by kimchi » Tue Jun 18, 2013 3:48 pm
Welcome to the forum, Peter!
I think posting images and inviting comments is the best way to learn. Flower photography isn't my thing and I really don't know much about it at all, but I'll chime in with some comments first.
I think you've composed #1 better than #2 as you've managed to frame the subject more cleanly without chopping off petals, although you need to crop the stuff off the bottom.
#1 looks to be soft though. Did you use manual focus or was there a stiff breeze? If you used autofocus, then it's not clear what the camera has focused on. I think for this type of subject, it's also necessary to wait for more favourable light. Many of the petals are casting shadows over each other in #1 which I think is a little distracting.
If you look at the background in #1, you can see that it is mostly dark and out of focus (although there are bright spots nearer the top). I think this is good for this type of shot as it allows the subject to stand out more. I think this effect could be heightened more if the petals were more evenly-lit.
When you post images for comment, it's always useful to include some EXIF data - at least the shutter speed, aperture, and focal length. There is other info which can be useful, but these are a good start.
