Randy Bell
October 2025 - Flower
About the Image(s)
I brushed off the dust from my camera and took it out for an afternoon this last month. This flower, I believe, is a Rose of Sharon, from the Hibiscus family of flowers. This time, I did not use Lightroom to edit this image. Following up with suggestions I received last week, I am trying to learn the new software I have, Affinity Photo. Edits include a curve adjustment, adjustments to color and contrast, an added vignette and square crop.
I used my Nikon camera with a 50mm lens at f/2.8, 1/100s and ISO 125.
12 comments posted
Randy, It's great that you took your camera out again. It was worth it.
I like hibiscus, and you captured this flower so beautifully.
The eye is drawn from the bottom right and rests on the flower. Only then do you see leaves and other flowers, which lead into the depth.
The color of the flowers is exactly as I remember them from last summer.
I think the cropping is appropriate; it puts the flower in focus.
The edits bring out the colors.
I thought about how I could make the flower brighter,
so I added another vignette.
I hope that was okay and that you like it too. Posted: 10/08/2025 20:08:16
Thank you for your comments, Sabine. I like what you have done with this image. I was having trouble reducing the brightness of the highlight to the right of the flower and have it look natural. You did that nicely. I will play around with the vignette some more. Maybe I wasn't applying it enough. Posted: 10/14/2025 19:00:27
Randy, Hibiscus is one of my favorite blossoms to take photos of. You did well to capture the detail and blue color in each of the five blossom petals nicely. I really like the pollen sprinkled on the lower leaf that adds interest to this image for me. I like Sabines vignette that does separate the blossom more from the background, bringing more attention to the beauty of this blossom. Capturing details in the center of the blossom can be challenging without the use of a tripod, but you did well with this photo using hand-held settings. Very well done. Posted: 10/12/2025 14:13:22
Thank you, Jim. I will play around with the vignette a little bit to see if I can get closer to Sabine's image. I like it as well. Posted: 10/14/2025 19:05:16
Randy, Glad you got your camera back out! Love the framing of your image. The green leaves frame the front flower nicely with the background flower facing the same direction. Great close up with your 50mm. I applaud you for trying new software. Posted: 10/13/2025 13:40:16
Thank you for your thoughts on this, Yvonne. It was nice to get the camera back out again, though I felt a bit rusty with it. Guess I should stop taking breaks with it... :) Posted: 10/14/2025 19:12:58
Hi Randy!
I like the fact that the blossom seems to be coming out of the frame right toward the viewer -- there's a sense of movement and vitality. I also like the hint of pollen on the lower petals -- very pleasing photo.
I'd be interested to hear any critique of Affinity. I'm centered on using Lightroom and Snapchat (on my phone). Feel like I should master them before I move on -- but then again -- no sense in getting in a rut! Posted: 10/13/2025 20:53:59
I like the fact that the blossom seems to be coming out of the frame right toward the viewer -- there's a sense of movement and vitality. I also like the hint of pollen on the lower petals -- very pleasing photo.
I'd be interested to hear any critique of Affinity. I'm centered on using Lightroom and Snapchat (on my phone). Feel like I should master them before I move on -- but then again -- no sense in getting in a rut! Posted: 10/13/2025 20:53:59
Thank you for your comments, Douglas. I am liking Affinity Photo the more I use it. It is more closely related to Photoshop, which I have never used, except Photoshop Elements when I first started out. Once I starting using Lightroom at Version 3, I never really went back to Elements. One thing I like with Lightroom is the ability to quickly adjust multiple photos from the same shoot. Affinity is more of a one photo at a time type of editing.
I never upgraded to the Adobe subscription model for their software and I am stuck with Version 6 of Lightroom and rapidly getting behind with the new tools that have been coming out. I am also trying to teach myself Darktable, which is more like Lightroom, but with a vastly different user interface.
I read yesterday that some changes are coming with Affinity Photo. I don't know what those changes will be, but they were bought out by Canva software a year or so ago. I do have a perpetual license with what I have, but may be in a similar situation as Lightroom if they go to a subscription model, too. Only time will tell, I suppose. Posted: 10/14/2025 19:26:00
I never upgraded to the Adobe subscription model for their software and I am stuck with Version 6 of Lightroom and rapidly getting behind with the new tools that have been coming out. I am also trying to teach myself Darktable, which is more like Lightroom, but with a vastly different user interface.
I read yesterday that some changes are coming with Affinity Photo. I don't know what those changes will be, but they were bought out by Canva software a year or so ago. I do have a perpetual license with what I have, but may be in a similar situation as Lightroom if they go to a subscription model, too. Only time will tell, I suppose. Posted: 10/14/2025 19:26:00
Randy, I am happy to year that you are out and about with your camera again! And what a great photo! I love how the flower is jumping off the screen. Beautiful colors and cropped nicely.
Thank you for your review of Affinity Photo! Please update us if you try their new release Posted: 10/20/2025 15:43:27
Thank you for your review of Affinity Photo! Please update us if you try their new release Posted: 10/20/2025 15:43:27
Thank you, Sylvia. Posted: 10/21/2025 20:13:10
Randy, what a lovely way to get back into photography! The soft lavender-blue petals with that deep burgundy center make for a striking composition. Your work with Affinity Photo really paid off-the color balance and contrast bring out the delicate nature of the flower beautifully. The vignette adds a nice finishing touch that keeps the eye focused on your subject. It's great to see you exploring new editing software and applying what you've learned so effectively! Posted: 10/20/2025 17:41:03
Thank you, Linda. Posted: 10/21/2025 20:13:50