seeking an opinion from you

I'd go for the Mammillaria shot: an interesting, off-centre composition of an exciting architectural plant. Cool colour combinations: purpley pink and cold blue. Depth of field works really well: soft focus spines, sharp focus flowers.

The Fritillary, on the other hand, I suspect isn't actually one of your better pictures. It's much more as you describe: a 'straight forward portrait' of a straight-forward plant. Nice enough, but I've seen lots of pictures of Fritillaries and (this is meant in a not-bad way) this one's much of a muchness with lots of the others. Does what it says on the tin, shows you a nice picture of a nice flower, but doesn't really add anything.

But who am I to talk? I'm sure I couldn't do any better...

I'll comment, although I have no strong opinion. I suppose it depends on the intended audience. I would have said the picture on the left - although they're both great - as it gives a clearer overview of the flower, so I know what I'm looking at. But as PJ has shown, I think, things are different for people who know the flowers and who therefore don't need the extra information.

Actually, what I really like about these pictures is the colours, and - bizarrely - the interplay between the weaving writing and the photos beneath it, which I find most artistic. So it really is subjective!

I'm with PJ, the Mammillaria for sure. It's much stronger, crisper, brighter, more interestingly composed.

I like Fritillary.

I don't know how you feel about working on the lighting, but if you would have reflected some rays on those little yellow things hanging out of the middle (I don't want to get all technical on you), it would have been mind boggling. Not that its not already, but even Ansel Adams messed with the light in his photos, sometimes for hours to get the right effect.

The other one is amazing too, but since I have to choose ONE...

I love the second one. It's original and has some great colours, and I think that your choice of focus was wonderful. :)
BTW, have you checked out my photoblog ;) ? It's Laertes instead of Ophelia. How posh.

I prefer the Fritillary. I found the background of the Mammillaria picture distracting. Although pretty, my eyes were drawn down to the bottom left of the picture and away from the flowers. I liked the Fritillary becuase it was a straightforward portrait and because the play of light on the flower highlighted it. My eyes were drawn to the mottled colours of the petals and how they sheltered the stamens and carpels inside.

My vote is for Mammillaria. The picture is brighter and more colourful than the Fritillary. I like the off-centre composition, framed with the grey/blue. The whole of the 'flower' in M is in clear focus while the background is de-emphasised but still perceptible. In F most of the petals are out of focus, so you lose a lot the effect of the mottled colour, also the background is an anonymous blur.

Another one for the Mammillaria. But bear in mind that this appraisal comes from someone who ignores composition and lighting and well, everything really, and deliberately tries to follow his instant, initial response, rather than analysing anything.

I prefer the one of the bronze willy.

I prefer the one on the left, which looks like it's zoomed out. I don't *get* flowers beyond a purely nice to look at level and it's easier to focus on it,

The cacti has the best artistic flair. With the floral head just shown enough as to hint at the overall. The trunk of the plant out of focus as to make you want to investigate further. Lovely really. Now the otra is faboo but it is very clinical which is perfect for a floral identification book. The money shot of the bontanical world. The uniqueness of this particular variety laid spread eagle for everyone to see.
k

I prefer the image on the right. The one on the left is droopy. I must say I'm not terribly fond of either.

Two - it makes you think, draws you in and grabs your attention.

In fact that shot is brilliant - well done.

What camera do you use?

I like the cactus picture. Why? I guess it is because of the way my eye is drawn first to the color and then to trying to decipher the blurry portions.

F - Just easier. I like the sun catching the very edge of the bottom petal, and the textured surface of the petals.
M - Takes a while to figure out. Colour mix makes me wonder what's been tweaked - it feels as if something's missing. Composition might work better if it were a closer crop - the light, slightly cluttered background adds nothing. The flowers and spines are great; it's just as whole it doesn't grab me.

But maybe that's just me. As I struggle to get anything anywhere near as good as either of these shots, I'm probably not in a position to comment.

Hi! I like both images, but for different reasons:

Fritillary
A beautiful image - love the bokeh, but the stem on the right hand side is a little distracting - would be easy to clone out, and would significantly improve the picture. Also, it's a shame the focus point it on the top of the petals, not the fluffy yellow bits - would have been nice to draw your eye to the heart of the flower, rather than the edge. Ideally you could have gone for a slightly longer depth of focus and got all the petals and the stamen in focus. One other idea for next time - put a piece of shiny card or paper under the flower - this reflects the sunlight back into the insides of the flower and really draws out the details....

Mammillaria
I LOVE this image! Crisp and detailed, with lots of colour. The off centre composition is great, and the flowers are crisp and sharp. The gravel at the bottom is a little distracting: you could try cropping the image more tightly at the bottom and to the left to remove some of it, and maybe you could darken the background....

Generally speaking, lovely images - these comments are really nit picky, but I think they are great!

Have you thought about doing stock photography? It's a great way to get your images out there and seen by people!

Mat

Mammillaria. I like the way that the colours are in sharp focus and catch the eye; I also like the soft blurry, out-of-focus background. You have that with the fritillaria as well, but the colours for the mammillaria are more appealing insofar as there's a clear contrast between the white and the magenta (am I a bad homosexual for not knowing what exact hue those little flowers are?). The mammillaria's focus/blur is also more clearly delineated, causing the image to stand out to a much greater degree; not so with the frit., because the stem is still "in focus" enough to just look a little bit too close to the flower itself.

I like mammillaria because it's purty.

definitely Mammillaria. very artistic, well done!

i'd have to go with the mammillaria ... it looks ALIVE. simply put. i also like the contrast between the focused upper portion and the more unfocused sections. the other flower just looks sorta .. dead almost.