Critique Day with Isabella (Plantation!)

[Mauri3205]

A day out in Isabella Plantation. I was trying to do macro with the Fuji 18-55 f2.8-4 but I am definitely running to the edge of what I can achieve with this lens. My goal was to practice what I have been learning from all of the community members here. Feedback and criticism more than welcome.

Just found my color​

https://flic.kr/p/2m2EKeB

View: https://flic.kr/p/2m2EKeB

I am feeling blue​

https://flic.kr/p/2m2PUAn

View: https://flic.kr/p/2m2PUAn

This is how to arch your back​

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This is how to arch your back

flic.kr

Hungry eyes​

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Hungry eyes

flic.kr

Is this how a virus is made?!​

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Is this how a virus is made?! 2

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Am I pink enough?​

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Am I pink enough?

flic.kr

More shots I enjoyed in the album

Richmond Park 2021/05/30

All except the landscape were shot in Isabella Plantation

flic.kr

 

[nandbytes]

Isabella plantation is wonderful. I have used the place more to get some portraits than actually flower shots.

I find photographing flowers really well or in an enticing way to be a fair bit of a challenge.
I like your witty titles for your shots and in case of insects it certainly helped in spotting the little creepy crawly which I would have missed otherwise.
I would say you need to give more attention to your composition and background. The backgrounds are rather distracting and do not really add much to your pictures.
Always having your subject in the centre may not be the best of ideas though its not necessarily bad if it works for your composition.
You might have better luck by getting closer to your subjects (try extension tubes for example). Also avoid having distracting elements in the corners of the frame. simple images are easier on the eyes and more pleasing than crowded images with a lot going on.

hope that helps...

 

[Mauri3205]

Very helpful thank you for the feedback. I agree with you that some images are too busy, I guess some cropping would help like I have done below to alleviate that though the longer term option is to use tubes as you suggest or preferably a macro lens.

I got a stronger reaction when I cropped my images, for example the below evoked a much better response when shared with friends, to the extent they thought it was a different set altogether. Incidentally just like you mentioned the subjects are not at the centre of the image here and it is less busy. Do these work better in your opinion?

https://flic.kr/p/2m2YAxM

View: https://flic.kr/p/2m2YAxM

https://flic.kr/p/2m2ZFXV

View: https://flic.kr/p/2m2ZFXV

https://flic.kr/p/2m2ZFZd

 

[nandbytes]

Cropped version does definitely focus the attention. Unfortunately the pictures were busy to start with, for example in the second picture you have red flowers(?) in two different parts of the image and the caterpillar in the the other side. so three things grabbing attention rather than leading to your subject.
If you are going to make your subject relatively small in the picture you need to kinda lead the attention to it.

Here's an example with leaf's midrib(s) leading to the subject (not saying its perfect by any means but you get the point on "leading viewers attention to the subject")

p.s. All of this is just practice practice and more practice. you will slowly get better at it. Its good that you have gone out and seen what's possible, next time you go try something different and so on and so forth till it clicks
it eventually will.

 

[Mauri3205]

I see what you mean there. I'll keep it in mind for my next outing and try again.

 

[Deleted member 34016]

Buy a dedicated Macro lens is my advice

It will help isolation subject when shot at f2.8 - like this one of mine taken last year- Sony 90mm f2.8 macro lens - well worth the expense

Les

 

[Mauri3205]

I just realised my response to @Lez325 from my phone was not posted! I am looking at the Fuji 80mm f2.8 or the Samyang 100mm f2.8 but for the time being I want to hold off on expenses my wife might notice, perhaps next time she travels and leaves me at home I can slip the lens in to the collection unnoticed

 

[Deleted member 34016]

I just realised my response to @Lez325 from my phone was not posted! I am looking at the Fuji 80mm f2.8 or the Samyang 100mm f2.8 but for the time being I want to hold off on expenses my wife might notice, perhaps next time she travels and leaves me at home I can slip the lens in to the collection unnoticed

Not a problem -personally I would opt for the longer 100mm f2.8 , I think you would need to get too cloase to th subject with a 50mm

Les

 

[Mauri3205]

Not a problem -personally I would opt for the longer 100mm f2.8 , I think you would need to get too cloase to th subject with a 50mm

Les

I can confirm that it is too close. I just got the extension tubes (11 and 16mm). Not practical with my lens at 18mm, a little too close but passable on 55mm. I see the value of the 100mm but AF on the 80mm is also quite enticing albeit at a price.