting? Anything I can do with the composition to improve it? Lighting problems I'm missing?

thanks

[BrandonSi]

That out of focus front area literally hurts my eyes. crop it out!! It's a really good composition though, the contrast between the flower and the brick/concrete is great.

[Leorooster]

Nice composition and contrast. I love the idea. It might look better if you crop out the bottom 1/5 of the pic. Thanks for sharing.

[MCB]

That out of focus front area literally hurts my eyes. crop it out!! It's a really good composition though, the contrast between the flower and the brick/concrete is great.

Is the foreground blur that bad? I mean, I know it's blurry, that's on purpose. But does it look that bad? Is it any amount of foreground blur that's hurting your eyes (too out of focus), or is it just too large of an area (but an acceptable amount of blur)?

Thanks for the input.

[Leorooster]

MCB, I think it's just personal taste. Personally the blurred foreground doesn't really bother me. If you cropped out all the blurred areas, all left would just be "a flower". Therefore, I would not suggest you crop out the blurry area, but again it's my preference (no offense Brandon:) ).

[MCB]

Right, there's a lot of personal opinion and individual taste involved. But it's good to hear what other people think, even if you don't agree. :)

Here's a cropped version. I think I like the composition better in the original. But I can see where the blur could be annoying. I like the line formed by the step, and the way it leads the eye to the flower. I think cropping it diminishes that effect and makes it a bit less interesting. And I like the idea of lots of nicely textured concrete with a little flower in the middle. Zooming in to much on the flower ruins the mood a bit.

But that flower is growing on the steps between my parking lot and yard, so I can reshoot as many times as I like. :) I can try one with a better depth of field so I get the same composition as the first version, but with less blur in the foreground.

Thanks for taking the time to reply. :)

[Meerkat17]

I have to agree with BrandonSi - the second looks much better
Regards

[Littlenose]

the second shot brings it to life if you ask me

well done ! :D

[MCB]

So you guys think the lack of foreground blur does the trick, or is it the tighter crop that makes it work better?

Part of the original idea was this little flower surrounded by concrete. I feel like it's losing that a bit with a tighter crop.

Thoughts on that?

[martin-images]

Hi MCB
My thoughts are that the first picture is well balanced and for me the blur leads ones eye to the flower, the second picture looks now, out of balance and top heavy, leave the first as it is it looks good and your idea works for me

Martin
www.martin-images.smugmug.com

[GPR1]

I think the issue with the crop is bringing the flower into prominence as the subject of the image, while still allowing enough of the gray to make the image. My thought is that cropping the bottom is most important; you could leave more of the left side if you wanted. I wouldn't be stuck with any particular aspect ratio. That said, I would prefer the leading line not be out of focus in this case.

Greg

[pcDigiMan]

I like both but favor the first:lol: . It shows beauty even a harsh enviroment can exist and thrive. The first shot is fine:lol: .

[PhotosGuy]

I don't mind the blur & think the 2nd crop off the bottom seems to take it too much out of context. It's hard to tell as the pic is bigger than my monitor. I'd say add some back in the bottom & take a bit off the top, but it could be that I'm used to looking at 8X10"s.
Maybe I just want to see more. Have you tried a horizontal shot, or one with more stone showing?

[Croasdail]

I have to go with the second - just to stir things up. To me, it clearly makes the flower the predominant force in the image. In the first, it is a little more incidental. Without seeing the other though, I think you would find both are equally fine.

[MCB]

First off, thanks for all of the great replies. Everyone's suggestions have been very helpful.

So here's a new one. Better? Worse? So tired of looking at this darn flower that you just don't care anymore? I think i'm in the third group. :)

I think I like this layout a bit better. Any ideas or suggestions?
Thanks again.

Oh, and a big thanks to Mike for the great frame script. I love it. :)

[Meerkat17]

I like it:D
Much better in MHO

Regards

[PhotosGuy]

That does it for me! It looks as if there's another step at the left which further isolates the blossom.
Maybe someone will write a play about it, "A Pansy Grows in Boston". Oh, wait... :D:D:D:D

[MCB]

That does it for me! It looks as if there's another step at the left which further isolates the blossom.
Maybe someone will write a play about it, "A Pansy Grows in Boston". Oh, wait... :D:D:D:D

Haha... are you sure you aren't from New York? ;)

I was kind of thinking of adjusting the crop so that the edge of that step on the left lines up with the lower left corner of the picture. Would that improve the symmetry a bit, or is it nice to see that there is something beyond that edge? (yeah, I'm obsessing ove it.)

[PhotosGuy]

I like the space there. It implies more stairs below.
Actually, I was born in NYC, lived in NJ 5 years, & moved to Michigan. ;-)