A Simple Pink Rose (alternate in comments)

D 800, 60 mm macro, 1/160 sec, f3.2, handheld, ISO 250, . Topaz Simplify and Glow utilized in processing.

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This is the alternate work up of this rose. Curious which people prefer. I’m going back and forth. The “alternate” has another layer of Topaz Simplify applied.

Kathy, I like the concept of the concentric spiral, and the tight view on it. I like the color, although on my monitor it looks more like pale peach than pink perhaps. I prefer the first version, the second is a little too soft for my taste, and it also seems to be slightly less saturated in color.

The Topaz Simplify filter seems to be creating a slightly watercolor look and that works well for me. It also comes close to the look you might get if you were taking a straight shot using manual selective focus with a macro lens wide open at f 2.8. I think it would be interesting to also see a straight selective focus shot of this subject, leaving just a few of the petal edges crisply in focus.

Thanks Ed.
I go back and forth between the two. I may have also played with the tone curve here to get this pastel look. I wanted it to look almost translucent.
I did shoot this at 3.2 but with a 60 mm . Could have gone down lower. Looking at the original there is some fall off but it was somewhat masked by the processing I used.
I think you are right about the peach. My slight color issue coming into play again.

Kathy: I felt like I was at a tennis match going back and forth between these. I like them both but have a slight preference for the first primarily for the color. Superbly crafted image.>=))>

Gorgeous folds and flow to the petals. I prefer the original image. No suggestions for improvement. Beautiful as is.