Dick States  


Tiger Lily by Dick States

July 2017 - Tiger Lily

About the Image(s)

My image for July is a Tiger Lily, we have them growing along the roads in this area. My image is a 8 Helicon Stack. Taken with a 200 mm macro lens at f-11. 1/10 sec. ISO 200, exp. bias -1.3 stop. I used Nik Viveza and Topaz Simplify 4 was used to give the image a painting look. Tripod and cable release was used.


This round’s discussion is now closed!
9 comments posted




 
The Tiger Lily is a real beauty and your composition puts it in a proper light.

I like the determination you let the lily fill the picture. The pistil has something cheeky. This plant seems very proud to me if I may humanize it. The colors are pure vitality. The black background admits no distraction. The angle is well chosen.
So again: This is pure beauty.

Technically it looks very good to me. The sharpness and the DOF seem to be perfect.
Maybe it would be great if the petal wouldn´t overlap the buds but I think that would be a different flower then.

The only thing I would like to know is whether the lily would have pleased me even more in its natural way because I am not a friend of the painting style process. But this is a personal taste.

Greetings

Peter
  Posted: 07/06/2017 10:14:23
Dick States   Dick States
(Group 65)
Thanks Peter for the great comments, it's great to have you on our group. I have attached the image in its natural form without the painting style.   Posted: 07/06/2017 11:50:44
Comment Image
 
Thank you Dick, for your kind words. And as I supposed I prefer the natural lily so thank you again for posting it! :)   Posted: 07/06/2017 15:23:23



Tom Kredo   Tom Kredo
(Group 41)
Hi Dick,

Very nice treatment of the subject in both lighting and composition. I too like the natural image, the other looks a bit over processed. I don't love the position of the green stem that is hidden behind the flower. Might have been more interesting if I could see the top of the stems. What camera did you use? Can you describe your lighting for this image?   Posted: 07/06/2017 16:12:58
Dick States   Dick States
(Group 65)
I use a Nikon D-700 with a Nikon 200mm macro lens. I usually use mirror up and shutter the view finder. The lighting for this image was a soft box with a 5500K bulb.
I used a diffuser on the soft box and I also use a 12" reflector opposite the main light, it's called sunlight, which I love.   Posted: 07/09/2017 19:43:42



 
Hey Dick - Tiger Lily is a favorite of mine. Regarding the natural and processed (i.e. painterly filters) I do fall on the side of natural. Your botany photography is mostly outstanding in its natural state. I would like to see it digitally painted and not the application of a filter. I would attempt to do a demo but don't want to horrify the group. Commenting on the "natural" version there a a few nits to pick. The petal at approx 10 o'clock has some tiny distraction which in my opinion could benefit the image if cloned out. It is sharp throughout and nicely saturated.I personally like the composition.   Posted: 07/08/2017 12:23:27
Dick States   Dick States
(Group 65)
The smudge on the petal is pollen from the stamen next to the petal. Thought about removing it but thought it was a natural part of the flowering process. I probably should have removed it.   Posted: 07/09/2017 19:48:23



 
Very nice portrayal of the lily, Dick.
Your subtle painting treatment was a nice touch. It was just enough - not overdone as so many images are recently processed to the extreme. I do like the original as taken also. But it is fun sometimes to see what else can be done to the original.
I would leave the pollen spot there - don't feel it is bothersome at all.
Very pretty!   Posted: 07/11/2017 19:09:55



Tom Pickering   Tom Pickering
(Groups 0 & 53)
Can't really add anything of note to what's already been shared by the rest of the group. Bravo on another fine image, Dick.   Posted: 07/16/2017 17:36:25