Critique A couple of flowers.

[gchappel]

It is raining out today. Stuck inside. Saw these flowers sitting on the kitchen table.
You can find art anywhere- even my kitchen. Just do not try to find food there.
10 minutes later-- these really look pretty good printed and hanging.
I am pretty new to this macro/studio stuff so please let me know how I could get better.
Thoughts?
Gary

 

[Palouse]

The vase and the flowers look stunning. Love all the empty space around them.

 

[gchappel]

Wife wanted a horizontal print, so another version.
For some reason, I like this space.
Gary

 

[Bart]

Agreed with Nick.
Two beautifully created b&w images, Gary!
I do prefer your first version though.
The horizontal version has a bit too much space for me

 

[dossy]

I'm going with #1....just minimal enough! This is a stunning wallhanger.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I love the technique and creativity of both versions. Well done!

In the second version, the background of the inset has a dark area in the lower right corner on my calibrated monitor that appears to be an accidental aberration.

The position of your camera displays the front of the vase's rim and the front of the top of the water. If you want to provide a more three-dimensional display, you could position the camera higher or lower to also display the rear of the rim and/or the water.

 

[gchappel]

Thanks all.
I tried camera position a little higher, but liked the simple edge better. Probably as I really do not know how to light glass. Need to play-learn-more.
Mike, what monitor are you using? I have a profiled coloredge cg222W and these little things you see are not visible in my monitor. Also not obvious in print. But they are there. You help keep me honest.
Monitor is old, may be time to upgrade.
Gary

 

[Palouse]

I'm a MacBook Pro, calibrated, and I too see the rectangle in #2. I believe that the added canvas is darker than the original background.

 

[Mike Buckley]

My monitor is also old. It's an ASUS.

I too see the rectangle in #2. I believe that the added canvas is darker than the original background.

I see all of that and assumed it is by design. As an example, the background of the inset has a subtle grid pattern whereas the added canvas is plain and darker. It's a very effective combination in my mind.

 

[Palouse]

My monitor is also old. It's an ASUS.



I see all of that and assumed it is by design. As an example, the background of the inset has a subtle grid pattern whereas the added canvas is plain and darker. It's a very effective combination in my mind.

OK, I see it now. Thanks Mike.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I tried camera position a little higher, but liked the simple edge better.

It might help you to learn that I like that simplicity. If you had displayed the rear of the rim and water, I can appreciate that perhaps that extra detail was a distraction. Sometimes less is more and this image might be an excellent example of that.

 

[gchappel]

VERY INTERESTING.
The first image is shot against a black background 12' behind the flowers. Light is flagged off. The background stays black.
I have no idea where the grid pattern is coming from- I did not see it. It has to be somewhere late in post.
This is a small image stack, but I confirm the background is ok in photoshop- so I doubt it was introduced there.
I do use topaz Clear AI in my studio workflow as a sharpening step. I put the workflow together before the other topaz ai sharpening program was introduced and just have not changed it. I suspect Clear AI introduced the pattern, it has been described elsewhere. I am going to reprocess this file and check each step- I'll let everyone know where that came from. Will likely be tomorrow sometime, but I am curious.
Gary

 

[Mike Buckley]

I have no idea where the grid pattern is coming from- I did not see it...it has been described elsewhere.

If you still do not see it, I strongly recommend following up on your idea of a new monitor or at least reviewing the details of everything about your color-management software settings and the effectiveness of your calibration tool. Just to clarify, I saw the background grid immediately upon viewing the first version of the image.

 

[gchappel]

I cannot reproduce the grid pattern when reprocessing, not sure where it came from. Again, it has been described as an issue with the Topaz AI sharpening programs so I suspect it came from there. But I reprocessed using the same software and no grid pattern.
Screen calibration checks out ok- except for screen brightness. I always have to lower screen brightness down to almost monitor limits to get screen to match prints. When I raise the brightness the pattern becomes apparent. I have increased the screen brightness enough to see that. Will play with it a while and be certain prints continue to match screen. BTW, the pattern is not at all visible in prints on epson luster paper. It really looks the same as my darkened screen.
Again, that is why I post images here. I always learn something, understand more how others look at work, etc.
Thanks again
Gary

 

[Binnur]

Beautiful image Gary! I prefer #1.

 

[Allan]

I prefer 2. I like the flower off center.

 

[Mike Buckley]

I cannot reproduce the grid pattern when reprocessing, not sure where it came from. Again, it has been described as an issue with the Topaz AI sharpening programs

More of a feature than a bug; it was so obvious to me that I assumed it was an artistic choice on your part.

 

[Dayo]

I prefer 2. I like the flower off center.

Ditto

 

[Dudley5854]

Very nice have to go with number one to.
Those light boxes are fun.

 

[gchappel]

Thanks all. I composed it as a vertical, but my wife wanted a horizontal, as she was hanging it for a bit. I was interested that it at least worked as a horizontal. Always interesting to play with images.
Thanks
Gary