A lovely rose well captured. I presume you have used flash on this one which shows all the detail well. However, it has also shown detail in the background. There are a couple of ways that I would avoid this....tripod mounted camera, position the flower in natural light and use a longer exposure without flash. The alternative is using this shot in PS select the background and alter the colour saturation to make the background solid and hence not show up the contours of the cloth. Hope you appreciate I'm only trying to help!
Mike

It has immediate impact...most shrooms that we see are excellent close-ups perfectly isolated from their backgrounds. Both versions give a great sense of scale and perspective which I guess is what you were after given your title. The ring-flash version definitely shows the shroom off in better light (oops). maybe a selective tweak to levels and curves may lift the colour slightly and give it even more oomph. Only my opinion and who am I to offer such advice. Only wish I could get down as low as is needed for a shot like this...sadly my recent op wont allow. Oh well maybe next autumn?!
Mike

I like this one Christine, natural pose of these lovely little creatures and despite bright sunshine; very well controlled exposure against the bright blue sky. You could always use the dodge tool on that eye...range would be highlights and exposure to around 8%. Alternatively create a duplicate layer and make a similar amendment and experiment with either highlights or shadows and alter the exposure, then you could alter the opacity of the layer. Hope this helps and I am by no means an expert on PS but I know I could make the above work. Someone may be able to offer an easier solution
Mike

PS just had a go at a mod using the above having downloaded the large version...doesn't really work that well but would work better on the original image for sure

Hi Baz

only just seen that you've uploaded the "unadulterated version"...V1 has more impact but I still feel that the blurred field takes a little away from the shot. I would love to see another version where you have kept the format as taken (without the blur) but then worked on the levels etc to give the original even more impact..maybe life the colours as you have in your blurred version. Don't get me wrong, just trying to offer a bit of CC
Mike

Nice theme Ronnie and well linked in. If I dare...about the chrysanth.....a white or silver card positioned below the flower would have balanced the light out evenly and made a very good flower shot even better. Still a very lovely capture though
Mike

Classic isn't always the best option. I too have photographed the swirls at these, the lowest of all the falls. I usually shoot from the left hand side not from where you have shot. This is very effective and is helped by some super light. I've gotta add...a long exposure well controlled given that spot of light. It'll do well I'm sure
Mike

The composition looks good Ronnie. However...have you cloned some flowers out from the bottom of the shot? It appears quite messy and I can see greens and reds that look like you've tried to get rid of something. Sorry about the honesty but that's how we and I learnt when I first made similar mistakes
Mike

If I may....the impact of the droplet is lost slightly with the flower as the b/ground. I find that if you shoot the drop from an angle in such a way that the background is NOT the flower so that the drop is shot sitting on top...what am I trying to say?? look again Mike.....instead of shooting it from the angle you have i would have shot it from 90 degrees to the left or right.

Still a commendable effort, but then who am I to offer constructive critique?
Mike

A shame that you clipped the edge off that bottom petal. I would also have increased the saturation in the background to improve the contrast more. There are those that definitely don't like bold colours on black backgrounds as they feel the contrast is too great. I don't agree with them as you can see from my pf and from the many sales I have made over the last two years of such photographs. I like the way you have only included a small element of the flower....hope this helps
Mike

hi Nick

I can't really add much more than Janet and Mike have already said. My points would be; lack of light on the stamen, maybe a slightly tighter crop, there seems to be a light source from the left, which could perhaps be eradicated in PS. Sometimes a crop and change of angle makes a more appealing image than "straight on". I often shoot my flowers in total darkness lit only by 150 watt halogen lamp, shooting with autowhite balance and then alter to incandescent in NX2.

On a seperate note; hope the forecast remains good for Saturdays trip to Sclaebar
Mike

Peter, good composition but there are too many "hotspots". Do you use a CP? Perhaps you should try a CP with the following settings.....F16 and depending on available light up to 1 second exposure. Only trying to help, hope you don't mind

Mike

Good controlled exposure on the white petals and a nice position in the frame. The background looks a little "noisey". I often use "Neat Image" to reduce noise. It's available as a free demo download and does a cracking job. Other than that, i like this and am sure it'll do well
Mike