What a difference a day makes!

[Alison]

What a difference a day makes!

I had a "chocolate box" pic in my mind for a particular rose I saw on my ride out/dog walk this morning and wanted it straight from the camera - not even a crop in Photoshop. This is what I got. More to the point I got about a dozen of the same plus another dozen crap-but-in-different-ways ones :bang:

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/lobina/_MG_9278.jpg

I kept going back to the exif on them at work and whilst at times I thought my head would explode, I think I managed to work out what I needed to do differently. I took this single shot on my way home and whilst it's still not exactly the image I want (I'd like it much softer but that doesn't really explain it fully) I'm at least glad that I persevered and learnt something today! :)

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/lobina/IMG_9322.jpg

C + C welcome as always, be as brutal as you like. I'm not 100% happy with it (think I really need to shoot indoors and light the rose properly for the effect I'm after) but it will take a lot to wipe the smile off my face this evening. Unless Grave Digger or whatever his name is comes along maybe :p

[Magnum]

I like it, The lighting is even all the way though.

[CarlyDonna]

Honestly, i really like it, really nice shot!

[Toothie]

i can't see why your not happy with it:thinking:

[4hero]

Nice shot (the second one that is ;)). Good depth of field and you're eye is drawn to the middle with no destractions. Good lighting and shadows also!

[Alison]

Thanks very much for such positive comments!

I'm pleased with it but that's different to being happy about it.

I'm pleased with it because:


Hand held camera (and I don't have the steadiest of hands) on a breezy evening with the rose swaying about yet it's still relatively sharp.
Completely natural harsh but negligible light (plus pic taken in the shade of my own body) and the shadows and highlights look OK nonetheless.
During the intervening hours between which #1 and #2 were taken, I'd figured out what I needed to do and made a big step forward in terms of knowledge. I didn't give up which is quite unusual for me - I'm a notorious quitter!
Taken with with a kit lens that I've never liked or got on with
I almost got there in terms of the shot that I want without having to resort to PP.

I'm not happy because:

It's not the shot that I have in my mind's eye and want to capture. I mentioned chocolate box but I'm not really sure where the idea came from. I have a vague idea that it's something I've seen in an advert for a faintly distasteful product like bog roll, sanitary protection or local government. I wanted something soft and dreamy but not out of focus.

I did do some PP on it on the computer at work today - not much - and printed it out. It still isn't the image that I had in mind but several colleagues asked for copies so it can't be all that bad! :lol:

[Alison]

This was what I was after - probably a bit unrealistic to think I'd be able to get it straight from the camera.

http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l137/lobina/Rose3.jpg