new to macro and garden shots

Still plugging away - but starting to use my macro for something other than food shots......not sure about this one at all.

C

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CDickinson wrote:
Still plugging away - but starting to use my macro for something other than food shots......not sure about this one at all.

C

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I like it, nice simple background and not too busy. The flower is awesome, its a Bleeding Heart.
I took almost the EXACT same shot of these flowers in my yard 3 days ago.

Nice

Macro's with thse d-camera's are almost no-brainers. That is -- they always look great !

My preference is for more sunlight and possibly a different background-- hence shooting position.

Well done.

Thanks !

What kind of background is more enhancing ? I have a few more of this one with different positions.....I was trying to shoot straight on so I wouldn't lose details in the entire stem and could still blur out the background.....also, I did shoot with more sunlight but I kept losing detail because of blown out highlights......

C

Snap!

I've got one of those in my garden as well:

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Sorry Calis but CDickinson's is not only better regarding DOF but also resolution, color saturation, sharpness and brilliance are way better.
Leighow, I have problems understanding what a better background would be.

CDickinson, I like this picture very much.

agreed.

I should be clear -- I am talking generally here.
I am saying that ANYONE can crank off a flower in the garden. The challenge -- as I see it is to try to come up with a more original composition. For example, maybe a few rows or half flowers like this that fill the screen and "work" because the light and shadow knocks you dead, maybe -- if I knew your garden, the same flower against a brick wall, or some ornament in the yard. Maybe you should have a competition on that flower and see if anyone can deliver something equally beautiful -- but unexpected!

These are some quick -- and totally different ideas --- that I am posting here -- only because they werte easy to pull from a 2002-3 PPT "storage" presentation.

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I totally get what you are saying about the challenge being finding an original composition - playing with the background....however, I was shooting in a garden at low light levels and I actually wanted low light --- it would bring the green down and I could bring up the pink and white in ps....there wasn't brick wall or a tree or an ornament to use....and at this point I just wanted to shoot something that would be a decent composition with the flowers on the stem in focus and the background somewhat knocked out...

I'm sitting laughing because really, I haven't done any photography in ten years, much less digital so its kinda like starting all over and I'm way into finding something original --- believe me, I tend to bend rules all over the place...but I'm kinda stuck on learning to use the camera, see what the heck I'm interested in shooting, finding my way around ps....then I can bend as many rules as possible.

I like the idea of a contest with this particular flower - not sure it would go far tho because the flowers are gonna die off soon - might be worth it tho just to see what people do with it

I do have to say I don't think anyone can knock off good photos of flowers or anything else for that matter -- if that were true, there would be a lot of great artists running around...but "vision" and design and all those elements of good art are not inherent in all people....original is a word that is relative to each person-- or at least that's how I see it...I like the pics you posted quite a bit -- great colors, composition is good, but I don't see them as highly original (please note, I'm saying "I").

Anyway, I'm off on a writing jag and I should stop while I'm here....I'm not actually trying to defend the photo I took at all -- just saying my thought processes as I took it...and I really appreciate this thread and the thoughts and ideas expressed!!!

C

Calis wrote:
Snap!
I've got one of those in my garden as well:
http://www.pbase.com/i​mage/28489363.jpg
I prefer your's though! While my pic is a bit brightre the DOF is way too small.

I would not be too quick to judgement here. This is a fine shot -- in fact the range of greens and the DOF give it a kind of misty, mysterious, "secret garden" look. The varied sizes of the flowers add a dynamic to the shot. The white extensions with their water droplets are a bonus. This is one shot that would make a terrific 2 ft print.

Great colors!!! I wouldn't alter those on this at all.....I've been shooting my neighbors flowers in gardens...its not easy...esp with macro, low light levels, rain, etc..
I love the photo...

C

C

Well I see what you mean -- especially the West winds that blow after a day of rain! Have I been successful without a tripod? Well perhaps -- at least I a few images that might make 'good' seed catalogues. What I have run into is:

1: terrible skill in using the G2 that may also relate to the auto-focus function that seems to get drawn away from the flower patch to patched of sun/shadowed light.
2: "trouble" when trying to action the G2's MANUAL FOCUS. It is a human engineering nightmare. Either that ot I may need a pair of Jeweller's glasses.
3: a macro function seems intelligent, but may require me to purchase a sharper set of glasses.

Anyway to console my "bleeding heart", here is final shot of those same red tulips caught in afternoon light (maybe I should crop to the top flower):

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