Experimenting with Flowers

[Didache]

Hi all

I have been experimenting with flowers this morning. I don't have a macro lens, so I was using a x4 close up lens to do this. This is not my usual area of expertise so any help from the experts out there would be very welcome!

The second one is "ortonised"!

Cheers
Mike

[MarcusK]

Mike, in matters of "Macro-style" photos, these are very interesting (to me anyway)...

What i dont get though is the background... what is it? why is it blue and without texture??

Which begs the question: in the 1st the blue seems a bit off, a bit bland...
in the 2nd, well the 2nd i like it the way it is
The 3rd works in a way, but the blurred petals seem to fade away into the blue....feels "blown out"..

Of the 3 the 2nd is my favourite, in matters of colors and everything else... for the others, i would have preferred either a different angle to minimize the blue, or a different background!

Hope this helps!

Marc

[trog100]

i dont see anything wrong with a plain background.. the pictures look a bit fuzzy and lacking in focus.. possibly a desired effect with the ortonising.. but it dosnt work for me.. i just see poory taken out of focus pictures..

keep at it..

trog

[Didache]

Thanks for the feedback so far.

Marcus: I agree with you about the background in No 1 .. I was just using coloured paper for this and didn't have a rich blue. I tried altering the hue, but it messes up the flower. I'm going to get some blue paper tomorrow and try that one again. I think you are right with No 3 too - I've just changed the contrast a little and it comes up a lot better.

Frog: They were attempts at selective focussing within a very narrow DOF (DOF tends to be narrow in close up anyway). Hence, in No 1 the focus is on the stamen and in No 3 it is on the near-side petals. Whether it is an effective technique is obviously in the eye of the beholder! But it was deliberate

Cheers
Mike

[payn817]

There is absolutely nothing wrong with solid backgrounds. In the field, you try to find an angle with the least distractions to get a solid, smooth background, so what's the diff?

I think that the first one is most effective, but the petals toward the bottom could be removed. If these are cut flowers, and not for display, just pull the offending petals off. In the second one, the "orton" thing just isn't working for me, but that is just one opinion. However, the framing is nice. I just did an entire series with the same flower, and some with the same framing.


#3 is a wonderful flower, but perhaps a little more DOF would really show how spectacular they are when you get in close. It has a nice almost abstract feel as you have it here, the weakness of it (again IMO) is the lack of color, if it were more vibrant I think you could pull it off as abstract.

[J-Dogg Productions]

i like them all but number 2 is my favorite the colors just pop great quality and clarity. u used the orton effect ehh lol i love the color color effect it adds . i used it on my flower shots as well.

great shots

Jay

[MarcusK]

Payn817 - as per my post, i am not at all suggesting that having a solid color is wrong, even though i personally preferr to have some form of texture to it when in macro... My only comment (or criticism if you will) was that the blue itself could be increased or fixed to seperate the flower even more...

Mike, I would sure like to see if that blue paper works... :thumbsup:

Marc

[Didache]

Thanks again for the feedback - it is very, very helpful. As I said, this is a new area for me. I have reshot the lily with a blue background, and also include a daffodil from the same shoot.

Cheers
Mike

[payn817]

Looks good from here. I prefer the lily, it's one of my favorite flowers.


My previous comment was not intended to be confrontational. Upon reading it again, it does seem that way. My intention was to mention that while solid is not a bad thing, the color was not the best choice.

[MarcusK]

The 2 updated photos do clarify both our points don't they?

Great Job, the colors are great!

Marc

[pyxel]

I like the first images you posted, they have interesting patterns and I actually like how you decided to use that blue as a contrast. Macro shots are always interesting and I love flowers

[Didache]

Thanks again guys for the feedback. I will certainly continue to experiment on the technique. I was only using a very cheap and unbranded x4 close up lens which I got on ebay for next to nothing. I was pleasantly surprised at how sharp it was, at least in the middle. I can't justify (or afford!) a dedicated macro lens, but the feedback encourages me to maybe buy a good close up lens.

Thanks again
Mike

[payn817]

Second hand macro lenses in excellent condition will not cost all that much. Mine was $200, and like you I once couldn't justify, or afford the purchase. Now that I found this deal, I love the lens. It may seem the same, but it isn't.