Fall Flowers

Okay -

 

Please, please go easy on me. This is the first photo I've had the nerve

to post for critique. In fact, it's the first photo I've EVER posted online.

(Well, of my own work).

 

I'm sure it's not anywhere near perfect. I'm sure there is a ton wrong

and a ton to work on.

 

It was taken with my new-ish D80. I've been trying to play around with

the settings and learn. I've been reading my D80 book and reading up

on photoshop.

 

This was taken at Gettysburg. Near the visitor center of the battlefield.

I think it was just pure luck that it kinda turned out coolish looking. I

love the color pattern of the flower.

 

It is 100% unaltered. I didn't even get to crop it. The only thing I did

was to resize it so that I could post it. It took me awhile to even figure

out how to do that!

 

So.... first work ever.... eek! Go easy... I'm willing to learn!! Thanks.

Congratulations on your first post here Melinda!

I so well remember the anxiety and trepidation, the excitement and fear over my very own first post here or anywhere too! Now that you have started, things can only get better (albeit, probably slower than you think) as you traverse the ups-and-downs of that now just started learning-cum-experience curve upwards!

Good luck!

Welcome to PN, I'm relatively new here also. Good color in this flower. Keep posting, most of the people here are encouraging. Regards, Holger

To seriously critique this flower, I would say that the color is very good, the blurred BG emphasizes the flower and the image is sharp. From a compositional stand point, I would crop out the yellow petals on the left and right of the photo. They draw the eye away from your subject. I would then crop so that the flower is off center (as per the rule of thirds) to add interest to the image.

 

I've attached the photo as I would crop it. This doesn't mean that my version is correct or the only way to see this flower. It is just how I see it.

 

Good luck with your shooting and I hope this information helps.

to add another look via cropping, I've tossed in one of my own. As Don said there are a number of possibilities.

 

Look at yours, Don's, and mine. Get a feel for what each one does, and then add the ability to chose any one that you feel fits what it is you want to convey.

 

Steve

Thanks, guys...

 

I was a bit bugged that I didn't follow the rule of thirds... at least when I took the photo. Again, this photo is without any adjustments, except to minimize size to post. The cropping is a good idea. I always somehow forget that you can crop to change the point of view!!

You have done well. Good choice of subject.

 

What do I like, the colors just knock me out. What don't I like, too centered, but that is also a fault of mine too.

What would I do differently, move the subject over a bit so it is off center. Copy it and play with the cropping.

 

Just keep shooting and posting!

Melinda, I'm pretty new to photography, so please take this commentary for what it's worth! While I understand the compostitional critiques above, I find that this shot stands up very well as it is, uncropped and unfiddled with... The petals at the edges of the frame actually made this one stand out in comparison to many other flower shots, and I find that all the visual "motion" in the background keeps pulling my eye back to the subject. Excellent first post!