Gerberas - A different take (9 images)

I'm sticking my neck out here (again!) and posting up some of my Gerbera photos. Although, I've learnt my lesson and know that I have a lot to learn before I can sell any. This time, I've also been playing about with PP, and have come up with an effect which I quite like, and just wondered what others thought.

Bearing in mind that I like the idea of eventually selling my work as art prints, I'd like your comments on the following 3 sets. The first image is colour with a bit of "tweaking", the second is a sepia version, and the third... well I'll let you decide whether you like it!

Here goes...

1.a.



1.b.



1.c.



2.a.



2.b.



2.c.



3.a.



3.b.



3.c.



Please let me know what you think of these PP effects, and if any, which you prefer and why.

Thanks in advance,

Fiona

I like the 3rd efect. It gives a feeling of scraperboard work. As such it seems more of a piece of art.

I feel that the others look like you have been 'playing' with computer colour.

Dave

Come on now Gareth, don't beat about the bush, say what you really mean!

Puke? How do you mean? They're not exactly sloppy, smelly with bits of carrot floating in them

Dave,

You're absolutely right! Although the 2nd versions are colour monochromed in Aperture with a light brown colour, whilst "playing" I set the monochrome colour to black, and voila! the 3rd version was born! I brought out the shadows a little with levels to add a little more detail, and I have to say, I prefer them myself - as an alternative to the original.

Some of the ones I've produced don't even look like photos - like you say, scraperboard-like.

I've never really strayed from the normal PP to improve a shot (cloning, levels, sharpness etc.) And for a first play I'm pleasantly surprised with what I've come up with.

Fiona

I too like the third/scraperboard versions. But I don't like the composition - too much stalk in most of them for me. The first is my favourite - in all three versions.

In terms of composition, I think the second series would appeal to people most, but there is a lot of potential in the first - I'd prefer there to be a little more space above the gerbera in that series though, and am not convinced by the off-centre vignetting effect. The stalk is quite prominent in the third series.

Of the whole lot, I like 2a then 2b the most. But I think with tweaks, the composition in 1 could be a more original take.

Hope these comments are helpful - it's great that you're trying new things and prepared to share them. There's a lot more originality here than in anything I've done recently so I feel a bit mean to comment at all!

Jon

Hi Gwyn,

Thanks for your constructive comments. I too like the first shot in all versions. I was going for a different kind of composition in that one, and I think it turned out very nicely.

I guess with the 3rd version of PP, I can always blacken out some of the stalk to get rid of some of it, or all of it, like:

Don't feel mean Jon, all comments welcome! The first set are out of camera composition-wise so I'll have to get my technical hat on to add space above the flower, and now that I look at it, I agree, it does need more room up there! I will play around with the vignetting - it may be a little strong in the first set.

I don't mind the stalk in the second set as it fades to OOF, but I feel it is too strong in the third set, so will revisit and see what I can do.

Thanks again, and never feel bad about commenting - I wouldn't post them if I didn't want people's opinions and advice

Fiona

You certainly are brave Utopia, for me the issues from your first set are still not resolved with this set, forget composition, and processing, at the end of the day the flowers are not perfect. The first image has a petal missing, about 2 o clock, the second colour image has a bent petal at about 10 o clock, do not wish to sound harsh, but you can do all the processing you like, but if the start subject is not perfect, it just does not shine. If you have any ambition to make money with flower shots you must make sure the flowers are perfect, after that play with processing.

Davex.

Fair point Davex.

I will have to be more careful when selecting my blooms this Saturday, and with getting them home again.

I wouldn't say I'm brave, after all, we're all here to learn something. So it takes me being told twice before it sinks in?! Not only that, sometimes you can be working on something so much, for so long you actually miss the screaming obvious - hence why I post here, for help and advice, and people spotting what I may have missed.

Perfect Flowers, message received and understood. I'm not thinking of selling any images at the moment as it was made clear to me in my last topic, I have a lot to learn first, and that's what I intend to do before even contemplating selling.

Fiona

Actually its not carrot, its from your stomach lining thats why you get it even when you've not had carrots

Seriously though, despite all the ctiticisms (which I tend to agree with) these are a vast improvement on your first set, keep at it Fiona and if you do find a dodgy bloom try to take it from an angle where the damage doesn't show.

Looking forward to the next set.

Also Davex,

I did take on board the fact that I need perfect flowers from my last topic, but seeing as I work full time and cannot get out to buy new flowers until Saturday, I thought I would experiment with PP techniques with the shots I have already taken, which is why my original question above is what your opinion is of the PP.

So what do you think of the PP I've applied? (And please try to ignore the less than visually pleasing flowers)

I will be shooting with the new perfect flowers on Saturday, and may post the results here if I feel brave enough at the weekend.

Wow Fatspider, so, the lining of my stomach is made of carrots?! Ohh I'm really confused now!

But Gareth, How does the "puke" relate to the 3rd PP style? What about it don't you like? Please explain as I am a sponge wanting to soak up knowledge (and puke, it appears)

Fiona

I wont go into the merits of each image, what you do to them in the interests of "art" is up to you, you will only arrive at something your happy with by continued experimenting in photoshop, art is a matter of taste and who am I to say "I dont like the cross procesed look" etc etc, after all someone won the Turner Prize with an unmade bed.

What I can comment on is the composition, its in this that I agree with other criticisms, the compositions are "wrong" too much stalk, too central, first images the flower is on the wrong side of the frame.

One example:
take the eighth shot, crop the bottom off so there is the same amount of space between the lowest petal as there is between the petals on the left and the left of the frame, when you v'e done that crop off half of that same space on the left, and IMHO composition much better.

Hope you dont mind Fiona;


What I am trying to demonstrate with above is a simple rule;
Fill the frame.
Davex.