Another Flower Shot

[jstp]

Hello,

This is another shot with my Tamron 60mm Macro, along the same theme as my last one. I am pretty sure I have the identification correct. C&C most welcome.

Cheers

J

[bambleweeney]

Really like the rich colours and the bokeh in this shot, exposure spot on I'd say. I might have shot this in portrait mode or cropped the sides a bit as I think there might just be too much background in relation to the flower. Maybe if possible stop the lens down to get the whole of the flower in focus - what's in focus is really nice but the out of focus buds distract (me) just a little. Being really picky I'd ditch the border, frankly I think the shot's too good for it.

[jstp]

Hi Paul,

Thank you for the feedback. I am still learning how to use the macro lens correctly, it was shot at f16. I have read that between f16 and f22 usually yields the best for getting more of what you are shooting in focus. I agree with the border, that is something I have been trying lately but I don't think it is working out, I guess that is what a frame is for really. I have included a revised try.

Cheers

J

[DanK]

Even at f/20, DOF at macro distances is very thin. One solution is to try to keep the subject as nearly parallel to the sensor as you can, to minimize the needed DOF. This works with some subjects, but not so well with yours, which is deep. Another alternative is to take multiple images, with the focal point moved slight back in each one, and then stack them. This is very hard to do handheld, in my experience, and nearly impossible if there is a wind blowing the flower around. If the air is still, try a monopod, or better, a tripod. For flowers you can cut, it is easier, I think, do to this indoors.

Re the optimal DOF: you have have a lot of people warning you that diffraction sets in at much wider apertures, certainly by f/11. So technically, you begin losing sharpness as you close down more than that. However, in my experience, the effects of diffraction from few stops are minor and have much less effect on the apparent sharpness of macro images than the greater DOF the smaller aperture provides. Moreover, flowers don't usually require the level of detail that some other macros do. I have shot flower macros that came out well down to about f/20. When I have closed down more than that, the images have started to get too soft. however, try a few to see what you think.

[jstp]

Hi Dan,

Thank you for the advice, every little bit helps

cheers

J

[jprzybyla]

Hello Jason, I have read the responses posted above. You wrote that you shot this at f/16. I shoot many of the orchids I grow at f/16. Where you focus is important. The depth of field extends from about 1/3 to 1/2 in front of the focus point to 2/3 to 1/2 behind the focus point. Different texts do not agree on how far in front or in back of the focus point is in focus. By changing the focus point and checking to see what is in focus works for me. In the field I know this is not possible but at home I take the memory card out of the camera and examine the image on my computer. If not satisfied I go back and reshoot until I get it right.