Critique the Community

Submit Your Best Photos Of Plants

Submit your best foliage photo for a chance to win a free Fstoppers tutorial
  • Submission Deadline: Thu, 05 Dec 19 04:45:00 +0000

    This contest has ended.

  • Voting is closed.

  • Congratulations to the winners!

    View Results

We want to see your best images of plants or flowers for our next Critique the Community. 

Between now and December 4th, we invite you to submit up to two of your best images of foliage. We will be selecting a total of 20 images to give feedback to and two entrants will win a free Fstoppers original tutorial. The first winner will be decided by the highest average community rated image and the second will be chosen at random. Please note that we want to see high quality pictures and will probably overlook anything that looks like a snapshot. 

Once you've uploaded your submissions, we encourage you to scroll through everyone else's and give them ratings and comments of your own. Please keep feedback encouraging and helpful. 

  • Submission Deadline: Thu, 05 Dec 19 04:45:00 +0000

    This contest has ended.

  • Voting is closed.

  • 652 people have cast a total of 51,398 votes on 742 submissions from 466 contestants.
  • Congratulations to the winners!

    View Results

99 Comments

Are mushrooms plants for the purpose of this submission? In biological classification, they're not plants.

I don't have a problem with them, they don't seem out of place among the submissions to me.

What about trees? Is a forest scape foliage? It obviously will have foliage in it.

Does it have to be outside or can a styled shot with foliage/flowers or what not be counted?

this is going to be a tough one lol another rough crowd

Seems most of the submissions are flowers not foliage. Even the title image of the contest is misleading - it's a flower, the title says plants and the description says foliage. Funny. I think after that anything that actually grows is fair game!

in the rules, it states "We want to see your best images of plants or flowers for our next Critique the Community." so I think that's why people are sharing flowers.

I think they incorrectly used "foliage" as interchangeable with "plants"

It doesn’t help that in the last video Lee sort of brushes over the topic with uncertainty of what to include. He even says “vegetables” at one point.

My image is at like a 1.92, possibly because people don’t understand that they included flowers. On top of that, pictures of flowers/plants doesn’t mean “only flowers/plants without any complimenting elements”. Lee even said “make it interesting”. They clearly don’t want just pictures of flowers, but making it interesting has gotten mine sniped.

Hi Jordan, are you looking for for feedback? I find some people are here and some are not.

I'm more interested in feedback or the opinions of the guys in the video than the tutorial, that's for sure. If anyone here adds feedback, comments or opinions, that's always welcome, too.

After Lee and Patrick mentioned the status of critique in this segment I decided to submit one of my photos and yeah, the ratings are.. :) Hope people looking for honest opinions/ratings don't take this part of the community too seriously, as it's just toxic :)

I've always taken the rating system of the contests with a grain of salt, since it's the competitors voting against their competition. That being said, people rating my flower image, a focus stacked image composited together from 5 images, as a one star image without justification is a new low for CTC. I try not to get too up in arms about things around here, as I have a lot of respect for the Fstoppers guys and contributors, but I'll say it, this is downright shameful, and Fstoppers should be embarrassed for letting the "contests" get this bad. At this point, Reddit a more legitimate place to get critiques than CTC... was that too dramatic?

Should I throw a "for shame" in here or is that too much... ah, why not go all in. For shame... \(o_o)/

Yeah it's nonsense, I think most of the bad ratings are people who saw "foliage" and rated flowers as out of context... From my point of view, it's some of the best shots I've seen in an fstoppers contest, there's a lot of great images, and very few snapshots. Yet the ratings are pathetic...

Maybe just for fun there shoud be a special critique the community episode, where Lee and Patrick go and review portfolios of people, who only give 1 star reviews ;)

Agree. The rating reflect some angry people. If you have a model with a flower in her hair I get the low rating but most people seem to have gotten the idea.

Why does a model with flowers in her hair warrants a low rating. It says photos of flowers, plants and foliage it didn't say where those flowers needed to be in a vase, in the ground or in someone' hair as long as the flowers are a main focus to the shot. So if you are rating low because you think the photo shouldn't have a person in it I think that is dick move.

Because the subject was clearly the model. It's called missing the point of the assignment.

I'm new here but a long time YouTube fan, so I've seen the CTC rating issues plenty and Lee and Patrick are obviously well aware of them. I do think there's a simple solution though and I hope they're both seeing this comment. 1 star ratings should bring up a forced 100 character minimum comment in order to confirm the 1 star review. If people had to justify their random 1 stars, they'd leave a lot fewer of them. And if people want to leave unjustified 1 stars badly enough to comment 100 A's or something, then Patrick knows who to consider booting from the community.

Hey Jordan, I'm curious how you would rate your image?

