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Sunflower

© Leslie D. Regal

Sunflower

Uploaded: March 26, 2011

Description

Exif: F Number: 8, Exposure Bias Value: 0.00, ExposureTime: 1/90 seconds, Flash: fired, compulsory flash mode, ISO: 200, White balance: Auto white balance, FocalLength: 60.00 mm, Model: Canon EOS 40D

Comments

Jeff E Jensen April 06, 2011

Hi Leslie - Welcome to the club!

I like where you are going with this one. I do have a couple of suggestions. First, it feels a little bit dark, I'd suggest a levels adjustment, then opening the shadows a bit in the center of the flower. The second suggestion is the crop. I'd tighten the crop on the right side, removing all of the black in the upper right corner. Also, if you have it, I'd give a little more room at the top so that the top-left petal isn't clipped. #1367324

Aimee C. Eisaman April 06, 2011

Welcome Leslie! Please don't tell me you have these growing in your yard right now...I'll be jealous! Here in PA it's just starting to show signs of spring! I'm in agreement with Jeff that this seems too dark. With a shot like this you might have trouble exposing for both the dark center and the bright petals. Was this shot indoors or outdoors? A levels adjustment will help, but it may also introduce some grain. Will be curious to see Jeff's crop suggestion as well. Is this cropped already or is it at full size?

And please tell us the photo editing software you use so that we might be able to give you more precise advice on things to try. I use PSE 9.0. :~) #9337724

Carla Capra Anderson April 06, 2011

Hi Leslie and Welcome!
One of my favorite flowers, all cheery and bright. I could see these blooming in Southern Cali.

Jeff and Aimee have brought up the areas I'd suggest focusing on. I'll be looking forward to seeing your edits.

;) CC #9338101

Beth Spencer April 06, 2011

Hi Leslie!
I like this shot and agree with suggestions already made. I think opening the shadows would make a difference. #9338185

Stephen Shoff April 06, 2011

The petals have wonderful texture but the colors seem flat and dull. I hope the levels suggestions help. #9338267

Rita K. Connell level-classic April 06, 2011

great first post Leslie
I am agreement with its to dark, I would like to see what the adjustments would do to it. this does have some great texture on the petals. #9338277

Leslie D. Regal April 07, 2011

Thanks, all! Here's the tweaked shot. Jeff, the petals are clipped in the original framing. I appreciate all the suggestions! #9339218

Michael Kelly level-classic April 07, 2011

Leslie welcome again to the group.

What a beautiful color this flower has. A nice presentation with a good POV and background.

Let us know your editing level of expertise so that we don't either talk down to you or over your head. If we suggest something and you don't understand it or how to do it do not be afraid to ask - I ask all the time. Let us know what software you use to edit.

To me this looks underexposed. If you are shooting RAW I would suggest increasing the exposure 1/2 to 1 stop. This will brighten the flower quite a bit. A slight shadows adjustment or moving the fill light slider in RAW will help bring out the detail in the center of the flower. The crop suggest worked well and you should keep that.

Great first photo! #9339397

Peter W. Marks April 07, 2011

Welcome Leslie. With flower images I usually just sit back and let our other friends go all-technical on us and I just nod and agree. However, with this one I decided to take a break from cleaning up our acre of yard and made a screen-grab of your image. Following on from Mike's suggestion re the exposure I decided to make a screen-grab and with my CS2 Photoshop tries one simple adjustment. All I did was click on >Adjustments and then >Exposure and increased the exposure from 00.0 to 1.00
This brightened everything up and the dark seeds in the center become much more visible. I understand you have Lightroom and CS5 and only having CS2 myself I don't know if things are done the same way but I am thinking yes.
As an aside Leslie, here on Phellos many of us have made occasional screen grabs of each other's images to clarify a point that is difficult to explain just in words. Let us know if you are comfortable with that or would prefer us to ask permission first .
#9339540

Leslie D. Regal April 07, 2011

Peter,

By all means, have at it! Knowing and seeing what other people would do to improve my stuff is incredibly helpful. Did you post the picture? #9339596

