Poppy

A very nice result with beautiful colors and details, Len!

Always a treat to get a visit from you.  Thanks for the vote of confidence.  Best, LM.

Amazing details and colors. One member (Carsten Ranke) here a couple of years ago lectured and schooled me about sensors emphasizing red much like Kodachrome did. It ends up being an artistic decision whether one wishes to reduce the red saturation which allows more details in the red portion or leave it in its current form so that the details in the interior of the flower becomes our focus.

No recommendation here - just food for thought.

I had Carsten bookmarked as one of my 'interesting' photographers.  I still miss his participation.  Perhaps he'll come back.  Funny you should mention the red saturation.  With this shot I found it too saturated 'right out of the camera' so I actually ended up reducing the red saturation in Photoshop.  Gotta love the robustness of that program.  Thanks for stopping by.  Best, LM.

Dear Len

As you have said and Tony commented, I also have the same feeling that the red colour need to desaturated in somehow. I don't know if this version satisfy our taste? as it also has a more details. all the best

My post already reflects a reduction in the red that was in the original file but perhaps I didn't go far enough.  Your version is probably closer to the scene that was actually presented to my camera.  I'll invoke 'artistic license' here and leave my original post as is so others can better understand the range of choices available.  Thanks for taking the time & effort to make a very good point.  Best, LM.

Red is always difficult. Often it bumped to much by camera specs to impress "uncle John". I like a lot how you composed it and I like what Museeb did with saturation. Cheers!

My digital camera (Canon A540) seems to exaggerate red even when I program it for 'normal' saturation.  Normally, for landscapes, there's no problem but I often have to reduce the red saturation when dealing with pictures of people.  Nature of the beast I guess. I'll take the bow for the composition and give the credit for 'normalizing' the saturation to Museeb.  What a team!  Best, LM.

The detail in the center of the flower and in the stem is amazing and the center of the flower has a glitter look to it that I like.  I must admit I like what Museeb did with the red petals but I'd like to see how his version looked with just a wee bit more saturation.  

Thanks for your input.  It goes to show that the 'sweet' spot is different for everyone and your suggestion would work for me as well.  Other than adjusting the red saturation and a tad of sharpening I left the bloom alone, though in the spirit of non-deception I do admit to a bit of photoshop hanky panky in the softening of the background leaves.  Best, LM.

I like the softer  red of your original,as the suggestion offered by Museeb is  'shouting" red,  and at the end it is a personal taste. The details and BG are complementary colors, and the placing at  the frame with the flower's center is very well executed!

Some people (Ken Rockwell) love colours that 'shout'.  I'm usually not one of them but I respect others' preferences.  Placing the bloom in the center tends to emphasize it.  Thus the square crop.  A rectangular vertical crop would have shown more of the plant but at the expense of the bloom size.  I have to own that decision.  Always a pleasure to get your take on my images.  Many thanks.  Best, LM.

The red looks gorgeous on the screen. But you loose a lot of details, especially in an ordinary  print. The desaturated version on the other hand looks less dramatic, while perhaps closer to reality. I tried to bring back some of the details from the desaturated version by using the edge-detection filter and superimposing on the color-saturated version. compliments -koushik

I haven't tried to print this one yet but you are right, some desaturation (perhaps not as much as Museeb's version, but close) would be in order.  Thanks for taking the time & considerable effort to produce your version.  Something here for everyone.  Best, LM.

If I was going to stay with 'saturated', I think I would stick with yours Len. It is a difficult color. Printing it might make up your mind, I find it works for me. Lovely detail and the middle of the poppy is beautiful as well!

Good of you to weigh in here.  This one is getting more attention than I thought it would.  The more opinions we get the easier it is to obtain an accurate consensus.  Seems that most like the saturated version with, perhaps, the 'edge' taken off it.  That's the way I think I'd print it.  It was the bluish material in the center of the bloom that prompted me to take this one.  I liked the contrasting colours.  Thanks for your thoughts.  Best, LM.

We seem to have the three bears versions of saturation here, too much, too little and just right.

I think Koushiks demonstrates the best balance of detail and colour, but in the world of art and photography there is no right and wrong, just our own personal perceptions of it.

I quite like the original, it just celebrates the colour!

Best Regards

Alf

The very fact that we get a variety of personal perceptions on these, our  offerings, is in itself educational.  Get's the old artistic juices flowing.  As an example:  I must agree with Museeb's take on it though I wouldn't go quite as far as he did. Even though I think his version is closer to what actually was presented to me I'd still invoke 'artistic license' and increase his saturation a bit.  Who'd have thought that 'Goldilocks' would have influenced our lives so deeply?  :-)  Thanks for your thoughts.  Best, LM.

Len.. I always remind Photo.net with a thankfulness as I have learned a lot from him. And I also would like to thank you that you appreciate the proposed versions. Just for further discussion…

I was keen to be balanced in saturation ( with muted colours ) and textures as to keep the splendor softness of petals as it is. Koushiks suggestion made more appealing colours but the black spots make the flower as all appear jagged ( Of course, from my viewpoint ).

Looking forward for more versions, as to find the Goldilocks. best regards

Many thanks for your follow up.  It simply shows that everyone has an inner artist waiting to surface.  Some come closer to consensus than others but all are appreciated.  To further expand your horizons I refer you to this video.  :-)  Best, LM.

Beautiful shot and I agree with the square, centered composition. I like the punch of the original posting's colours.

I actually clicked on your video link and was enraptured by Goldilocks all over again!

Great to hear from you again.  I'm not surprised that an old Velvia fan such as yourself prefers the punchier version.  Since I have full control over the amount of saturation it's no problem to dial in exactly what I want.  Should I ever print this one I'll likely dial it down a tad but perhaps not as much as Museeb has done. (though I've already conceded that his version is probably closer to what I actually saw initially)  Don't be a stranger.  Best, LM.

Thanks for your repeat visit.  It's good for my ego. :-)  I have to say that I love the 'link' feature here.  Been using it a lot lately.  Best, LM.