Close-ups of flowers

The colour, the sharpness, and the composition work perfectly here. The positioning of the centre of the flower is spot on and the edges of the petals lead the eye expertly around the frame. It's a great specimen, free of any distracting blemishes.

Photographing this Alpine Pulsatilla after the petals have fallen off has given it the appearance of a beautiful scribble! There is nothing distracting in the frame, the focus is spot on, and the muted colours suit the subject wonderfully. It's a deceptively simple shot.

Filling the frame with the rose was a wise choice here, and the swirling created by the petals is pleasing. Where this image falls down is the focusing. I get the feeling this might have been handheld, in which case I would say use a tripod, hold the rose steady with a clamp, and then focus manually.

There is a gentleness to this shot that is really appealing, and the positioning of the flower is great. The wash of colour created by the shallow depth of field is attractive too. The petal on the right is lovely and sharp, but I would like to have seen the middle petal a touch sharper. In this case an aperture of f/3 was just a touch too wide.

This image has a lot going for it: beautiful pastel colours, great depth of field, focus in all the right places, and a joyous summery feel. However, the piece of wood at the top is a little distracting, and the highlights lack detail in the leaves and blooms at the top of the frame.