That’s a bit of a tough question as it’s hard for me to give an unbiased rating because I know the process required to take this particular image. I know how much time it took to get the images required for the composite, how long it took to composite the focus stack, how uncommon these conditions are in June in Tokyo (rainy season), and how unique this composition is because I’ve seen dozens of shots from this general location but never with this composition (everyone shoots it from the other side of the river). All of this means I have a personal attachment to this particular image which can’t really be quantified with a number - I would have added these details in the description, but let’s be honest, it wouldn’t have helped.

Let’s just say I wouldn’t upload anything here that I would personally vote less than a 3 [meaning there’s nothing that jumps out at me as “this needs fixing” - if something did jump out, I’d fix it before uploading]. I feel 1 or 2 can be a little more objective, however, any rating higher than 3 gets into personal opinion as what someone considers “excellent” or “world class” relies on one’s subjective opinion. I’m personally pretty liberal with my 4s and 5s on Fstoppers, even if the image isn’t flawless. This is to say that one can still provide a critique of an image, while understanding it’s not a 1 or 2.

Sorry if that wasn’t the answer you were looking for, but it’s not quite as simple as assigning a number. People are welcome to rate it what they want, but some sort of justification is appreciated. As I said before, comments, feedback, and opinions are always welcome, even if I disagree with them. “Art” is meant to spark discussion or debate.

Foliage? In december?

Dead foliage is interesting too 😉

Lee and Patrick should do a test where people who submit are then only allowed to vote for a few (up to 3) other photos - that way, it turns it into you can vote for your favourite photos, instead of everyone just 1-starring the rest of the submissions because they can.

I'm not 1-starring anyone who do not deserve it.

Neither am I, but such a test would put and end at least to the speculation of whether people do or not

Isn't it fun to have your photos rated as "Need Work"?
Rated by who? The voters didn't even explain me how to improve my work. Is it because they are not Photoshoped? They don't look Instagram enough? LOL
I now remember why I deleted all the professional motorsports photos I posted 1 or 2 years ago.

Mine was POTD and is rated pretty low on here. Some people down vote on these CTC contests thinking it will make theirs higher in the pool. It's just something you've got to accept and not let it bother you. These contests aren't that serious.

You're right, but I'm afraid that this issue is difficult to subvert. It's almost expected.

I think the problem is with the rating system is that it doesn't lend itself to explanation in the contest space. I give photos that just don't link a 1 star, but anything as per the definition where the photographer has paid attention to lighting etc but is a fairly boring picture IMO gets 2 stars. And so on🤷‍♀️

i am a landscape photographer too (in addition to portraits). i have many many failed journeys where mother nature and I do not come to a meeting of the minds for a sunset, cloud, fog or other lighting situation that end up in my never to be published pile. this is why some of my landscape shots have taken years to capture exactly as i intend—and that’s after multiple attempts in the field and months of planning alignments and stalking many different weather/satellite apps and star trajectory apps. however, if i did not get what i wanted from an outing, then it is not likely going to be a piece I will end up considering “best” and then enter into a contest. Lastly, some lighting equipment can be super helpful in the field—and nd filters are a must. :) all that being said, just because i put tons of planning and strategy and love into a piece, does not mean that my result is flawless or amazing. however, in general from what i have seen, obviously some of the raters do not follow the established guidelines.

Wow, no need to be so offensive. There is a lot of hate and rage swinging with your biased speech.

Dude these contests are just an example of how taste works. If someone likes boobs a loooot they would probably rate a picture with boobs in it higher, if someone likes cars a loooot they would probably rate a picture with a car in it higher...
If you like that or not.

Also it all comes down to your own aesthetic perception or understanding.

You yourself are putting your work over the work of others and not only that, you’re also being insulting and offensive about that (“any silly bugger...”). That is so low!

How are you any better than someone rating your image two stars as they find it not pleasing enough in their own taste - as you are full on raging about them (and studio photographers of course)?
🙄

I would take it as “alright if 50 people think my photograph needs work, it probably needs work! 🤷🏼‍♂️ Maybe not MORE work than I have already put in it but maybe DIFFERENT work. A different angle on how to approach my photography or just a different post processing”. Sometimes a different perspective towards your own work doesn’t hurt.

Why do you even upload your work if you hate around here so much?

I rate as the rating system suggests. I only give one star if it is obviously a snapshot or if the image just does not fit the category, no matter how great it is anyways. Great photo wrong category = 1 star.
With 4 or 5 stars it is mostly aesthetics for me. If it really meets my taste and is really really well executed it gets those high ratings. Simple as that.

🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽

Your comment, Peter, is downright disgusting. You're being misogynistic and bringing up things that have no relation to the topic at hand.

