Bob Athanasiou  


American Lady by Bob Athanasiou

July 2017 - American Lady

About the Image(s)

This American Lady (vanessa virginiensis) was flitting about the garden as I was looking at the flowers. I couldn't resist a portrait. White balance adjusted for the overcast day, ISO 400, using my Sony 6500 and a Tamron 18-200 zoom. Post processing included an 8x10 ratio crop and rule of thirds positioning, darkening of the background, a few of the light spots burned in, and a touch of sharpening. I rather liked the flower stalk coming in from the right edge; it grounds the picture and fills in what would have been negative space.


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




Stan Bormann   Stan Bormann
Everything is sharp as a tack and the colors seem to work so well together. I like the negative space with the stem off to the side. Pictures like this can be turned in many ways and work, but I like the angle you picked with the butterfly turned just a bit to the left. Background is very good. I might try a horizontal flip of the image. I never am sure about what it will do, but it seems that stem leading you in from the left to the butterfly on the right just might work well.   Posted: 07/06/2017 23:43:44



 
A lovely image. If it were mine, I would lighten the left antenna to match the one on the right. Enlarge it about 300%, then use a soft brush.   Posted: 07/10/2017 16:47:11
 
thanks, Herb. Easy to do - I just didn't think of it.   Posted: 07/11/2017 16:00:57



John Hackett   John Hackett
I like the composition of this, and the background is nicely out of focus. The colour of the flower even complements the colour of the butterfly.   Posted: 07/12/2017 06:04:27



Norm Solomon   Norm Solomon
Great composition   Posted: 07/12/2017 15:12:17