Critique welcomed - one of the first pics from my new D40x

[evil.monkey.in.my.closet]

So I bought a new (well "used" actually) D40x a couple of weeks ago and today's the first time I've had the chance to try it out. Here's one of my first pics "straight out of the box" so to speak, i.e. not edited, cropped, photoshopped etc. My wife thinks I'm trying to be a bit arty-farty (her words!) - what do you guys think?

 

[copperhead]

Beautiful! So did you fiddle around with the manual settings to get the result or is it one of the default settings?

 

[AdrianR]

Arty-farty-schmarty!

It's a nice pic, well composed and with good contrast and color tone. Personally, I would have made the field depth a lot shallower, so that everything immediately behind the sunflower was much more out of focus than it is.

 

[evil.monkey.in.my.closet]

Beautiful! So did you fiddle around with the manual settings to get the result or is it one of the default settings?

Thanks for the comments.

It was one of the default settings - portrait I think.
This was the best one of several that I took. I was a bit pushed for time so might pop back later and take some more, messing around with aperture settings etc. Not sure how much more depth of field I will get as I've only got the kit lense so not that "fast" a lense.

 

[adonnellyr]

I'm really impressed with the clarity of that image! I know little about cameras, but the result looks quite nice!

 

[TimMechEngr]

It's hard to beat a Nikon! I shot my avatar with a Nikon from about 50 ft. away with a 10X zoom and then cropped it. Here's the original:

 

[mretzloff]

I'm not a photographer, but I really like the photo. It looks great.

 

[MrGuy]

Very nice. The only thing that jumps at me is the little cluster in the bottom left corner. It kind of competes for my attention. It looks like it stepped into frame at the last second. (I hope that made sense)
A Photoshop suggestion (if that's something you like to do) would be to change the yellow grouping in the background to another color. The yellow of the subject flower would pop even more if it was the only yellow. Might be a little tricky, but worth the effort.

 

[Austin]

I like arty-farty! Well done.

 

[bones59]

I like it. I have the same camera. I've been told I take nice pictures. With digital you can use a shotgun approach. Shoot dozens of pictures and pick the one or two that are the best

 

[Oldguy]

It's a nice photo. Good color and saturation. Just a wee bit busy for me. Now try your cropping skills and see what happens.

Len

 

[evil.monkey.in.my.closet]

It's a nice photo. Good color and saturation. Just a wee bit busy for me. Now try your cropping skills and see what happens.

Len

Better?

 

[jkh]

I've been looking at this picture for 10 minutes and still cannot find the soap/cream, razor, brush, or aftershave

Just kidding ... lovely shot!

 

[Oldguy]

Better?

Now that's a perfect picture. I take a lot of flower photos and frame some for my den up to 11"X14". This one is worthy.

Len

 

[MrGuy]

Much better without the distraction on the left!!!
+1 on seeing that one in a frame somewhere.

 

[Walt Whitman]

Better?

Much better!

Wonderful bokeh.

What lens did you use? How close to subject were you? Lay out some info...

 

[evil.monkey.in.my.closet]

Much better!

Wonderful bokeh.

What lens did you use? How close to subject were you? Lay out some info...

Just pulled the specs up:
Lens: 18-55mm F/3.5-5.6 G
Focal Length: 55mm
Exposure Mode: Programmed Auto
Metering Mode: Center-Weighted
1/200 sec - F/14

I was crouched down in the village wells just after the Ascenscion Day well dressing ceremony that still goes on every year in the little Cotswolds village where my boys go to school. See:
http://www.cotswolds.info/strange-things/well-dressing.shtml

Thanks for the positive comments guys. Much appreciated.

 

[Alaskan Eagle]

Very nice. I would hang that in my house.

 

[thirdeye]

Beautiful shot....