Peter W. Marks April 07, 2011

Thanks Leslie. There are lots of other things you could do but this is just a two click example.
#9339613

Debbie E. Payne April 07, 2011

A very vibrant first submit, Leslie - just a bit overexposed . I like what Peter did with his screen grab. RAW is definitely the way to shoot because you have so much more latitude with them over jpegs. I would suggest that you spend time looking through other peoples galleries to see how different people interpret their shots. The more experience you have in learning what makes good photography... And we all see what that is differently and with our own twists. Just have fun. #9339820

Aimee C. Eisaman April 08, 2011

Debbie I think you meant to say underexposed. Have you been commenting before your morning coffee again? lol!

Leslie I like what Peters edits did for the center....punched it up even more. But think it went too far for the petals. If you get the info from him on what he did I'd sure like to see it applied, but backed off the petals a bit. :~) #9340559

Anthony L. Mancuso April 08, 2011

Hi Leslie...great image here, I agree with all that has been said so far. Definitely think that increasing the exposure in RAW would be the initial step to take... #9341519

Debbie E. Payne April 08, 2011

Yeah, I have, Aimee. How did you know. Yipes. I didn't realize I'd said that. No more photo-editing until after coffee and weights. #9341533

Dale Hardin April 11, 2011

Hi Leslie. Sorry to be so late in this discussion but have been out of town. This is a lovely first entry and you've rec'd some good suggestions.

The results of the corrections posted still doesn't seem to get the most that is available from the shot. It is underexposed and there are many ways to correct it but the aim is to have the result match the natural flower.

Based on the posted image you can achieve this with a couple of steps. One, open the shadows using the shadows/highlights tool at the default of 25. Then duplicate the result and apply a screen blend of about 20%. A slight high pass filter application wouldn't hurt if you wish. #9346192

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict April 13, 2011

I really like the unusual composition of this sunflower. Most of the time I see photos of the whole flower, but this brings the viewer up close and personal to the texture not just of the dark brown center but even shows great detail on the leaves - So instead of just seeing the beauty of the sunflower, it draws a person in to use more than just one's sense of sight.
It brings to mind touch by the look of the texture and detail you captured and one can almost smell summer in the air with this cheery blossom peeking up as it grows towards the sun - It even makes me remember the taste of cracking sunflower seeds between my teeth and challenging my sisters to see who could spit the shells the farthest...Enough suggestions have been given that I really can't add anything to them, except that I'd like to see any edits you try. #9349622

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict April 13, 2011

And once again, Welcomne to Phellos!
P.S. took a browse through your gallery and kudos on your EP's. I particulary like the one labelled 'SPIKE' and "Jar" Can't wait to see more of your art!
#9349624

Leslie D. Regal April 14, 2011

Thanks for the input everyone. Here's the 2nd tweaked version. Thank you, Dale, for the screen blend advice.

I've been slow this week because a pipe burst in the library where I work and ruined 1000 books. We've been trying to save books, plus cleaning and pulling hundreds of books from the shelves. And now we have to put them all back. So please forgive me for slow responses! It's been quite a week.

Thank you for the greeting, Susan, and for the compliments! I've just started working with textures and I'm in love. It's a struggle to resist trying them on all images. #9350982

Aimee C. Eisaman April 14, 2011

Sorry to hear about your week at work...sounds like a bad one! Your final edit of this looks fantastic....I too love textures. If you need any help with them let me know. I have a few tricks! :~) #9351173

Jeff E Jensen April 14, 2011

Yup, looks great! #9351378

Michael Kelly level-classic April 15, 2011

That is miserable Leslie. I hate plumbing it always seems to fail in the worst places at the worst time.

The edit on your shot looks good. #9352237

Rita K. Connell level-classic April 15, 2011

Yup I agree, Its always sad when books are lost.... #9352419

Susan M. Reynolds level-addict April 16, 2011

So sorry about the loss of books and trouble with the burst pipe. Can see where it would definitely make for a lot of extra work.
I like the last edit very much...looking great :)
#9354514

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