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Hey fellow Photographers,
I've taken the below image today and info attached. Please review and comment on it which would help me to improve.
Exif :
Body : Nikon d5300 Lens : 50mm Exposure : 1/400s Aperture : f1.8 ISO : 100 No Flash
Photoshop Edits :
As smow said, most answers will be subjective, but here are some thoughts -
Currently there are two main visual elements - the in-focus leaf at right, and the out-of-focus cluster of yellow dots at left. I think this draws the eye between the two. At some point though, we also notice that behind the right-hand leaf, is another leaf, similar, but out of focus. So now there is another line for the eye to follow, from main leaf to background leaf.
However, apart from moving my gaze around between these three elements, there is no obvious single subject or highlight. The in-focus leaf is clearly the main subject but I don't see anything super special about it that makes it worth being the main subject. Likewise, the contrast between it and the other two elements is not stunning or stark enough to warrant it being the main subject.
They're nice visual elements and there is a mixture of in-focus sharpness and background textures, but nothing to really make the image stand out.
However, when I teach workshops and the question always comes up - how to make something "better", or "good", I always ask: define "good".
"Good" means (to me) "fit for purpose". If your purpose was to practice some technical aspect, then you have probably succeeded and it's a good shot. If you were looking to create a Windows desktop background, I would argue that again you have probably succeeded - there is a nice balance of muted tones that would sit in the background well. If your purpose was to create a book cover where the left-hand-side is going to contain text over the image, or a slightly opaque panel of text, you've succeeded. If you're documenting a particular plant species artistically, you've succeeded. If you want an image that stops everyone in their tracks in amazement, perhaps not this time.
Finally, I find the very bottom tip of the leaf is too near the bottom edge of the image (and this is personal taste) - I would give more space between it and the end, and maybe move the leaf further left (that is, the left edge of the lead ends approx mid-frame. I would extend the image to the right so the left edge of the leaf ends in the left half of the frame, and not the centre point).
Difficult to say anything, because since technically the picture is fine, any opinion would be purely subjetive.
Personally I don't really like all-green all-saturated nature photos, so I think I would reduce green saturation and increase red to bring out the leafes in the foreground some more. But as I said..
