Unnatural Nature

[Shadowman]

Even though this isn't the sort of style that I like, it impresses me more than any of your other photos at least that come to mind. I agree with the others that this could be one of a series of images.

Just a couple of suggestions you have probably already thought of: Consider anchoring at least one of the objects to the frame for a different effect that you may or may not like. Strongly consider attending to the black background; it's got just enough tonal variation that it seems to be a mistake that you either intended everything to be total black and missed or that you intended to have some tonal variation but didn't use enough of it.

Mike,

Thanks for the comments, critique, and suggestions.

[Downrigger]

I like this image very much. Rich tones. The variable size of the pods and that they are variably lit gives affords it a sense of depth. It helps me want to explore still life images more, myself. I wonder if there is a way to address the fairly even dispersal of the objects across the frame - it seems to me typically objects in a still life relate to each other often by overlapping. That said - I am not sure how I would approach that here.

[Shadowman]

I like this image very much. Rich tones. The variable size of the pods and that they are variably lit gives affords it a sense of depth. It helps me want to explore still life images more, myself. I wonder if there is a way to address the fairly even dispersal of the objects across the frame - it seems to me typically objects in a still life relate to each other often by overlapping. That said - I am not sure how I would approach that here.

Mark,

Thanks for the comments. Still life photography is new for me, I've painted them in the past and it's usually easy to arrange a bowl of fruit

This arrangement was an attempt at a 3-D effect, so I arranged the buds at different levels to sort of push/pull the viewer's eyes. With the leaves I tried placing them at odd angles against an ordinary picture plane. Do you feel that the buds are placed at an equal distance or that the leaves are too close to the foreground?

[Downrigger]

Do you feel that the buds are placed at an equal distance or that the leaves are too close to the foreground?

Not sure how to put it, John. Please understand I'm "self-uneducated". As I said, I like the rich hues, and the feel of depth you've created, but wonder if there's a way to make the objects work better together - they just seem in general more dispersed and independent than would be optimum, but a more specific critique or suggestion escapes me.