I like this and I like the softness. Maybe this would have also worked with a better DOF and more edge sharpness but for my taste I think I prefer it as is.
Thanks ... dof is only around 5.6 or 8.0 at the pistils. They are actually a bit sharper than this. While I normally strive for some of that "pop out at ya" ... the delta seemed a bit overbearing so I softened them up a bit to try to balance them with the petals a bit more harmoniously.
Of course, it's all fair game as all the pieces work together, but I'm kinda drawn to the tonal value/transitions. What's your take on the hot spots ... do they kill the piece, or are they tolerable. I have some latitude to dial them back should I rework from the raw.
Also, does it have a film-esque vibe (no grain applied in pp), or is it just in my head?
This might be a tad overly hot in some places. Personally I would not bother to tinker with it further. Everything changes if you decide to do a print. I generally end up with a test print or two when trying to get good prints for something as subtle as this.
The hot spots were around 245 at capture, but I didn't pay enough attention along the way in pp, and "somewhere" let them creep up to 255. Test print to see how they play Peoria, gotcha. Thanks.
