Dragonfly & Flower

[RoyalAffair]

I'm very inexperienced when it come to photography and have been self taught so any critique or tips would be greatly appreciated.

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/SurfHawaii1024/DSC_00752.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/SurfHawaii1024/DSC_0073-Copy.jpg

http://i148.photobucket.com/albums/s7/SurfHawaii1024/DSC_0062-Copy2.jpg

[Kaye]

These are really great RoyalAffair. I particularly like the second one. Perhaps with a touch of post editing, you may be able to get a bit more clarity/contrast in the wings on the right side. Great work. I also love macro.
We have many dragonflies here, but they do not have multicolours like yours!

[coffee]

I remember the first image from some months ago. I love macro and especially nature and insect macros such as your. These are very nicely done RA. I especially like what you did with the first two backgrounds. And the angle of the second one, looking slightly up at the dragonfly is a unique perspective that not many with little patience can pull off.

I think the first two could be improved slightly with a little different cropping. For instance: If you take the second image, and crop the left side as close to the wings as the right, and crop a little off the top of the frame, you would have the dragonflies eye closer to the Rule of Thirds intersection.

Very well done and I look forward to seeing more from you.

[RoyalAffair]

Thank you both so much.

Kaye, I do not have any means of photo shop as of now, but when I come by some I will definitely see what I can do with the wing to see if I can get it to "pop" a little more.

Coffee, I was unable to remember if i posted the first one on here before. Months ago I was active for a few days then found myself far too busy to keep up with the forums. Thank you for the suggestions about the cropping on the second picture. I cropped it as you suggested and it looks much better, and it seems to be more technically correct with its correspondence to the rule of thirds.