Reaching for the Lightby
KayBEEBComment by kari1: [bold]Critique Club Comment[/bold]
Hi my name is Kari from the Critique Club. Welcome to DPC and your first challenge ... I don't have my normal template but will work through the picture and the pros and cons with you.
My first impression of this shot is that there is a little much going on. It is slightly difficult for the eye to focus on a single point without being distracted by everything else that is happening.
This shot defiantely meets the challenge ... it uses a single source of light and is well lit in that.
The acutal composition is busy. I am not sure what you were aiming for as there are no photographers comments, these are helpful when critiquing for telling people what the aim of the shot was and giving them a foundation to comment on. I think with the type of flower you have choosen, in that there are many petals, it may have benefited from just having a single flower in the shot. The depth of field (achieved through the aperture settings) would be good if this was the case, as it stands the front flower is outside the DOF, therefore is blurred and this detracts from the back flower.
You have worked well towards the rule of thirds with the back flowers centre being on both the vertical and horizontal thirds lines.
The lighting and technicals I will deal with now. I think that you have lit the flowers from the right side, as there is a small area of flare where the camera has no data for the shot (this is the white area in the petals towards the back) ... by changing the angle of the light source this can be avoided.
You may improve the scoring potential of this shot through going down to one flower, changing the DOF ...and possibly through changing the angle of the light source... giving one all all of these a shot may create a crisper image that will score better.
In wrap up I think you have done fantastic with your first entry and know that you will be creating many more interesting entries to come.
If you have any questions about the critque feel free to PM me.
Cheers
Kari
Photographer found comment helpful.