Sunflowers in the Winterby
KrisbyComment by jpochard: Because this is going to get one of my lower scores, I'd like to take minute to comment.
Two BIG negatives jump out at me with this entry. First, is that the lighting does not appear to be backlighting. The front and tops of the flowers are lit and the backDROP is highlighted, but that is not the same as "backlighting." In backlighting, you want your subject somehow set off by the lighting which comes from behind it. That is not the case with your photo here.
The second big thing to me is the lack of focus and loss of detail in the subject. Some of the detail loss is from the blown out highlights of the lights, and some appear to be from motion blur or being out of focus.
Even if technically those things had appeared well done, I believe this shot would not have appealed to me on an artistic level. The backdrop is wrinkled, the subjects (flowers) don't look like they've had any type of specific placement, but are just bunched together. The upper part of the photo where the backdrop and the lighting stop and you just see black...is rather distracting and unappealing.
I'm sorry to be negative, but I'm hoping that this will be helpful.
To improve this subject for this challenge, lighting from behind the subject is important. Also, I would pull in much closer to the flowers and reduce the amount of backdrop you see. However, even when pulling in close, try different angles other than simply centering your subject. Sometimes centering works well, but other times composition can be made more dynamic by placing the subject off center.
Make sure you hold the camera steady or use a tripod and that you are using the camera's focus properly. Be sure you are focusing on the part of the photo you want to have clear. I would suggest some simple work on the basics, such as focus and composition.
I really hope this is helpful. Keep shooting :)
Photographer found comment helpful.