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You know you've had a great day when you get home dog tired, content and happy. I'm not big on macro photography and I recall how difficult it was in the days of film. You had to use a tripod....you had to shoot at f16 or F22...you had to use mirror lock up and a cable release...and you had to take great care in order to get a sharp, well exposed negative with sufficient DOF. It was hard work. All of that has changed with digital photography and I see photographers hand holding their 105mm VR lenses and getting spectacular results with ease. It's all too bloody easy...but then some of the imagery that gets posted up is breath taking. I used my trusty old Nikon D300 and a manual focus 55mm macro lens..a 300mm lens and my Fuji XPRO with a 35mm lens to shoot the flowers and the trees on the day.

Hi Matt
I've just looked at your pics and have to say I don't like any of them. They are all soft and mushy looking because your focus was not accurate or your camera moved when you pressed the shutter button. I don't get the first pic at all...not sure what your subject is...! it obviously lacks sharpness and I'm not sure why you posted it.It fails on every count. Of all the pics you posted only the last one has some merit...the composition works fairly well and the leading lines have some power. It seems that you could do with some helpful tips and some technical advice...and this is just the forum to help you out with that.

Bob, are you, like, totally 14? Or is that some brilliant joke that I don't get?

Matt, the second and fourth are my picks; the use of available light is fantastic. I am less enamoured with the third, but am sure it can grow on me.

SloppyBob wrote:Hi Matt
I've just looked at your pics and have to say I don't like any of them. They are all soft and mushy looking because your focus was not accurate or your camera moved when you pressed the shutter button. I don't get the first pic at all...not sure what your subject is...! it obviously lacks sharpness and I'm not sure why you posted it.It fails on every count. Of all the pics you posted only the last one has some merit...the composition works fairly well and the leading lines have some power. It seems that you could do with some helpful tips and some technical advice...and this is just the forum to help you out with that.

I see that you have chosen to submit Matt's previous critique of your photos here. Do I discern a little sensitivity on your part?

Photos submitted to this forum do not usually end up with meaningless platitudes. If you are expecting everyone to bow and tell you how great your images are, then you have come to the wrong place.
What you can expect is honest critiquing in a courteous manner. This is designed to help the photographer improve.

Matt's critique of your photographs would have come from a sincere attempt to advise you of things to consider in making your images. I would point out that of all members here, Matt is one of the most qualified. He is a teaching professional in the photographic world with a wealth of experience to offer to those who are prepared to listen and learn.

And what's more, he is unlikely to be fazed by childish attempts to embarrass him.

Matt - the first gives me the feel of lots of chroma (leaf colour + real chroma?) but I do like the randomness of it all.
I like the flower in the second but I think the lower half and the leaves in and out of light are too distracting for me.
Not feeling #3 but #4 is a much better setup for this subject

the foto fanatic wrote:What you can expect is honest critiquing in a courteous manner. This is designed to help the photographer improve.
Matt's critique of your photographs would have come from a sincere attempt to advise you of things to consider in making your images. I would point out that of all members here, Matt is one of the most qualified...

+1 and I for one encourage Matt (and anyone) to fully tell me when my images suck (and ideally how I might improve). I feel I've come a long way since I started with my D-SLR a few years ago and honestly feel I have a good grasp on the technical side - where I feel reasonably confident I can make and process a good looking image. Where I feel the definite room to grow is in being able to tell a story, present something meaningful or invoke emotions to go along with crafting a "beautiful" looking and technically competent image...

Matt, I would have to say that the light in #2 and #4 are the saving graces of this set. The other two images don't do much for me at all. If you have more images it would be great to see.

I think what I see here is someone trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
The subject is just not that attractive (to me, at least).

I think the pick of the bunch (sorry about the floral pun) is #2. I agree with Cameron - the lighting here is what makes the image.

the foto fanatic wrote:I think the pick of the bunch (sorry about the floral pun) is #2.

+1
the others do not do much for me but two is strangely attractive

the foto fanatic wrote:If you are expecting everyone to bow and tell you how great your images are, then you have come to the wrong place.
What you can expect is honest critiquing in a courteous manner. This is designed to help the photographer improve.

And that's why I come here. If you want praise join Flickr. If you actually want to improve and take the knocks then join a honest photographic community like this one.

Matt, I think the harsh sunlight isn't doing these any favours. But sometimes you just have to work with what you've got.

Thanks Wink.
Makes me look and think. That's where I need to be.

mmm.... I can't say any of these are leaping out at me.
Of the lot the first is the closest... but I'm thinking that it might have worked better by flattening out the image with more dof and focus on the image geometrics I think you do so well.