Last Dahlia + Repost

Gallery: Photo ArtPosted January 20, 2013808 views12 comments

I got to this garden very late in the season and only found this one flower worth photographing, but it was a very pretty flower.

I am especially curious about what you think of the amount of detail I left in the background. I could have gone all black, but I liked showing some sense of the surroundings. Or maybe the background is too dark?

Critiques and comments are very welcome and appreciated. Thanks for looking!

Canon 5D3
24-105mm f/4L IS @ 105mm
1/80, f/9.0, ISO 400
Topaz Filters
10-25-12; 11:59am

Comments

12 comments

Comment posted by John Clulow on January 20, 2013 at 4:44 PM

I have looked at this as presented and in the larger version, and while it was late in the season, Carol, you found a flower that was definitely worth photographing. A spectacular flower in both color and form.

As to your question regarding the background detail, I like it because it provides contrast both in color but also in lines; in particular, it provides a diagonal line from upper left towards lower right.

Without the degree of detail in the greenry there, we would be left with a flower floating in a black space, unconnected. As you have presented it, the brilliant colors and sharp forcus remain but they are more connected than they might otherwise have been.

Registered on November 1, 2012, 155 Posts, 1079 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Cothran on January 20, 2013 at 5:43 PM

Your crafting of the flower is superb. The gradient light really adds depth to it. I think the background perfect. Just enough detail so as not to be an abyss.

Registered on December 5, 2012, 31 Posts, 730 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on January 20, 2013 at 7:32 PM

Beautiful flower. The not quite dark background works well for the reasons others have said. I'm not sure if the upper left corner shouldn't be darker or cloned out, as the red catches the eye.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Barb Pflaum on January 21, 2013 at 2:28 PM

I love the lighting, detail, and color in this excellent image of a beautiful flower. I think the bg is perfect, it shows a sense of the surroundings, but is dark enought that the flower really stands out.

Registered on January 14, 2009, 316 Posts, 2724 Comments

Comment posted by David Bush on January 21, 2013 at 8:30 PM

Beautiful flower and well worth the time to photograph. I do like the background as it is, for the same reasons that others have stated. Nice work with this one.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 89 Posts, 317 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Ward on January 22, 2013 at 7:09 PM

Carol,

Wonderful colors and motion in the inner petals. I might like to see a real close crop in a square format. Lose the background and blow us away with the flower! Gorgeous colors.

Registered on February 26, 2009, 304 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Nichols on January 22, 2013 at 7:37 PM

Here's one for you Marc!

Registered on November 7, 2007, 161 Posts, 1420 Comments

Comment posted by Lucy VanSwearingen on January 25, 2013 at 9:17 PM

The re-post is just what I wanted!

Registered on May 23, 2009, 800 Posts, 2042 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on January 26, 2013 at 11:43 PM

Carol: 2 big thumbs up for the repost! >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Marc Ward on January 29, 2013 at 7:10 PM

Carol, I love the repost and all it's balanced proportions. The curled inner petals then give it a wonderful tension.

Registered on February 26, 2009, 304 Posts, 1365 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Ramy on January 31, 2013 at 10:24 AM

Carol,
This is so beautiful, the BG is perfect.
Congrats on the WP . . .

Registered on June 16, 2012, 567 Posts, 2809 Comments

Comment posted by Howard Cheek on February 1, 2013 at 10:08 AM

Great impact, lovely colors & great detail/DOF Carol.
I especially like the fantastic light here, congrats!

Registered on July 24, 2008, 1201 Posts, 10758 Comments