a sense of wonder...

My personal opinion is that A & R have many "many" amazing photos, but this is not one of them. Although it attracted my eyes at first glance, the more I look at it the less I like it. Too many things distract the eyes, of which the "in focus" portion of the green leave below right, the impression there are too many layers overlapping as if I can see many reflections of the background one over the other, in addition to the banding as mentioned by many before me. I conclusion, I believe that original photo could be re-worked differently and has the potential of becoming the amazing photo we almost see at the first glance.

Alex Shishin's disgustingly stupid presentation of his views is also moronic. Why not articulate criticism without resorting to junior high school level sentiment?

If Fred G. happens to disagree with anything I say let him be specific. Where is he "sense of wonder"?

I am amused that whatever it is he finds "disgustingly stupid" in my posting he likewise considers "also moronic." A tad redundant.

And why does he have to make a disparaging remark about junior high schools? Lots of junior high school students produce better photographs than this horrid Photo of the Week.

I don't see a sense of wonder either. I wasn't disagreeing with your points. I was taking exception to your tone. As a matter of fact, I agree with most of the substance of your critique. And I chose my words to give you a bit of your own medicine. I see how much it bothers you to have been spoken to like that. Why dish out what you don't seem to want to take yourself?

Oh well, Fred G., thanks for the support. I don't think you gave me either a piece of my own medicine or any viable nontraditional alternative. I think you shot yourself in foot.

But never mind.

Week after week I've seen rubbish being enthroned as "Photograph of the Week." Week after week I've offered pointed but civilized critiques of those dreadful photographs and my despair over their undeserved honors (being eternal virtual trophies).

Only it got worse. When I saw this abomination I decided it was time for something like Artaud's lecture on "The Theatre and the Plague" at the Sorbonne in 1933. Rather than give an objective lecture he acted out dying of the plague, groaning, shrieking, gagging and so on, much to this audience's dismay. Later Artaud told Anais Nïn, “They always want to hear about it; they want to hear an objective conference on ‘The Theater and the Plague,’ I want to give them the experience itself, the plague itself, so they will be terrified, and awaken. I want to awaken them. Because they do not realize they are dead. Their death is total, like deafness and blindness. This is agony I portrayed. Mine yes, and everyone who is alive.”

I realize I did not go quite as far as Artaud. But maybe the "elves" got the point. Then went street after this.
If I see another flower abomination I just might do the fully monty, Artaud-wise. :-)

There are people in this world are just downright miserable or, otherwise, craving of attention that they do not receive themselves.

True Ri@k. And some who take cruddy photographs of flowers and and title their excretions "A Sense of Wonder." I'll take my stand with the "downright miserable" before the former.

This is a very nice image. All the discussion about competition from DOF, background, etc is purely a matter of personal taste. I would be interested in knowing how the image was produced and with what equipment. Thanks.

I mean, everybody takes or tries to take photos of flowers. However, it would have never occurred to me to take one from that angle.

Nothing to say for the composition and lighting. Simply superb.

I love this photo.

A very soft and gentle to feel to it - very peaceful.

Great sharpness of the nearest flowers stamens and great background.

:-)

Great!