• 07-10-2004, 05:34 PM
    Janie
    Gee, since we NEVER see flowers (lol)...
    This is my favorite flower so I decided to photograph it today. I photographed it a few days ago but it was so bright out the saturation was over powering. I'm finding that dusk is the best time for bright flowers, especially if you can get the sun behind the flowers to provide more detail and some highlights on the edges, as in the bottom one. Now, in the first one, I can't decide if i like the sun behind it, or if it annoys me. The middle one seems flat so I may need to up the saturation on it. opinions? ;-)

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/orange.jpg

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/oragneflowerweb.jpg

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/flowersby-040.jpg
  • 07-10-2004, 05:37 PM
    Janie
    And the pink flowers
    Which I don't enjoy quite as much, they just don't photograph as well! You may disagree, it may just be me.

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/magentaflower.jpg

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/flowersby-009.jpg

    Okay, one more orange flower...

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/flowersby-033.jpg
  • 07-10-2004, 06:24 PM
    CaraRose
    Hello :)

    I like the sun in the first one. I think it creates a neat effect. I do find the purple flowers along the bottom a bit distracting though. I think I'd like it better if it was cropped down to be just the left hand side.

    The second one is excellent. The third is great although the background with the light coming through the leaves creating that polkadot pattern is a bit distracting.

    I didn't think the pink photographed as well either. The colors seem almost neon and a bit unnatural. The red ones are great though :)
  • 07-10-2004, 06:40 PM
    Seb
    [QUOTE=Janie]This is my favorite flower so I decided to photograph it today. I photographed it a few days ago but it was so bright out the saturation was over powering. I'm finding that dusk is the best time for bright flowers, especially if you can get the sun behind the flowers to provide more detail and some highlights on the edges, as in the bottom one. Now, in the first one, I can't decide if i like the sun behind it, or if it annoys me. The middle one seems flat so I may need to up the saturation on it. opinions? ;-)

    Hello Janie,

    I am glad to see that you submit your flowers here as well.

    For the first one, I have to go against CaraRose and say that the sun is distracting (my eyes keep going directly toward it) but hey, that's just me! I like the angle you gave to it though. It's a nice point of view.

    For the second and the third one, it seems to me that the core of the flower is not exactly as sharp as it could have been. That's nothing awful (quite contrarily). In fact I may just be too picky but it doesnt look perfectly dead on. But then again, the composition works well for me. I am not too sure if I have a favorite out of those two. They both look good and I don't think that I would call the second one "flat".

    I can't seem to enjoy the purple flower as well. I cant quite put my finger on what's going wrong (if anything). The flower itself is nice, the compositions doesnt seem mistaken. Still I dont enjoy these as much.

    Overall these are great

    thanks for sharing

    Seb
  • 07-10-2004, 10:42 PM
    Janie
    Hey Seb! Yeah, for some reason I end up posting my stuff in viewfinder and forget about it in here! lol Go figure. So yeah, I do find the sun distracting - I have a headache right now and looked at it again and it just made it worse. I liked how the photo looked, but wish i had gotten the sun behind one of the flowers just a tad more. Funny, the sky looked really pretty but not in the shot. All you see is that damned sun. And when I look at the second orange flower, that one is now my favorite shot and i'm not nuts about the third. I'm nuts. what can i say. i'm sure i'll completely change my mind tomorrow and fall in love with the pink flowers - but i think i know why i don't like those - i realized when i looked at the larger size image that buggies must have been hungry because there are teeth markes on the leaves that look terrible! Darn buggies!
  • 07-10-2004, 10:46 PM
    Janie
    Oh! Oh! Wait!
    I have another that I took without that damned sun in the way! Do you like this one better?

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/2orangesun.jpg
  • 07-10-2004, 10:47 PM
    Janie
    Look at my reply to seb - I did take one closer without the sun in the way and the poyple flowers aren't distracting too much!
  • 07-11-2004, 05:45 AM
    Seb
    [QUOTE=Janie]I have another that I took without that damned sun in the way! Do you like this one better?

    Hello Janie,

    Now this have to be my favorite shot of the whole series. By all means, it is beautiful.
    If i had to correct one tiny detail, I might try to slightly diminish the visual impact of the hot spot at the bottom of the flower, were the sun is shining through the petals (I dont know the technical term in Photoshop for that and I dont know how do to it either but you see my point...).

