Hi everyone! would love some opinions!

[hakurtz]

I have been taking pictures for as long as i can remember....I have been trying to get into it more seriously the last year or so. I am just really learning manual settings( I have alsways shot on auto) I had to lighten it just a tiny bit but i did no other editing to the photo!
This was taken in my yard using my olympus E500 with a 70-300mm lense from about 3 feet away ( didn't wanna get closer too many bees lol) 1/1600 f4.0 hope you like it!

[NKP68]

I like the subject and color contrast between the bright yellow of the flower and the clear blue sky. I would loose the bit of leaf in the upper right corner. lighten up the leaves and stem to show a bit of detail on them. It's a beautiful flower maybe decrease the angle to show more of the seed pod, a little more bottom so you don't cut off the petals. Shoot slower and close the lens down for more DOF, the forward most petals are soft. Nice shot.
Ed

[Don Schaeffer]

It's a beautiful photo, sharp and bright. It's just such a common subject. Try to be a little more adventuresome.

[hakurtz]

Thanks guys i appreciate it. I was home sick today so i had a little time to sit in the yard and play with the settings....like i said i am just learning manual so since that was the prettiest thing in the garden i practiced on that. I didn't want to do too much editing to the photo for my first critique. when i get back to photoshop ill play with the green a little!

Hope this isnt a dumb question but if i shoot on a lower shutter will i need a tripod? or only if i get down really low? I have shaky hands as it is im afraid ill be moving when i shoot. Thanks so much!

[jetrim]

You have a great eye for composition! I agree with NKP68 about cloning out or cropping out that little piece of leaf at the top right corner, but otherwise, this is an outstanding shot. Color, contrast, & depth of field are all looking very good here.

[AgingEyes]

Usually I don't like bright sunshine, but I think it works on this one given what it is. I would still tone down the yellow just a tad (still not too bad as is),

[hakurtz]

Thanks very much everyone! This was my first time really sitting down with the camera and shooting on manual so i was really pleased with the shot! Thanks for your kind words jetrim! Agingeyes i did think it might have been too bright as well, but i did play with it in photoshop and wasnt crazy about the way it looked making it a little darker. I also wanted to post a non edited photo for my first cretique thanks again everyone!