Is it cheating?

Had a bit of an accident when checking the WB in curves – liked it so much I left it like it and signed it off.

Expect some will hate it but I like it so I will keep it but can’t help feeling it is cheating some how.

Comments welcome, miniature rose taken on the kitchen worktop with K7, Sigma 105, 1/4seconds @ f4.5 no flash

[IMG]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v173/Thordell/Plants%20and%20Flowers/BudofaminiatureRose.jpg[/IMG]

awsome colours,love shadwos,and depth...Well put into the frame..

Cheating? you mean like putting another sky in an image in a traditional B&W darkroom?

Image manipulation is all down to personal preferance and how much of a purist you are, some will think it OK to stop at nothing as long as they feel the end result justifies the means, others will endevour to get it right in camera and feel guilty about having to clone out some litter they didn't see.

Its only cheating if you try and pass something off as something it isn't.

As for this shot it stinks of Roses of course

The only real gripe I have against it is the out of focus rose in the background and that bit of leaf sticking up, I think you would be quite justified in cloning those out, but a very nice shot regardless.

The subject, composition, lighting, and colours are superb. Is the focussing a bit off though?

The rose doesn't look sharp but the leaf in front does look sharp.

Did you soften the sharpening in PP?

No I did not soften or sharpen and this is a proven lens I am getting a bit worried it may be the K7 as you say the leaf is in focus but I spot focused on the bloom in AF because until I get new glasses I can manage to manual focus.

Could kiss you Peter, just checked the body and it is on Sel - note to self get a routine sorted so I am ready when I hit the button - there am I getting worried about the camera and the problem lies with the operator. Dam bet those buds with have opened by the morning.

It is so easy to panic with new equipment when all one needs to do is use it properly and perhaps read the instructions well at least some of them.

Spider, the other bud bothered me but the background is so mottled that the cloning did not look good so I left the other bud in - may take more tomorrow and peg it out of the way.

Thanks for the comments one and all it is very helpful.