    One more time, I'd like to tell you how much I like your point of view. Did you used a particular lense on an SLR or was it shot with your Coolpix?

    regards

    Seb
  • 07-11-2004, 07:12 AM
    Lava Lamp
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Janie
    This is my favorite flower so I decided to photograph it today. I photographed it a few days ago but it was so bright out the saturation was over powering. I'm finding that dusk is the best time for bright flowers, especially if you can get the sun behind the flowers to provide more detail and some highlights on the edges, as in the bottom one. Now, in the first one, I can't decide if i like the sun behind it, or if it annoys me. The middle one seems flat so I may need to up the saturation on it. opinions? ;-)

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/orange.jpg

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/oragneflowerweb.jpg

    http://bizfx.com/flowers/flowersby-040.jpg
    Nice graphic feel. Zinnia's can be fun - you may get some butterflies stopping by to see them.
  • 07-12-2004, 02:10 PM
    kamboura
    As a professional taker of lousy flower shots.. I salute you !!.. It surprises me all the time how difficult to take a great shot of these great things. This is not my favourite post by you, I have seen some much greater shots by you on this forum.
    The experiment with the sun in the background is way cool... I like it, somehow the second flower that is not in focus is ruining it for me. I have no issues with the sun in the background, just the second flower, makes it all busy. The second shot I really like as well. It is a good flower shot, not as creative as some of your other work though. It is mainly the same comments for the balance of the shots as well.
  • 07-12-2004, 06:13 PM
    Janie
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kamboura
    As a professional taker of lousy flower shots.. I salute you !!.. It surprises me all the time how difficult to take a great shot of these great things. This is not my favourite post by you, I have seen some much greater shots by you on this forum.
    The experiment with the sun in the background is way cool... I like it, somehow the second flower that is not in focus is ruining it for me. I have no issues with the sun in the background, just the second flower, makes it all busy. The second shot I really like as well. It is a good flower shot, not as creative as some of your other work though. It is mainly the same comments for the balance of the shots as well.

    Thanks - I don't really post my stuff in here that often, only when i'm experimenting (might post some later on from my new wide angle and telephoto lens for my digital nikon coolpix 4300). I live by the code that it's not the camera that makes the photographer, it's the photographer that makes the photographer - hence, I don't care how much you spend on your equipment, if you don't experiment with composition and light, you don't really learn anything. I tend to experiment a lot! I have to say, I really love my digital camera! I love my rebel too, but have been using it less and less until I set up my own BW photo lab, but don't have the time a the moment.

    If you want to see a bunch of my shots, which represent quite a schmoragasborg of styles, click here: http://bizfx.com/photography/newimages/ You'll just have to click on the link and the back button to go back to the list. I don't tend to get too technical with my shots because then I find you lose creativity - with digital I can shoot more and try different ways! There is a mix of digital and non-digital, some I used special filters on my SLR, so you'll see some pretty neat effects. hell is my favorite shot and has the least amount of editing - I only upped the contrast (nightmare is the same and has less contrast).

    PS - Vamp and Vampire are both self portraits! }:-]
  • 07-12-2004, 07:30 PM
    kamboura
    How about "me" and "my eye" are these you as well :) ?

    Hey... I was right, you are a lot more creative than the above pictures... Thank you for sharing your album with us, this is really nice work. I enjoyed looking at all of them.
  • 07-12-2004, 07:38 PM
    Janie
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by kamboura
    How about "me" and "my eye" are these you as well :) ?

    Hey... I was right, you are a lot more creative than the above pictures... Thank you for sharing your album with us, this is really nice work. I enjoyed looking at all of them.

    Yes, those are me - the eye - oh jeez, that is my insomnia! You know, i poked myself in the eye too!
  • 07-12-2004, 10:07 PM
    gahspidy
    Yes, flower shots are harder than anyone would think. i like the last one you posted best of all, but a bit more sharpness may help.
    I like your creativity , having looked through some of your works on the link.
  • 07-12-2004, 10:30 PM
    Elysian
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by gahspidy
    Yes, flower shots are harder than anyone would think.
    Absolutely true. That's often with things that are beautiful... we tend to believe sometimes (including me) that the shot will turn out quite good, after all, how can a shot with a beautiful subject, even if it's Halle Berry, not look ok. :confused: :D

    Janie, I've seen 2 or 3 shots I like, but with some 10 photographs I've completely lost track, so forgive not to go into much detail. Do know that you did very well with a few of them.

    Tip: it might be advisable next time when you have so many shots to give them a number, makes it easier for people to post a comment. :)
  • 07-13-2004, 07:41 AM
    Janie
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JoeD
    Absolutely true. That's often with things that are beautiful... we tend to believe sometimes (including me) that the shot will turn out quite good, after all, how can a shot with a beautiful subject, even if it's Halle Berry, not look ok. :confused: :D

    Janie, I've seen 2 or 3 shots I like, but with some 10 photographs I've completely lost track, so forgive not to go into much detail. Do know that you did very well with a few of them.

    Tip: it might be advisable next time when you have so many shots to give them a number, makes it easier for people to post a comment. :)
    Well, that link was just a simple upload for random shots I refer to sometimes - kind of like my backup system. I know them all by name - was just posting the whole link here for anyone who wanted to look - not really for comments on them. Some are from 5 years ago so I don't remember everything that I did to achieve the shots, some ar new and fresh. I figured some could give people a new idea in setting up shots and play with lighting.