Goldfields

Phil: Works for me. I like your DOF choice and the BG especially. Well done.>=))>

nice and clean

I like it. For the most part it works for me. I'm not sure about the specular highlights, I might like it even more without them.

Phil, I like the bg, which is not only complementary, but has a good vertical gradient.

It is not easy to tell at this scale that the water droplets are on the back of the flower, although the specular highlights clue one in. A larger image would probably show this in better detail.

Provided there was no wind, this would have been a good candidate for a DOF blend.

Other than the aforementioned highlights, which are a bit jarring to me, I really like the simplicity and subtlety of this image.

Thanks for the comments so far. On the highlights, there really seemed to be no way around them. I used a diffuser and tried many different angles, but the highlights still showed up (you should see the result without a diffuser). I totally understand that they are distracting though, at least to some . . . that's the kind of feedback I'm looking for.

Really like the way you composed this, along with a gorgeous BG, definitely works for me.
John

Phil, I have no doubt, instead. It's a beautiful photo for me. The bokeh is splendid and so is the harmony of the warm colors. A summer look in a very simple image.
Cheers.

Phil, I like the placement...super. And the dof as the stem reaches out of the 'fog' and into the clear, the bright, and the sharp. Droplets including the whites are cool. The b/g is ok...again...this is a super minor nit...it looks a little like vertical motion blur added in spots ...probably not...it is just how the lens has created that bokeh. Very nice shot.

Ken, I have to laugh because I know exactly what you mean about the vertical motion blur. But I assure you I didn't monkey with the background at all. This goldfields was by itself just in front of the dense patch of tall, spiky grass in the background, which (together with the aperture) should explain why the bokeh looks as it does.

Simply amazing. It is giving a sort of 3D look - as though the flower is popping out of the greens.
Love the vertical (brush-stroke-like) BG.

The BG is very nicely done and I really like the graceful curve of the flower stem, Phil. The specular highlights do not bother me for the most part, because I know what they are.

Ed

Hi Phil After reading all the comments, There is not much to say. Except considering your past work, you have set the bar very high. and this flower does not let your talents soar.
Albert Darmo Canada

Wow! This is really good! Great comp and colors

Phil, no nits here. Comp, color, lighting, DOF, and BG all look great to me. I also don't mind the "sparkle" created by the highlights on the drops of water.

The bokeh created lines in the background, the drops, and the curve of the flower make this an incredible shot.

Phil,

I like the image very much as posted but have been trying to determine if I'd like the top petals in sharper focus. I think I've decided that I wouldn't. By using a stack and something like Helicon you could still keep your shallow dof, which for me is the striking aspect of the image, and selectively bring into focus whatever you wanted. Again, I think the image is pretty much perfect as posted but if it's the dof you were ambivalent about, Helicon would give you a lot of control. Beautiful image.

Pat

your blurry bg is really nice, agree with the others on the highlights.

Phil, did you capture this at the same shutter speed but at F/8? Not sure if you would have gained much additional dof while underexposing the capture 1/3 stop from this capture but it might have helped, particularly with the oof "hot" dewdrops. I like the bg a lot but the fg petals just seem a bit hot and a bit soft going into the center of the focused part of the blossom. It is a well seen capture and not sure if you were dealing with breezes and movement as an issue. Compositonally it is sweet.