On Reflection, a Lily

[mjordan]

This is a Stargazer Lily that I placed on a mirror to see how the reflection would come out. I'm not sure so I thought I'd see what others thought.

10D 24-70 2.8L ISO 100 1/100th f18


http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/stargazer6455.jpg


Mike

[Vetteography]

Great idea! How did you light it?

[R.T.]

I think its beautiful, nice work!

[mjordan]

That was quick responses. :D

Thanks R.T.

Vett, I lit it with a 36x24 softbox to camera right and a 24" Octogon softbox to camera left. Next to the camera was smaller light with a snoot on it aimed at the center of the Lily (the real one not the reflection). I had a black seamless paper background and that is what is reflecting in the mirror. The hardest part wasn't any stray reflections but dust. I'd brush it off and by the time I got back to the camera there would already be some specs on it. I finally gave up and did more dust spotting than I've done in years. I find I don't miss it. :D

Thanks for looking and the comments.

Mike

[TSEE]

Very pretty with the mirror reflecting the flower. I like it alot, but then again I'm partial to lillies to begin with. ;o)

[Vetteography]

Oustanding. Very creative with the lighting and, obviously, it worked perfectly. I need to get a muse... Maybe I can borrow yours? :p

[RbrtPtikLeoSeny]

Woah, beautiful! I love it! Great job.

[mjordan]

Sue, you have said you really like Lily's. I can see why. They area a great flower to photograph.

Vette, sure, you can borrow it, just have it back before dark. :D

Thanks Rbrt, I appreciate the comments.

Mike

[LazyPhotographer]

Looks very cool!

[TSEE]

Sue, you have said you really like Lily's. I can see why. They area a great flower to photograph.

Mike

Even tho I like them alot I"ve never tried to photograph them, I'm afraid I wouldn't capture the true beauty of it, then again I've never had a camera as good as the 20D (only a point and shoot digital before the 20D). I just planted some day lilies which I hope come out nice and pretty I might try to photograph those later this summer, altho the star gazers (that's what this is right, it sure looks like a star gazer) are really really beautiful with the coloring. I had a white lily (with some white roses) wedding bouquet when I got married I liked them so much. =o)

[V6GTO]

I CAN SEE A SPECK OF DUST!

Just kiddding... :lol: ...beautiful image.

Martin.

[mjordan]

You must have peeked behind the flower, Martin, I didn't dust back there. :D

Thanks Lazy. Sue, if you don't start shooting them you won't learn what you need to do to be able to show the beauty. It's not as hard as it looks as long as you use diffused light. You diffused light can be just about anything, from softboxes, a light tent, light bounced off white cardboard to white sheets held up by a bribed child, to North light coming in through the window. It just takes practice and a desire to keep shooting. So get some flowers and start shooting. :D

Mike

[TammieO]

I have to say I am very impressed with this shot. Really creative with excellent outcome. I'm not sure I'd have the patience to get rid of all the dust.

[cmM]

it's a gorgeous shot (even though I'm not too crazy about the composition.. it's dab smack in the middle of the frame)

[mjordan]

Thanks Tammie. If it wasn't for the black it would have been a pain dust spoting it. But it was really easy with the Healing brush to zap the little specks.

Thanks CM. You are right, it is a bit centered. I tried to get around that, but if I moved the Lily to a corner or changed the position of my camera, I got reflections of my ceiling white ceiling showing. I thought about shooting in my all white light tent, but I really wanted black rather than white. My biggest black gobo is only 22" so I couldn't get it positioned over the mirror very well. I think next time I'll make a large black tent over the area with the black seamless paper I have or with my black muslin. Then I will have more flexibility in my position... at least I hope I will. :D
Thanks for the comment.

Mike