Henriette Brasseur
March 2023 - Pink Dahlia
Original
About the Image(s)
In San Francisco there is a Dahlia Garden in Golden Gate Park that I go to every year to photograph. Dahlias display an air of beautiful and colorful floral and design elements that draw the viewer’s eye into the image.Often times in post processing I like to give an artistic flair to the image to enhance it’s design elements. I often photograph dahlias on foggy days or early morning before the sun sets on them.
Tech stuff: Canon 7D Mark II, 70-200 lens set at 365 mm, 1/250 @F8 at 1EV/400 iso.
This round’s discussion is now closed!
9 comments posted
Beautiful flower. I like the contrasting petal edges, but these get lost in the final image. I wonder if you could keep more the the edges, but still get the soft feeling of the final. Posted: 03/09/2023 13:50:15
At the time I processed this image I was using a program named Painter and my idea was to smooth out the edges and make the center of the flower give the appearance of being sharper then the rest of the image by softening the edges. My goal was to give a sort of "painterly" look to the image. I did, however, make a copy where all the edges of the flower are in sharp focus because I do like a flower that is sharp on the edges. I think your suggestion is a good one and will re-process this image to try and give a soft feel while retaining a bit more sharpness on the edges of the petals. Thanks for your comments Sanford. Posted: 03/10/2023 01:02:35
This is a very attractive flower image where the soft processing suits the delicate pink colours. My wife does a lot of flower photography and she always says they are best photographed on overcast days to avoid harsh contrasts. I quite like the petals going soft at the edges, but if I were to change anything I would retain a little more sharpness in the centre as that's focal point of the image. But regardless, it's a very attractive image as it is. Posted: 03/17/2023 06:48:07
A stunning image Henriette. Yes delicate flowers require delicate lighting as well as delicate processing. While I won't disagree with Sanford's and Gordon's comments, I will say that this is the type of image I expect to see hanging in areas such as offices and waiting rooms. A recognizable but soft subject, delicate colours with good details for the viewer to spend some time looking at. For me, the strong pink of the center, fading as we go to the edges and then that soft green on the sides for balance all make for a very pleasing image. Congratulations in deed. Posted: 03/19/2023 04:55:19
Beautiful photograph Henriette. You have turned your photograph into an artistic image. Although everyone has a different view of art, your final image is your vision. I really like your work in post-processing to get the final picture. Posted: 03/19/2023 20:28:49
Dahlia flowers are the best to photograph! They have so many stages to their bloom and this week I just processed one too! Great minds think alike. The image looks like you gave it a canvas or concrete texture, which fits the mood. The softness is also very nice given the colors of the flower. I like the way you processed this image, it is so delicate! The middle is off-center, why? Would a tighter crop to minimize the green background be beneficial? Would a square crop have a better impact? Does the center ball of the flower need to be strategically sharpened to provide additional contrast? These are questions I asked as I processed my image, which I have shared so you can see my take on a mature blossom. Different tastes as to texture, but both softening from the center out. Posted: 03/24/2023 13:48:58
I can spend hours photographing dahlias and clematis and do different interpretations of them. I like the way you framed your image with color to match the flower. My eye is drawn right into the golden center and sweeps around the beautiful purple/white petals of the dahlia. You brought up a lot of good points on what to consider photographing/processing a floral image. Thank you for your thoughtful comments. Posted: 03/27/2023 17:53:40
Bravo Henriette, I love what you have done with this delicate image. You knew how to find an original framing, a soft treatment which makes like velvet. I know it's a flower, but I escape in this image, discovering a heart whose smell I can feel, a touch whose softness I can feel, ...
Thank you for this journey. I will soon tackle the wild orchids that are starting to show their face, I will think of you before presenting one to you.
Bravo Posted: 03/25/2023 01:41:04
Thank you for this journey. I will soon tackle the wild orchids that are starting to show their face, I will think of you before presenting one to you.
Bravo Posted: 03/25/2023 01:41:04
Sophie, I love the way that you describe in words your thoughts and feelings about the dahlia flower. You have such a wonderful way with words. Thank you for your wonderful thoughts. I am looking forward to seeing your images of the wild orchid flowers. Posted: 03/27/2023 18:03:00