Bugs and Blooms

[terrib]

My camera was set up for flying birds which actually worked to my advantage since the wind was blowing so much and I was handholding a 400mm lens.

#1


#2 Wild Rose at the back of our property



#3 More Wild Roses



#4 Thistle with visitor. I had the hardest time with the color on this one. As shot it had a blue color cast but I had a difficult time finding a balance messing with the WB and hues sliders in LR. This one has the Saturation brought down quite a bit in the background green.



#5 I really liked this little guy. I know technically there are some blown highlights but the light reflections were what drew me to him so I think they are valid.

[Bobobird]

Excellent set Terri. All pin sharp and beautiful creamy backgrounds. Lovely.

[Mike Buckley]

Very nice, Terri!

I'm intrigued by the unique composition of the thistle. For a completely different, more traditional look, if your master has more space on the two sides, consider cropping to eliminate the major part of the rear thistle and cloning the background to eliminate its stem. I'm thinking of a square crop.

I wonder what you and others think about eliminating the rear plant in the last one.

[terrib]

Thanks Bobo and Mike for taking time...

Mike, thanks for noting that the composition was unique. THIS time it was purposeful but I think I would like your suggested crop and clone just as much. But mine was easier.

I'm expecting that there will be several that would rather see the extra plant cloned out of the last one. That one was not on purpose and I'd rather see it gone too. I'm really hoping that LR5 does have better cloning tools than LR4 as they say it does because LR4 tools take too much time to look natural IMHO. In this regard my previous software, Aperture, was much better. But I digress. Ultimately I decided since it mimicked the foreward stem so nicely that I was ok leaving it.

[nimitzbenedicto]

Hi Terri,

Gosh, with your hand-holding lens expertise, who needs a tripod?!

[FootLoose]

Blow the highlights, Terri, the last one is a great capture.

[Brownbear]

Beautiful photos Terri. And #5 is stunning... beautiful light and detail. I think it is just fine with the branch as it adds interest and a sense of depth.

[Cantab]

Terri, a really great set of photos. The first dragonfly caught my attention but then I saw there were further photos so now I don't know whether it or one of the roses is my favourite.

I'll have to try using 400mm for flowers, etc. It certainly worked in these photos.

[terrib]

Thanks Victor, Greg, Christina and Bruce for your comments. Very much appreciated. I may have to go out and search for the golden dragonfly again.