Garden

Hi Norma!

I like this attempt much better. I think the angle is better. The bench coming out of the side of the frame in the previous photo was a little distracting. I do find the tent in the very back in this version annoying, but sometimes you just have to work with what you have. Its not always possible to pick stuff up and move it. :) Perhaps a different angle still? I can tell that you tried the shallower DOF to minimize it, but I'm not sure if it was enough. I grabbed it and made a darker version that I think calls less attention to the details in the tent and makes it more part of the darker background. That also had the effect of adding more depth to the middle elements like the rock and the wall with flowers. That part was slightly bright. A darker feel is okay given the nature of the weather. What a stormy looking day! Nice wind! I like the movement of the tree branches and how they are slightly blurred. I really think you are on the right track. Sometimes you have to go back multiple times to really capture what you were originally after. There is a photo in my PN gallery of an old dead tree in B&W. I photographed that tree from every angle in all weather in both color and B&W before I got that shot. It was about 5 months from the time I first started trying up until I took that photo and that was the best shot I ever took of it. It pays to be persistent. I'm glad I was because the tree is gone now. It finally succumbed to the ravages of time and collapsed this past fall. Keep going, I think your photography is really improving. Shoot what you love and keep trying to learn. Follow the light and shoot whatever is in it. That's what I try to do.

Where was this photo taken BTW?

Katherine

Thank you as always I appreciate the fact that you make time to come and see my work and help me on the right path.

This photo was taken in my Mothers garden, (Bethal, South-Africa). She is an amazing crafter of plants.

Once again thank you.

Greetings Norma

I took a photo previously at the same place and got very good critique,

so I decided to go back and try again. So this will be my second

attempt.

Thank you for any comments. and for your time.

The high-contrast, high-reflection, shadowy effect from the flash doesn't really work. Try working with natural light a bit more. Aside from that, the advice above is great.

Cheers,

Nancy