Fern-tastic?

Never trust your feelings - you really were inspired or you wouldn't have taken the photo of the fern.

Interesting interpretation? Yes. Ferns sort of invite different interpretations by presenting you with interesting shapes and patterns but a fairly plain colour pallete. They seem to say "Here you are, now what you can do with me?".

Great picture? Hmmm... Could do better with composition IMHO. Hard to say how without seeing what else the plant was offering. I'd have tried putting the main stem on a diagonal, or getting closer (the 'less is more' approach).

Waste of time? Definitely not. It inspired you to experiment and that's a good use of time.

Looks radioactive? Have those people ever seen something that's radioactive?? I have - and I don't mean certain camera lenses. Radioactivity doesn't make things glow green . I think they really meant fluorescent. And that's an entirely different thing. You can therefore safely ignore their negative comments .

Keep getting inspired by the undergrowth!

Steve

I have loads of mucking about experience with editing a photo or two.
If one asked how I achieved this result and that rendition in certain photos, I would be at a loss to explain

"Im still learning
Better than I ever did"

It's great to get supportive and/or constructive criticism comments and views about our images but the most important thing is your own feelings about your images - Camera Clubs (as they were known when I was involved with them) have a big mixture of personalities with different agendas. There are usually those who have their own superiority complex, believing that other peoples work won't be as good as their own. Someone who would offer an opinion that your image is a waste of time is someone to take with a pinch of salt! It may not be to their taste or the way they would have done it but trashing your efforts is negative and pointless. Personally I enjoy the measured vibrancy and deep blacks of your image and have nothing negative to say about it and I wouldn't even offer constructive criticism because you have clearly taken time and effort to produce a worthy end product.

Keep believing in yourself

p.s. I have one photograph that I have posted in the past that I believe to be a masterpiece but nobody ever commented on it - that hasn't changed my opinion

I like this the black background really brings out the varying shades of green and edge profiles of the fern. I personally think the image suits a portrait format with my eye then being drawn upwards to the tip of the fern, but still a great image as it is.