It's been a while since I uploaded this photo of grape hyacinths with the title ‘blue magic’. It was rejected even though it was rated 90% by the members and 99% by the experts.

So my very simple question is: What do I have to change to get 100 %?

Camera : Canon EOS 5D Mark IV

Lens : EF 100mm f 2.8L Macro IS USM

focal length: 31mm

aperture: f/8

shutter speed: 1/25s

ISO: 100

processing tool: Photoshop (focus stacking)

Hello, Urs.

Well, my first answer would be to post it elsewhere (I have had no luck with simple botanicals on 1x, either; there is not even an available category for them). But, to be fair, I do think your image has problems (sorry!). By the way, this has, since childhood, been one of my favourite flowers - currently (April, 2025) one can see lines of these at the base of hedgerows here, in southern England. Glad to see it make an appearance.

(NB: I am assuming these are growing naturally and you used no artificial light). Thus, I think the problem is the Sun. Pesky thing but wouldn't be without it. That light is far too harsh. These are delicate flowers and deserve a delicate, woodland-style light. If you have seven hands or numerous tripods or an entourage of helpers the best answer is to use translucent white (or cream - incorporating a little yellow) sheets to act as diffusers. Direct sunlight at this harshness is not our friend here.

I have not applied any meter but, from my eye, I would say you have blown-out some highlights (ie details in the whites are unrecoverable). Your camera is excellent (I have a 5d mk II so am envious!). I am surprised you have used a macro lens - this is quite a large clump you have included. Have you tried (say) a 250mm lens zoomed-in? I do not use a macro lens so might be misguided here but they tend to be designed for very close-up work; come out a tad and a zoom lens can produce excellent results. The overall sharpness with the f-8 setting is impressive BUT the front flower is very focus-soft - the main focus being on the rear uprights. This might be resolved by that zoom lens and stepping-back - else try more originals* focus-stracked (assuming there is no wind present - which I assume to be the case, given your shutter speed is 1/25). If one has to select front or back to be sharpest, I would always opt for front - simply because it is closer to our eyes, thus likely to be sharper. (I do realise one could debate short v long sight here).

* NB On her You Tube channel, Courtney Victoria shoots fungi, using macro (so much smaller than this) but she frequently uses 30-60 focus-stacked images. Even for landscapes, some toggers (eg You Tube's Thomas Heaton) use up to five originals - so focus-stacking can work but sometimes uses a great many originals: the closer-in with macro-lenses one is, the more originals required.

Hope that helps. By the way, you have much that is right here - the low angle, the best sharpness is very good, the black background, etc. So I think it is simply a matter of a few improvements to a very good potential. You might - might being very much the operative word, here - you might be able to enhance the front sharpness in Adobe or Topaz but that won't help the light. For the light, I would try the Orton Effect - it might help. Or simply (if you can whilst they are out) re-shoot.

All the best, Cheerio.

Dear Woad Visage

Many thanks for the appreciative and very nuanced comment on my photo.
I am fully aware that every picture can be made even better. The not quite sharp flower in the foreground and the somewhat harsh light are good examples of this. By the way, the macro lens has proved to be very useful for shots with focus stacking, because its fixed focus allows the best sharpness.
What I don't understand, however, is the contrast between rejection and the ratings received.

Best regards

Urs

Hi Urs.

Yes, a fixed focus is essential for stacking (even on a zoom). But the old view that primes are of higher-quality has been challenged recently by some excellent zooms available (though beyond my pocket!).

Apropos your main question, If you study those three ladies in Macbeth, you stand a better chance of understanding (any aspect of) 1x.com's curation-system then I could ever provide.

I wish you well. Take care and thank you for your answer. Hubble-Bubble! Cheerio.

Hello, Urs

Welcome to the forum with your blue magic. There is one thing that I would have changed before submitting your image to the curators which is mainly the composition. The focus, sharpness and colors are really good but because of the composition I think it lacks the look. It really looks to amateurish. Think about a great portrait that is adored by the viewers but the frame is cropped from the upper teeth. Half of the mouth, the chin and the neck is not included in the image. You look at the image but you are not satisfied with the material you have. I had another critic last week saying that in images like this one either go very close for detail or give a good space for the flower including a foreground. I wish you good light...Cicek

Dear Cicek

Thank you very much for your criticism. I understand well that the composition with the foreground could be better. I don't claim that this photo is perfect.
What I don't understand is why the photo is amateurish and yet it was rated 99% by the experts. That seems to me to be a contradiction that I would like to understand.

Best regards
Urs

Hi, again

By amateurish I meant that it was taken intuitively rather than adjusting it technically in terms of composition. Amateurs usually focus on the subject and place it in mid center of the frame. The rule of thirds or the golden ratio is not considered at that moment. Your image is by no means bad. I just wanted to say that the high grades are well deserved. However, if you check the FAQ about the system in progress here you will see that the ones who say the last word for publishing an image might not depend on the curator grading. As you asked a question I answered it in terms of my experience over the years here. I might be wrong. Yet I hope I did not cause you to feel bad. See you around...Cicek

Good morning Cicek

Thanks again for supporting me. With these flowers I have done the composition as well as circumstances allowed. Most people obviously liked it and why it wasn't published remains a mystery. Nevertheless, I will try to implement the advice I received, perhaps with the next flowers.
Have a nice day.

Best regards, Urs

Arnon Orbach CREW 

Dear Urs,

Thanks for using the critique forum.

It is a good flowers image; however, I share Cicek comment regarding the composition, thinking that the composition can be improved, it seems to me that you cropped it too tight bottom and top. So, I took your photo to Photoshop using Camera Raw filter and I added some areas mainly top and bottom of your image. I also did not like the black background, so I used the Sky replacement feature on PS using an edited sky that I created which I feel gives the flowers more attention and uniqueness.

Finally, I took it to Topaz AI and reduced the noise and increased the sharpness.

Hope you like it.

Best regards 

Arnon Orbach Senior Critic

 

 

Dear Arnon

Thank you for taking a closer look at my photo. I like your version and I will certainly try to improve the composition.
The only thing I don't understand is why a photo that many people like is not published. But I would probably have to ask others that question.

Best regards, Urs

Dear Urs,

I had a similar experience to yours few times in the past, I suggest that you try to refine  your image and upload it again, hope it will work this time.

Warmest regards

Arnon