crookymonsta

Lovely light and detail on the leaves and a super background. I would be very tempted to crop square just below where the l.h. leaf joins the stem as my eye is being drawn to the bar at the bottom.
Sandra

Lovely rich splash of colour. I think a very slight crop top/left, to remove the light area at the top and the slivers of petals on the lower left may improve what is undoubtedly a very beautiful image.
Sandra

I have spent ages looking at this and it seems to me that the main light is coming from the left. I am wondering if it might have been better to have had the half strawberry on the RHS as the moisture on the cut surface may then have been more evident, always supposing it was freshly cut. I have done a couple of fruity images since this challenge and it is surprising how quickly it dries out.

Having said that, you have made the fruit look very appetising, with lovely detail and colours and overall the shot works well.

I am very nervous about giving critique, particularly on the technicalities and like you I am hoping that it will get easier.

Sandra

This is a great subject with lovely colours, light and detail but there are a couple of things that may have improved it. I think it's a shame that the tip of the leaf (bottom left) has been cut off and find the small flowers and part leaf crossing the stem on the right a little distracting. Always worth doing a little 'gardening' with macro! It's well taken for all that.
Sandra

Having to get used to giving crits, so forgive me if I talk a load of rot.

I think the shot is well balanced and the lighting picks up the main subject very well, aided by the plain dark background. The part leaf at the bottom conceals that end of the insect, so the fact that the whole insect is not in shot really doesn't matter. Bearing in mind this was a set up shot I may have been inclined to have moved the top leaves back to get some depth, but a very minor point on an excellent image.
Sandra

This is where I leave my comfort zone completely - no experience in giving critique whatsoever, so apologies if I get it wrong.

Paul has already given a vey comprehensive critique, so I'll keen mine short. An unusual and cleverly thought out subject, very well executed given the lens you were using. V2 is the one for me, the crop improves a well taken image, puts the shot into context and focuses the eye firmly on the bubble wand and bubble, which has lovely sharp edges. Really can't fault it.

Sandra

This is where I completely leave my comfort zone and plunge into the world of giving critique, so I'll apologise now if I get it wrong.

I think Paul has covered most of the points, although I did recognise the subject. There seems to be quite a grey/green cast on some areas of the petals. It may be the natural colour but if not it could be a lighting issue or it could be that the flower is close to going over. Macro certainly picks up all the flaws in flowers.

A good subject with super detail showing the veins in the petals and the background lifts the flower very well.

Sandra