It's amusing you think that studio photographers have no idea how to work in natural light. A lot of photographers start in working with natural light and progress to studio light. You have to learn to shape whatever light you're given, be it natural or artificial. There's also things like ND filters, scrims etc... that can help with natural light.You might want to look into the book "Light science, and magic" if you're having issues with lighting in nature.

I'm not sure why you're trying to attack Lee and Patrick because you cannot afford something more. It is not their fault, nor is it anyone elses here as to why you cannot. Work with what you have and a great deal of photographers can shoot with a point and shoot camera and produce magnificent work. A camera is just a tool, it's your artistic eye, and the ability to understand lighting, posing, rule of thirds etc... that make the photograph. Again, if you're failing in that aspect there are things you can look in to to help you with that.

Difficulty of a shot has little to do with how it translates. If you hung yourself off a cliff to get a shot, and it turns out overexposed, blurry from shake due to the wind or what have you, that does not mean it's a good shot simply because it's hard. No one cares how much you hurt yourself, or what it took, they only for the end result.

so much yes :)

OK BOOMER! Typical misogynistic prick. What are your qualifications? Your work is sub-par, looks like a snapshot and something my GRANDMOTHER would think was worthy of putting on a wall. You're pissed off because you're uploading snapshot work with the asinine assumption that your work is actually good, it's NOT and you're getting pissed off because people are voting that way. You've attacked women, you've attacked Patrick and Lee without an ounce of knowing what they do outside of their studio work. The sheer idiocy of your commentary shows you know nothing about what they do, and that they do read the comments. What's even more absurd is that you think the prices for these tutorials are expensive... hah! If Fstoppers has passed take your snapshots to something like a boomer photographer page where you belong!

My work has been POTD quite a few times. Nothing sub-par or sub-human. I'm not an Ansel Adams, but at least I don't have this bloated ego with sub-par snapshots as you do. If you had a degree in photography I imagine you'd know how to properly expose for any given scene and how to use whatever tool you have. Given the nature of your work I question the integrity of the school you supposedly obtained your degree from. You might want to get your money back. But tossing around degrees, to which I have, doesn't do anything for me. This isn't a dick measuring contest, but it seems you think it is.

You keep insulting Patrick and Lee in the most degrading way, and have done so a few times now. It shows how utterly foul your character is.It's downright disgusting that you can sit there and act misogynistic, and toss insults towards the very website you're supposedly SOOOOOO not in to. Actually, I find it more amusing that you have the audacity to sit there and act the way you are and still continue to keep your work up.

I actually know a GREAT DEAL about fractals as I do it in apophysis and cinema 4d for fun. I could teach you a thing or too about fractal work. But OK BOOMER! Take your stuff down because you're having a hard time swallowing the truth pill. I know it hurts, but don't come guns blazing acting like a prick and you won't get treated like one. K? Buh bye BOOMER!

sooooome one deleted his account, apparently 🙄🙄

Looks like it! If he had not acted in the way he did, I doubt anyone would have issue with him.

Sounds like Peter changed his name to Trafford

Well your only photo was uploaded after all this and you're the only one trying to defend him. He had the right to discuss his issues with the current site culture but he didn't have the right to abuse other members. Being passionate and being insulting are very different.

I'm not saying you're definitely Peter with a new account, it just seems rather coincidental.

I'm replying to my own message.
I like a photo I vote 5 stars, I don't like one, I don't vote.

I posted a photo https://fstoppers.com/entry/433201 on which I used a wide aperture to make the pistils float and give the image a surreal look.
From the point of view of a macro photographer who shoots at f/22+ or stacks shots to have everything in focus, it's obviously a mistake and needs improvement!

I like it! I would have filled in the gaps but it's not a 2.3 like it's being rated right now.

Thank you Crystal!
I should have watermarked the photo with "It's not focused everywhere on purpose"
I remember shooting this flower with more focus thus details, it was less interesting.

sebastien, did you have the caption originally ? because unless they are obviously snapshots, i read them to understand thought and perspective before giving less than a 3. people who dont put explanations dont get the benefit of the doubt from—i change my rating in your image after reading the caption just now-but i honestly dont remember that caption 😳😳 so sorry! i remember the image, but yes, i did think it was a novice mistake when I initially rated it my sincerest apologies!!

I added the extra caption after I realized what could confuse raters.
As a professional photographer I thought it was obvious I wouldn't post a blury image, but I was wrong.

well im a newbie to this forum and it seems there are a lot of snap shots and out of focus shots — since i don’t know anyone’s work yet it is difficult for me to tell who is who yet 😳😳apologies

More comments

Contest Submissions

Click on the thumbnails below to comment and vote on each image.

Click here to learn about the Fstoppers rating system and what each star value means.