Wood Lily

Gallery: FloraPosted October 27, 2015197 views5 comments

I have not been posting much in Flora lately because most of my efforts seem "documentary" complared to the artful presentations in this gallery. For this wood lily, I got away from my usual "everything in focus" mode so I could isolate the flower from its busy environment, so I think it looks just a little artistic. The petiolate shape of this flower's petals fascinate me, so I wanted to illustrate that (yep, I am still more of an illustrator than an artist, but I am comfortable with that). To accomplish that separation from the background, I perched my tripod on a little hill above the plant, and shot it from above using 210mm. at f/4. Since it's huge for a wildflower, I ended up making a 12-image stack to get the petals in focus, thanks to an afternoon with no breeze.

All in all, I am not totally satisfied with this, but I can't pinpoint exactly why. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Canon 7D2; Sigma 150mm. Macro + 1.4 TX (210 mm.)
1/00 sec. @ f/4; ISO 320
12 images stacked in PSCC

Comments

5 comments

Comment posted by Nathan Buck on October 28, 2015 at 11:29 AM

Hi Wayne. I am glad to see you posting. I like your environmental (documentary) photos and am glad that you posted this one also. I wonder if you are not completely happy with the results because the flower is more or less centered left to right and top to bottom. I wonder if shifting that placement a bit might help. I do like what you have acheived with the sharpness and color of the bloom.

I hope that you will keep posting your efforts for us! As Bill F. used to say, "If it grows, it goes!"

Nathan

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1101 Posts, 13589 Comments

Comment posted by Philip Hodgkins on October 28, 2015 at 10:01 PM

Wayne, first I like the flower and the effect of the stack, both the fadeaway of the lower stem and the well blurred BG. It is a good illustration of a seldom seen flower. As an artist, I would add to this solid base with perhaps a ND gradient from the bottom and a bit more contrast and color in the petals. A warm up wouldn't hurt, either. In the actual capture, a little less symmetry and centering would have been worth considering. I am not trying to recommend jazzing this up, just some light touches here and there. Enhancement is awfully easy to overdo.
devil

Registered on July 24, 2006, 2741 Posts, 12349 Comments

Comment posted by Giuseppe Guadagno on October 29, 2015 at 6:19 PM

Hi Wayne. I think that it is an excellent portrait of a splendid flower. If you are not totally sutisfied of this work the reason could be, for my eyes, the reflexions on the petals that fade their nice color. A circular polarizer filter would have helped, I think. In editing Photoshop can help. Anyway I love the image.

Registered on February 3, 2007, 827 Posts, 5052 Comments

Comment posted by Dennis Plank on October 29, 2015 at 10:09 PM

Lovely job on the Lily, Wayne. To my eye, the compositoin could use a bit more room at top and possibley a touch less on the bottom. The severely oof bottom leaves don't add anything for my taste.

devil

Registered on January 28, 2008, 1767 Posts, 23192 Comments

Comment posted by scott lanz on October 30, 2015 at 8:07 AM

This is a good image Wayne. If you are going for a more artistic vs. documentary look, my issue with this image is the busy bg, including mostly the brightness of the wood lily leaves which distract from the flower. I also agree with Gigi's suggestion about the using a polarizer to control the shine on the petals (and leaves).

Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments