Jack-in-the-pulpit . . . good crop or bad crop??

[Steve Foss]

I'm interested if this crop works for you. A different take, perhaps. I have many images of this wonderful plant but have wanted to capture something before the top of the petal grows to full development and covers so much of the flower, so I went out to get some not quite fully grown.

My apologies for the hot spots on the leaves. Even a diffusion disc couldn't kill them fully because of the waxy reflective nature of the plant. I'll take care of them before printing.

Canon 30D, Canon 100 macro, iso200, 1/250 at f5

[LeeKen]

I like it.

Maybe the "jack-in-the-pulpit" started me thinking in a church state of mind, but I think I'd like to see a bit more of the natural "cross" behind the Rev. Jack.

Those hot spots in a way make me feel the leathery texture of the leaf. Take to much out and they are spinach leaves.

All in my humble opinion.

[mmeyer]

Steve, sorry but it doesn't really work for me. I would prefer a vertical crop on this I think.

Just my opinion.

[Steve Foss]

Well, I've got so many of the more standard shots of this sweet plant I wanted to try something different. You know how it goes.

Thanks for the opinions, guys. I appreciate your time to look and comment. Keep 'em coming!

[jonny_redhorse]

All perspective!....some like black cars......some like white cars........being a "pulpit person" , and just plain like these little green flowered plants....I can't say any pulpit image is really lacking....I like em all!....lot of help I am ....

[dockothebay]

I really like the horizontal crop - I am drawn to the asymmetrical, and somewhat unusual views. It is all about personal preference and perspective. I also like the crop of the leaves - just my kind off-kilter perspective

[MARINERMAGNUM]

Can't decide!

Would a polarizer kill the waxy reflection?

[bassNspear]

Awesome shot again CaT!

[Paul]

Not my favorite shot. But that is just an opinion.

[WifeKidsandDog]

Can't decide either, I've looked it a few times and kind of wish I could see more of the plant -- probably because I don't have a clue what it is.

[Steve Foss]

A polarizer will kill most glare, but polarizers also darken indiscriminately, and that means increased noise in the shadow areas, so I generally avoid polarizers and deal with small matters like these glare spots in pp.

I could have cropped/composed the image to look like a picture in a field guide to wildflowers, but that's not what I hope my lot in life will be. If I'm not willing to take even as small a risk as posting a slightly unusual crop here among family, what good am I?

[mmeyer]

You never get anywhere if you stay in your comfort zone all the time. This is another prime example of how everyone's opinion is so different when it comes to viewing a photograph.

Keep 'em coming Steve!

[Steve Foss]

You never get anywhere if you stay in your comfort zone all the time. This is another prime example of how everyone's opinion is so different when it comes to viewing a photograph.

Keep 'em coming Steve!

I'll always keep them coming, my friend.

But in honor of honesty, I must admit that the comp/crop is completely within my comfort zone. I composed the image with that crop in mind. Of course, I composed it a bunch of other ways, too, never knowing which would leap out at me the screen in pp.