It is a lot of trouble. Additionally, the best blooms are often located on inconvenient portions of the plant, where it is difficult enough to position the camera, let alone reflectors, backdrops and strobes. If I remove the best blooms, my wife is less than pleased. There is a reason the most colorful flowers are planted where they will be visible from the pool patio or the rear deck. <G>
Dan Matyola http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 12:28 PM, Bruce Walker <[email protected]> wrote: > A tip I read often from flower-shooters is underexpose for deeper colours. > > The other thing I can say is that I always treat my flower shootings > as portrait sessions. I use reflectors, inserted backdrops and up to > three strobes (including in softboxes) to get great light for them. > > The downside is all this is so much trouble I often just give it a > miss unless it's a particularly great new flower. > > > On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 11:54 AM, Daniel J. Matyola > <[email protected]> wrote: >> Thanks for the helpful tips, Joe. >> >> For most flowers, I try several modes. In this case, IIRC, I tried >> auto, program, macro, Flash Off, Shutter-Priority and >> Aperture-Priority. Those taken in the last two modes just looked >> washed out. Admittedly, that was probably due to my ineptitude. For >> this particular flower, the deep and vibrant color is its only real >> virtue, and that is what I was trying to capture here. >> >> I have a Softbox for each of the two flashes I still use, but I >> generally think of using them only indoors, or taking portraits >> outdoors. I shall try to remember to give them a try in more outdoor >> situations. >> >> Dan Matyola >> http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola >> >> >> On Thu, Aug 30, 2012 at 11:03 AM, jn289 <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Dan, I do not know if you ever use your camera on manual, Try to learn how >>> to do this (if you do not at all this time) and also use your flash on >>> manual. Most all of my flower photos are shot on manual as is the flash. >>> Also most of my sports photos are shot on manual camera and manual flash. >>> Some more Morning Glory's came to life outside of our house, so early this >>> morning I was out there shooting them around 6:30 A.M. as I was sick during >>> the night and could not sleep. I used the flash and the camera again on >>> manual..Will post them up soon. >>> >>> Go to Home Depot or even a dollar store an look for milky plexi-glass or >>> fabric material to soften the harsh light. You could also soften the flash >>> with the same material. You could also white sheet material and learn out to >>> make your own modifiers for the flash. >>> >>> In this photo I used a hair dryer attachment to soften the flash. The flash >>> was on a remote as you can see the trigger on the K20D body as taken with a >>> K10 Body to show how it was done. >>> >>> http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=16219655 >>> >>> Also one of my best flash units is a Sunpak 120J which can be used as a bare >>> bulb or with reflectors. This photo was shot with the Norman Tele reflector >>> on the 120J from one end of the court to the other as I wanted add a little >>> something extra to the photo and yes both camera and flash shot on manual. >>> >>> http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=6406395 >>> >>> Hope this might help, also you might not like anything I have just said. >>> Lighting is always learning..Joe >>> >>> >>> >>> >>>> For some reason, this flower and the orange hibiscus are very >>>> difficult for me to capture. In bright light they come out a bit >>>> blown out. In early morning light or open shade, the colors come out >>>> much different than what my eye sees; they lack the fullness of the >>>> real flower. >>>> >>>> The other problem is that the hibiscus blooms do not last very long at >>>> their peak. They also get attacked by Japanese beetles and other >>>> pests. So, when the blossom is full and open, I have to capture it >>>> then, rather than waiting for better light. The pink, yellow and >>>> lighter red flowers look good under a much broader spectrum of light >>>> conditions. >>>> >>>> I will have to try to use reflectors, fill in flash and other >>>> techniques to modify the natural light. >>>> >>>> Dan Matyola >>>> http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 7:20 PM, Bruce Walker <[email protected]> >>>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> That's a really gorgeous flower, Dan. >>>>> >>>>> I think it'd look considerably nicer if it wasn't in full glare sun >>>>> though. Have you tried using the bare scrim of a 5-in-1 reflector to >>>>> shade and soften the light? >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, Aug 28, 2012 at 5:35 PM, Daniel J. Matyola >>>>> <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> My most unusual hibiscus. >>>>>> >>>>>> http://photo.net/photodb/photo?photo_id=16333212 >>>>>> >>>>>> Dan Matyola >>>>>> http://www.pentaxphotogallery.com/danieljmatyola >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>>>> [email protected] >>>>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>>>> follow the directions. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> -bmw >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>>> [email protected] >>>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>>> follow the directions. >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>>> [email protected] >>>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>>> follow the directions. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >>> [email protected] >>> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >>> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >>> follow the directions. >> >> -- >> PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List >> [email protected] >> http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net >> to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and >> follow the directions. > > > > -- > -bmw > > -- > PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List > [email protected] > http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net > to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow > the directions. -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net to UNSUBSCRIBE from the PDML, please visit the link directly above and follow the directions.
