This is a pleasing image - great colors and good composition. The shot is a winner in almost every way, but it lacks punch - at least, for me. Something is preventing it from being a real show stopper (I don't know what!)if you take my meaning. I don't mean to be rude or offensive in any way. I really like it - but I don't love it.

Best,
Jon

It is a beautiful shot, but the colors seem to be washed out. I assume that this is due to the lighting at the time. I agree that the moment the photo was taken couldn't be more perfect and the details are wonderful. But I have to agree with Jon, needs a little "punch."

Thank you for your comments. The sunlight was intense when I made this photo, shot almost directly into the sun. The blue you see is really a gradient mask that I added in post processing. The original photo is almost all brilliant silver/white water and sky with dark black rocks silhouetted. I used a fair amount of dodging to bring out what details I could in the rocks, which themselves are dark lava rocks. The tree and the crashing waves compelled me to work with this image as I liked the way the waves repeat the pattern of the branches. Again, thanks for your detailed comments.

I agree with the above comments, as aloha described the raw image, you've done an awesome job with what you have. I love the sea and rocks, I think they're perfect! but the sky is whats a bit washed out for me.

Wonderful photo--I think there is a general agreement that it lacks dynamic energy--I'm guessing that it has to do with the amount of color contrast--there are a lot of varying degrees of blue here. Still a wonderful photo and something to be very proud of. Good on you!

DoF is always a tricky thing when dealing with macro images. While I generally like a narrow DoF, in this instance it strikes me that the blurred foreground takes away from the interesting features in the center of the image. Not enough of the plant is in focus IMHO.

I think that the DOF is either too short, either too long. That's a difficult subject with a complex shape. That's not easy to have a direction, a strong pattern. You have disturbing dust on the leaf that could has been removed before (ouch!) of after the shot (with post processing). You have made a good job with the light at the shot. You could now ajust the levels to give tonus and eliminate a small voile.

This is such a cool subject that provides any number of ways to shoot. I am not sure that I agree with the DoF comments, I can see that there would be possibilities with this to do a series and focus on different parts of the leaf and let the rest fall out of focus. Having said that, I agree with Fantome tht there could be more work done on the levels to make the whole image more striking.

This is a strong photo - good comp and good color - for me, the dof is fine for what this photographer was trying to accomplish.

Excellent shot, Richard, you were very lucky that it stayed there.

@Alexandre : Don't know whether you already shot a dragonfly. But if you did, you probably know that their eyes always give this illusion that they are not sharp. With a DOF at f/13, I would be very surprised if they were not included in the focus area.

MMeye: no, I've never done any serious macro before, and I'll trust you on this one, and take my remark about the eyes back :) Sorry.

Great macro

Me gusta esta fotografia ya que creo que no es facil conseguir este macro observando al menos dos de sus caracteristicas. Enhorabuena. Saludos

GREAT close up capture of this beautiful insect

www.fotocommunity.com/pc/account/myprofile/842948

This is just gorgeous!!!! The colours are beautiful and the clarity in the water droplets is actually making me thirsty.

I have 2 thoughts, but they can absolutely be ignored. Firstly, i wonder of the photo might benefit from a bit of a contrast or highlight boost, something to make the tones really jump out as at the moment, it appears the saturation across all the colours is even. I'm not sure what i'm trying to express, something a tiny bit different to make the picture really... lusicious! Maybe it's the shadows are a little dark... I'm not sure... someone else help me out here. :)

Secondly, you might try cropping a bit off the left to move the highlighted leaf more to the third?

Gorgeous photo though... :)

Great shot - for me, there is just enough contrast for this shot to work. This is really beautiful. Btw, thanks for pointing out the yellow cast on one of my shots - I'm going to resubmit it soon. Jon

The little cropping on the left is a suggestion that's worth to be tried. I love the tones and the atmosphere.

A little grim I guess, but an otherwise unique capture. Would be great to see the web in greater detail with all the droplets of water.

Cheers Tammy

I wouldn't change a thing! love it.

Ta Lolly :) I wanted the subject isolated from the web.

Lone pine tree Mt Reiner, October 2006.

WOW, this is great. did you use a filter ?

Thanks. No filter, just a direct early morning shot on Lake Titicaca.

I love flower pictures. I think this one needs to lose the dead bud on left. It seems really distracting to me.

I agree with Cindy, the main reason it is distracting is that you cannot see it. Your DoF is too shallow for this subject and this camera angle. If you were 90 degrees around the subject looking primarily at the purple bloom, then it wouldn't be so bad to have this shallow a DoF. Here the part of the subject that comes towards the camera and pulls the eye is totally out of focus. The composition is too loose. I am a fan of "breathing room" around a subject, but here there's too much both right and top.

Looks like a great subject, just needs a second try.

This just misses being a great shot. Wonderful colors and feeling here. The composition is a little weak - a little too much dead space on the right for my taste. If the dead bud were in focus, it would provide a nice dynamic. As it is out of focus, however, it is a distraction.

Best,
Jon

Impresionante, bonita esa fusion cielo-agua. Enhorabuena.

Fantástica fotografia, espectacular gama tonal, estoy de acuerto con jcniguez. Enhorabuena. Saludos

yep, I clearly don't visit enough cool places. This is awesome!

@Jessa: this is the highest mountain of Sweden on the right, Mt Kebnekaise (2111m high only...) in Lappland, the area north of the artic circle. The last true wild zone of Europe and one of my favorite places in the whole world!

Wow, amazing!