Good Evening Live from the critique club:
Why did this classic, neatly composed and technically above average image get so little commentaries and just a mid-range score? I hope I can give you a few elements of response in that regard.
Re-visiting classics is a fine way to improve skills. But with such subjects, if you want to capture the attention of viewers, your presentation must be really outstanding. Your audience has seen this type of scene not only in photographic forms but in paintings, film and in everyday life so many times that the evaluation standards for this type of image will be rather high. Technically the main flaw I feel in your picture is that the emphasis seems to be given to the background and the vase rather than to the fine hibiscus branches. A more subtle and directional lighting on the plants with a darker background could have taken care of that. Reflecting props such as your vase are always tricky to work with if you use directional lights or flash (difficult to avoid these distracting pure white zones).
Another aspect of this photograph that I don’t feel good about is that there is no “story” attached to it as I see it. Just a vase with a flower in it, I am not learning much about you looking at it either.
If you were to include some unexpected element to the composition, this might stop the viewer, have him think about it, try to imagine how you came up with such an idea and, eventually make up his own story and keep him distracted from the minor flaws of your shot. I a very classic way, your “nostalgia” pic is one that tells a story for example. We should always try to tell a story. Facts (real or invented) are more interesting than things.
Good luck and don’t forget to surprise us,
JJ
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