Middle of a Magnolia & Repost

It's a good image, Lori, but I question the shallow DOF. I have no problem with shallow dof for artisitic interpretations (see my last two flora posts and Yun's flora post today just before yours), but you've lost what I think is critical focus here in what is a fairly "straight" floral portrait shot. Most viewers would want to see the entire center here in focus, and particularly the center of the center. Just my opinion, of course.

Also, Lori, if you really are "here to learn," as you say, then I encourage you to start to critically study and comment on images other than your own. Try to determine what you like and why, and what you don't like and why, in other images. If you put this in writing, you'll learn as you go. 

I love the BG lines of the flower - and I love the 'tendril' look to the center.  To me, I wish that the very tip of the center was in focus.  That area of blur to me is distracting.

I agree with Scott about commenting on other people's photos.  That is one area where I have learned the most.

Nathan

Agree with the earlier comments. I'd also like to see the whole center in sharp focus. Nice perspective and lovely colours.
Sandy

Good composition idea, but I agree with the others. I remember struggling with critiques at the beginning and feeling resentment at the critiques of my own work, but I must say I found it critical to improvement in the long run. I have learned and unlearned so much over the years, for which I am humbly grateful.

i agree with much that has been said, Lori, but I would also stress that I like enormously the minimalism of this image - the composition is excellent I feel, with the radiating lines of the petals giving just enough definition beyond the flower centre.
 

Lori: I'm a bit tardy commenting on this and really don't have much to add to the others. For me personally very fine details at the POF need to be sharp, certainly those closest to the camera. As for critiquing other work I can't commend that enough. The discipline of examining another image carefully is one of the most important factors in my photographic growth. As you can see by the number of comments I've made over the years I look at and evaluate a lot of images for the pure enjoyment of it and to figure how I might emulate good technique and avoid bad. Jump in, the water's fine! >=))>

Better late than never, I hope?  Here's the Magnolia stamen and tendrils recropped with the focus on the tip. Personally, I think I like this one better than the original, except for the color, which seems a bit off to me. Hope you all find this one more appealing, but open to critiques, as always.
 Thanks so much!

Hi Lori, I am new here, and so I am not totally confident of my comments towards other's photos, with such a host of great photographers at this site.  But I think maybe what those that have commented already on the original submission are saying is, that they like everything about it pretty much, but would like to see the center of the flower also in focus.  Now, the photo is already taken, and the flower has probably wilted and gone, so you can't fix that one.  But, knowing what to do the next time, that will help you.  To understand why the center is out of focus is important.  I suspect that you probably focused on some other part of the flower, and since the center is closest to the lens, that became out of focus, because your f-stop was at f4, meaning the lens was almost wide open, and hence, it has a very shallow depth of field (distance of focus).  What you want to do the next time you are taking a beautiful composition of a lovely flower like this, is try setting your f-stop higher, to something like f16.  That isn't going to let much light into the camera, so now you will either have to put the camera on tripod because the shutter speed is too slow to be hand holding it, or, push the ISO up to probably around 800.  Check your meter and see what it says.  If I may recommend to you a book that has helped me greatly, it is called "Understanding Exposure" by Bryan Peterson.  He explains, in a very easy to understand way, how to get a creative "correct exposure" so that you do get all of the flower in focus, while still getting a correct exposure.  I hope this helps.  Wishing you the best as you grow with each of us in our quest to be better photographers.