Fooling around with Flowers

[Old Timer]

It was a cold blustery day yesterday that even started with a little snow. Need something to do yesterday afternoon so I went to work on a flower arrangement that my wife had brought home from church. Nothing that will win an award here but I had fun on a cold Sunday afternoon.

[jar_e]

OT,

Just amazing. Love the first and the last one. Great DOF and wow! The colors are stunning!

Nice shots,

Jared

[natatbeach]

It was a cold blustery day yesterday that even started with a little snow. Need something to do yesterday afternoon so I went to work on a flower arrangement that my wife had brought home from church. Nothing that will win an award here but I had fun on a cold Sunday afternoon.

HOW did anyone miss these...these are amazing...that first one----blow it up to 16 x20...these are beautiful...holy moly

[Old Timer]

HOW did anyone miss these...these are amazing...that first one----blow it up to 16 x20...these are beautiful...holy moly

Thanks Nat and Jared very kind of you. I enjoy this kind of photography. I have been struggling with it for years. It seem I am always just a little off where I want to be. Photography can be so rewarding and so frustrating at the same time, it just turns you inside out. These images fit that category. Almost but not exactly what you had invisioned. Thanks for the kind words I will try to live up to them.

[Speed]

It was a cold blustery day yesterday that even started with a little snow. Need something to do yesterday afternoon so I went to work on a flower arrangement that my wife had brought home from church. Nothing that will win an award here but I had fun on a cold Sunday afternoon.

I'm with Nat. That first one is amazing! The second one is an eye catcher as well.

What lens did you use? How about flash? Details, man, give us details. Inquiring minds want to know. ;-)

[Old Timer]

I'm with Nat. That first one is amazing! The second one is an eye catcher as well.

What lens did you use? How about flash? Details, man, give us details. Inquiring minds want to know. ;-)

I'm Not sure you really want to know my technique on this one. First of all the 105mm f2.8 was mounted on the D70 atop a Bogen tripod with a ball head. I composed and manually focused the shot, set the camera for remote release of the shutter and then the fun began. I was shooting in manuel mode with an aperature of around f29 and a shutter speed somewhere in the 8 to 10 second range. I hand held the SB800 with the diffuser in place at between 1/8 and 1/16 power, after releasing the shutter with the remote I manually fired the flash from two positions from the left at about two to three feet and again from the right a little higher and from a slightly farther distance to serve as a fill light. I told you you wouldn't believe it. But poor people have poor ways. Now all I have to do is sit back and let the studio type photographers eat away at my technique. thanks for asking Speed, I'm afraid I gave you much more info than you wanted.

Larry

[paulnj]

Larry,

not only are these images BREATHE TAKING, but your technique(though not unique) is pretty cool ! If my 1D could handle long exposures like that(I tried a few 5 second- 30 second exposures with NASTY results last year) , I would join in on the fun you are having. HMMMM , maybe I will try again but with ALL my flashes one after another

[Old Timer]

I think it was Rick who did some night time long exposures a couple of years ago and used a handheld flash ( or it may have been a flashlight) to to highlight some rock formations. I thought those were outstanding. I use this method everyonce in a while and with the digital and using the histograph I can get a little more predictable results. Glad you liked them Paul.

PS: I did a little more cropping and some more work to #2. I think it improved it some.

[Liz]

Have you thought about getting some of your images displayed somewhere? You really are some photographer!

My favorite is No. 2 - the first one.......first....then the 2nd

As Jared said, the colors are awesome, especially in No. 3........

Liz

I think it was Rick who did some night time long exposures a couple of years ago and used a handheld flash ( or it may have been a flashlight) to to highlight some rock formations. I thought those were outstanding. I use this method everyonce in a while and with the digital and using the histograph I can get a little more predictable results. Glad you liked them Paul.

PS: I did a little more cropping and some more work to #2. I think it improved it some.

[mdmc]

Old Timer, These are a step or 2 above awsome! Double WOW!
Mark.

[mdmc]

Paul, do youre images look bad with long exposure times just using flash(multi pops) for light?
Mark.

[Old Timer]

Have you thought about getting some of your images displayed somewhere? You really are some photographer!

My favorite is No. 2 - the first one.......first....then the 2nd

As Jared said, the colors are awesome, especially in No. 3........

Liz

Liz you are way to kind. You sound a little like my wife. She is always urging me to display more work or to try and market some. I however know how far I have to go to be consistent with my images. This forum and critque have been a great outlet for me. I have learned a lot and have seen some truely wonderful photographs displayed by my fellow PR'ers. My goal is to become the best photographer that I can and make images that please and entertain my family and friends. This love affair with a camera is one that I have had for nearly 40 years and one that I hope last until the day I die. I did the make photos for money thing years ago and I didn't find it nearly as satisfying as seeing the smiles on the faces of friends and family when viewing my photographs.

[Old Timer]

Old Timer, These are a step or 2 above awsome! Double WOW!
Mark.

Thanks Mark glad you liked them. I know that there is nothing new about these images, but I was striving to display good DOF, texture and colors, hope I was able to do that.

[paulnj]

NO, the images seemed to get funky from the long exposure ... with no flash. But it has been atleast 18 months since I had an exposure time slower than 1 second, so I may be wrong about the funky images from long exposures

I shoot wildlife and snipe people mostly( I love watching people , they are so odd in nature), so long exposure aren't needed in my style

[paulnj]

"make images that please and entertain my family and friends"

I SECOND THAT!!!!!!

[mdmc]

If I have seen better, it was probably someone named Weston, Adams, or Steiglitz!
Ok, there might be a million photographs like these that are better, but I havent seen them!
I have however seen you'res, and love them!
I'm happy to know that you strive to improve them, and when you do I hope that you'll share them here!
I hope to take pictures like these someday,
Mark.

[mdmc]

NO, the images seemed to get funky from the long exposure ... with no flash. But it has been atleast 18 months since I had an exposure time slower than 1 second, so I may be wrong about the funky images from long exposures

I shoot wildlife and snipe people mostly( I love watching people , they are so odd in nature), so long exposure aren't needed in my style

I was just thinking open the shutter in dim light and pop flash as needed.
Mark.

[mdmc]

"make images that please and entertain my family and friends"

I SECOND THAT!!!!!!

........THIRD!!!
Mark.

[walterick]

Hey OT, great shots buddy.

I have used the "flash pop" technique before but not with flowers. Sailorjerry was the master of using gels over his flashhead to make really cool nighttime shots.

Glad yours worked out! Inovation is more valuable than expensive gear to me any day.

Rick

[paulnj]

true, I have done that with slides on nocturnal bird images(owls and rails) with limited success ;)

[Old Timer]

Hey OT, great shots buddy.

I have used the "flash pop" technique before but not with flowers. Sailorjerry was the master of using gels over his flashhead to make really cool nighttime shots.

Glad yours worked out! Inovation is more valuable than expensive gear to me any day.

Rick

Thanks ick I though I remembered you doing something simliar. Speaking of Saliorjerry, ong time since we have heard from him. Wonder what he is up to. Last I heard he was very much into his school work. He sure had some nice images here.