What does a worm see when it comes up for breakfast?

[rob marshall]

You have to try and do something different, don't you? Especially with flower shots. I could tell you how I did it, but I don't think I will... It's not a montage or other Photoshop trickery. Just a straight shot from the camera.

[Letrow]

You have to try and do something different, don't you? Especially with flower shots. I could tell you how I did it, but I don't think I will... It's not a montage or other Photoshop trickery. Just a straight shot from the camera.

What...you either buried your camera or you used a wide angle I would guess... Nice shot.

[rob marshall]

you either buried your camera...

Buried my G1! Wash thy mouth out..

[Rasbury]

Could that be the first thing you saw after waking up for your break of painting the house?

[Wirefox]

It's not a montage or other Photoshop trickery. Just a straight shot from the camera.

have you been let loose with the secateurs again. Let me guess you got scantily clad wood nymph to hold it in her teeth whilst you fumbled with your long exposure.

What I am more interested in is how you managed such an even exposure against bright skies. I does not look fill flashed and it cant be a composite because it is strait from the camera...hmmm

[rob marshall]

What I am more interested in is how you managed such an even exposure against bright skies. I does not look fill flashed and it cant be a composite because it is strait from the camera...hmmm

It was fill-flash. I set the camera to manual, metered for the sky, then reduced the flash (pop-up) to -2EV. I'm surprised it came out so well considering I was only about 20 inches from the flower. It doesn't look like flash, does it? The flower itself was at a height of about 5 ft on a conical trellis, so it wasn't too hard to get underneath it - although I had to snip a few leaves out of the way. My G1 will only go down to 1/160s on flash, so I had to set the aperture to f/22 to get the sky exposed properly.

[Wirefox]

It doesn't look like flash, does it?

No it certainly does not. Excellent work Rob you can usually spot fill a mile off.

[ilovelucydog]

I don't know what to say, Rob. Other than... man, you are just crazy good.

[Katy Noelle]

Isn't it a clematis? (Gotta get me one of those.) Very pretty!

[rob marshall]

I don't know what to say, Rob. Other than... man, you are just crazy good.

Errr... shucks (American concession to cultural interchange) just plain crazy will do!

[ilovelucydog]

Errr... shucks (American concession to cultural interchange) just plain crazy will do!

The 'just plain crazy' was a given. And... you ARE crazy good.

[rob marshall]

Isn't it a clematis? (Gotta get me one of those.) Very pretty!

Yes, it's a Clematis. they are very much in flower here at the moment. This one was in a public garden. Had it been our garden there would have been a cordon sanitaire around it, complete with electrified razor wire and snarling Dobermnans. I have to go further afield to get my flower shots.

[Katy Noelle]

Yes, it's a Clematis. they are very much in flower here at the moment. This one was in a public garden. Had it been our garden there would have been a cordon sanitaire around it, complete with electrified razor wire and snarling Dobermnans. I have to go further afield to get my flower shots.

You won't believe this but I want to grow clematis up over the bay windows - it would be nice and cool underneath for the roots (which, I've heard, they love) but.....you'll just never believe it.....I have to wait until.....(wait for it....)...... we paint the house. (I might just sneak out there in the middle of the night and plant one, anyway. He'll never notice.)

and, why, yes! I have learned something about photography in this thread - I did pay attention that there was fill flash on this - I can hardly believe it.

[rob marshall]

and, why, yes! I have learned something about photography in this thread - I did pay attention that there was fill flash on this - I can hardly believe it.

I'm not too sure about this, so perhaps Colin or someone who knows a lot about flash could say. I think this worked so well for several reasons. The background is bright and is set at infinity. There is therefore no reflected light from the flash. One of the things we all dislike about flash at times is that artificial harsh light effect, but I think a lot of that comes from reflected light which makes it more obvious that have used flash. Also, the material of the flower is quite light absorbent compared to some other flowers, and especially leaves which can be highly reflective. That helps to make the flash give a soft look here. It's hard to appreciate from the shot, but there was a lot of backlight which highlighted a lot of detail shining through the translucent material of the flower. So, although the flash was very close it helped to redress some of the imbalance of strong light, rather than just shining a bright flash on a dull subject area. Does that make sense? Remember I was extremely close to the flower, and I was using a pop-up flash with no diffusion cover. It should have come out horribly glaring and harsh. Flash is great if you can get the conditions right, and it can look very natural. Easier said than done.

Personally, I think this shot would make a great Windows screen-saver! It has just the right level of blue-sky ethereal look about it.

You won't believe this but I want to grow clematis up over the bay windows - it would be nice and cool underneath for the roots (which, I've heard, they love) but.....you'll just never believe it.....I have to wait until.....(wait for it....)...... we paint the house. (I might just sneak out there in the middle of the night and plant one, anyway. He'll never notice.)

I started reading that and thought "Uh, ho! she will need to paint the house first... and then you went and said it yourself! I can offer tips and tricks for painting

Here's a shot of another flower on the same plant. This one was further down near the ground. I didn't use flash for this one.

[Letrow]

And now you should try the same shot with a bird directly above it. That is actually what I expected initially when I read the title of the thread. You might have to bury the camera for that one then

[rob marshall]

And now you should try the same shot with a bird directly above it. That is actually what I expected initially when I read the title of the thread. You might have to bury the camera for that one then

What, like this, you mean?

[Letrow]

What, like this, you mean?

Nice, but no. I am thinking a blackbird with one eye turned towards the worm and hovering above him when he emerges from the black depths. Perhaps too much to wish for...

[JohnC]

Lol..I was expecting to see a Blackbird but that would be too hard - very good view,imaginative too.

[wilgk]

Well seeing as how I'm on another time zone, I am late to this party and find it has all been said - this is beautiful Rob shot and processed perfectly for the subject.
I too thought there was a conjuror's assistant stage left holding the stalk
And Katy my advice- plant those flowers right now, get out of the painting altogether