taking the advice seriously

[JBW]

Not from above the flower / good composition? / interesting shadows? / powerful colours? / no cropping and just a little sharpening and a few other minimal tweaks.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Brian,

no cropping and just a little sharpening and a few other minimal tweaks

Was there a reason why you didn't creatively crop this in PP?

For me, I don't think 25% of width from the right hand side adds anything and it could be cropped to just exclude that bright brown bit.

That done, the next thing I would consider are the two brightly lit stems taking the eye out of the image on top or left sides and the bright areas along the bottom edge distract too (especially the sharply defined one in centre) - all could be toned down, or stems cloned out.

To answer your questions;

composition? / interesting shadows? / powerful colours?

only my personal opinion ...
Subject too central and background too distracting / yes / yes

Hope that helps,

[JBW]

Hi Brian,



Was there a reason why you didn't creatively crop this in PP?



For me, I don't think 25% of width from the right hand side adds anything and it could be cropped to just exclude that bright brown bit.

That done, the next thing I would consider are the two brightly lit stems taking the eye out of the image on top or left sides and the bright areas along the bottom edge distract too (especially the sharply defined one in centre) - all could be toned down, or stems cloned out.

To answer your questions;



only my personal opinion ...
Subject too central and background too distracting / yes / yes

Hope that helps,

Yes there were reasons for not cropping creatively and leaving in the background. I took the shot to highlight both the flower and the shaft of sunlight. It is a busy picture but that is why I took it. I tried for the complexity and layered reality of nature. it apparently didn't work quite like I had hoped but that was the thought.

I played around with your suggestions but i ended up with a very dark picture that had its own beauty but it wasn't what i was trying for in this shot. But then again either was my photo.
B