Oriental Lily 'Star Gazer'

[aprilS]

Exploring a new approach...



Larger.

A (semi-)wide-angle closeup, to exaggerate gesture and enhance depth.

Also trying not to be so shy about posting for critique.

[Theo]

Like this image on so many levels, contrast is nice and color wow! I love the detail that i've come to always see in your work and you nailed it here. I like the composition but i think the image would work better without the bud it just draws your eye and gives you nothing. That said i would love to see this picture after the bud has bloomed.

I really don't know why your shy about posting here your work is grade A and i don't know if you ever have posted a dud. I have my light box almost done so i can do some in house studio looking forward to putting some of your teaching to work

[habakuk]

I second Theo's critique here. I spent a moment trying to get that juxtaposition of the blossom and the bud working in my mind. But I didn't really manage to get much out of it. I'd say this is not because of the composition, but because of the incredible sharpness and power of colors, light and texture in the foreground. The bud simply doesn't have a chance to bring in much of it's own. And to see the relation between the bud and the rose, there is too strong a dominance of the beautyful flower.

I can imagine to interpret this as kind of a metaphor for our lives: we most often have such a hard time being attracted by the potential (the bud) - as we are dazzled by the obvious beauty...

But I confess, this was hard work for me to come up with that interpretation. I am too much dazzled by the obvious beauty.


cheers
®

[eob]

Sometimes, when we plan an arranged photograph, we see some element in it that we want to assign a symbolic meaning to. That is always challenging for a viewer, because photographers not always share same values, experiences or imagination with those of viewers. If we want to be sure that our message comes across, we need to be painstakingly precise in our chosen means of expression. Those means must encompass a full arsenal of our skills in composition and technique to be really effective at symbolism.

I do think that April wanted to assign such symbolic meaning to the sprouting bud, and I think I know what her intended meaning was, but I am not entirely sure whether it actually worked or did I just tried to find her meaning too hard...

I hope, you don't take this comment too personal, April. I wouldn't want to hurt your feelings yet again. My comment is just as much directed at this particular shot of yours as it is at many shots of my own...

[aprilS]

Thank you each for your (time and) thoughtful comments.

eob, you have never hurt my feelings! I remember the post you are referring to, but the reason I am here is because I have great respect for the work of everyone on this forum, and can count on honest feedback. It is very much appreciated, and I want to learn.

Lily buds always seem to be getting "in the way" of the open flowers, and I remember trying to block this one (without success). I even considered cutting it off, but that seems like cheating because this is what nature is presented.

The leftmost flower was fading/dying, so I enjoyed the promise of another blossom, and the rhythm of 3. [Edit: it was also rather phallic.] Like eob, I'm not sure it was successful, but am enjoying the potential of this lens setup to try to see flowers in a different way.

All that said, I'll try processing a variation with the bud 'shopped out.

Oh, and Theo! That bud is now open. It decided to face 180 degrees the other direction, and the front-most flower is fading fast. It might have made another "family portrait", if I hadn't been so slow to see the possibility.