Yucca closeup

[mseigafuse]

I wasn't sure which critique area to put this in - feel free to move it if I am in the wrong place.

Two questions really:

• Does the composition on this look OK? I made a slight crop along the top and right sides. In addition to the 50mm lens I used a screw on closeup lens. I got as close as I could with my equipment, but would this work better with a crop of just the Yucca bloom filling the frame?

• Is the subject interesting enough? I have received some feedback that some of my shots lack a specific subject...

Camera: Pentax K100D
Exposure: 1/3200 sec
Aperture: f/4
Focal Length: 50 mm
ISO Speed: 200
Exposure Bias: 0/10 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire

[lputman]

I think the composition is fine. There's a piece of another bud showing behind the flower that is a little distracting. I find the subject interesting.

[CTE]

I like it and wish I could shot that well, however, why did you use 1/3200 sec exposure? Carl

[mseigafuse]

I was using the kit lens from my old K1000 SE film camera with some screw on close up lenses to get as close as possible to the yuca bloom and fill the frame as much as possible. This is an old M series lens and you set the aperture with the aperture ring (I set at f4) and then while in manual you press the AE lock button which forces the camera to meter and then sets the "appropriate" shutter speed. So, in this case with this lens I didn't really select it ... the camera did.

Thanks for taking the time to comment CTE and lputnam!

Mike