Red amaryllis and paperwhites

[Marie Hass]

Forgot to mention I would be interested in seeing what you came up with in high key.

Post away, Frank.

[FrankMi]

Forgot to mention I would be interested in seeing what you came up with in high key.

Post away, Frank.

I hope I did this one justice for you. It is my first time trying a High-Key rendition but we all have to start each new adventure somewhere.



Perhaps someone that is more skilled in high-key imagery would be willing to provide you with a better version?

[Brownbear]

Marie,

I think the latest close-up with the black background is gorgeous. I think the black brings out the beautiful lighting more...

That said I adore high key photos and I also love Frank's edit... I think because it brings out the detail and the delicate nature of the petals. Sorry, I don't know how to perform high key edits.... (just something I would like to learn)

Thank you for sharing your flower adventure... Beautiful!

[Stagecoach]

Marie,

I have to say I prefer the white background with this specific flower, but, that of course is personal taste. Franks rendition is good and it makes me wonder also what someone more skilled, absolutely no disrespect to Frank, could achieve.

What it does demonstrate is that if you get the capture and it's lighting good as you did PP choices are far greater.

Grahame

[rudi]

Hi Marie,
Personally, I like flowers with a 'natural' background.....Probably a leftover from the time I used to shoot (mostly) Paeonies, Hemerocallis for cataloging, illustrational purposes, only outdoors, so no fancy backgrounds. Only recently I started shooting indoors with 'natural' backgrounds. Some experimentation needs to be done,
but it can add some delicate tones....
In the picture from the orchid hereby included, I placed a Cymbidium in the background. I do not say it is a good picture, just to give you an idea. This one was taken with flash, something I need to work on .....
My 2 cents,
Kind regards, Rudi

[Marie Hass]

Frank, Grahame, Christina and Rudi,

These are shots from today with finally some light!!!! The contrast is much better. What do you think?





This one I turned so you could see the flower structure.

Marie

[FrankMi]

Both of these images clearly show the fifth blossom that was mostly hidden in the earlier images so this is a more complex subject view.

I think it still works in the first image, but coupled with the tighter crop clipping pedals in the second image it may have gone just a tad too far inasmuch as it feels a bit cramped and possibly overgrown?

Perhaps the landscape orientation was a better choice for so many elements?

[Brownbear]

Hi Marie,

I think they are beautiful. The light and colour is gorgeous in both and the black background does seem to bring out the beautiful light. The contrast is also lovely to me.

I think I prefer the 2nd image because I can see all the beautiful detail in the flower but I would like to see more space on the sides, ie; so I can see the tips of the petals.

Aside... how do you create your black backgrounds?

PS I still love the white background and I wish someone who was skilled in high key would show us one...

Frank, Grahame, Christina and Rudi,

These are shots from today with finally some light!!!! The contrast is much better. What do you think?





This one I turned so you could see the flower structure.

Marie

[Marie Hass]

Rudi, you would laugh. The black background that you see is only shadow. I shot in a light area into a dark area, and thus created a black background. No fancy background.

For the white background, I shot in front of an open door, shooting for the subject, which over exposed the sky. Nothing fancy. Not even a flash.

Your orchid is lovely. Very delicate. Is there any way to bring back some of the detail of the large yellow petal area? I do see, faintly, some shadows. Do you grow these? Orchids are beautiful.

Marie

[Marie Hass]

Hi, Christina, see my explain to Rudi below on the black background. Very simple. Pull the object away from the doorway about 6 feet (guestimate) and shoot from the light into the dark doorway. The brighter the light, the darker the background will be. Cleanup consists of creating a levels layer and sampling the background with the black eye dropper. Someone who is more techincal probably will have a better explain.

I do not use flash or extra lights.

Marie

[Stagecoach]

Frank, Grahame, Christina and Rudi,

These are shots from today with finally some light!!!! The contrast is much better. What do you think?

This one I turned so you could see the flower structure.

Marie

Marie,

You have done a good job again but I feel with these the lighting is a bit harsher and has caused more shadow than with the previous ones.

I'm also wondering about your choice of aperture here, f7.1, and it's subsequent DoF causing some of the prominent stamen and anther to be OOF. It may be that it was your intention?

I have no fixed view that all needs or must be in sharp focus but I wonder if more in focus may help with this flower taken with this style where you have such isolation of the subject?

Keep them coming

Grahame

[Brownbear]

Hi Marie,

Thank you. Truly appreciated and I will try this one day.

Hi, Christina, see my explain to Rudi below on the black background. Very simple. Pull the object away from the doorway about 6 feet (guestimate) and shoot from the light into the dark doorway. The brighter the light, the darker the background will be. Cleanup consists of creating a levels layer and sampling the background with the black eye dropper. Someone who is more techincal probably will have a better explain.

I do not use flash or extra lights.

Marie

[Marie Hass]

Okay, here is my attempt at high key. I have no idea what I am doing and will have to do more research.



Marie

[Brownbear]

I love this one the best...

Okay, here is my attempt at high key. I have no idea what I am doing and will have to do more research.



Marie

[Marie Hass]

Grahame,

I am giggling because I AM a woman of extremes. Being bi-polar is often reflected in my work. AGH! Middle ground is sometimes hard to achieve. I shot at f7.1, as it does give me more DoF without struggling with a higher ISO. I shoot manual and RAW all the time. I can try a smaller aperture tomorrow and see if that works? What aperture were you thinking of? Tomorrow they are calling for rain/snow here so the light will be softer.

Marie

[Marie Hass]

Frank, tell your wife that there is an Amaryllist Cybister "Chico" for sale on ebay.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-RARE-Amary...item43c50230f8

You could buy it for her in advance of Valentines Day? Then you will have a captive subject for winter shots. LOL's.

Marie

[Stagecoach]

Grahame,

I am giggling because I AM a woman of extremes. Being bi-polar is often reflected in my work. AGH! Middle ground is sometimes hard to achieve. I shot at f7.1, as it does give me more DoF without struggling with a higher ISO. I shoot manual and RAW all the time. I can try a smaller aperture tomorrow and see if that works? What aperture were you thinking of? Tomorrow they are calling for rain/snow here so the light will be softer.

Marie

Marie,

Your ones with the white BG were at f5.6 and these at f7.1 so you may be changing distance. Rather than worry about which aperture you need if me I would take a selection, say f7.1, f11, f16 assuming you have the conditions (light, speed, tripod, wind etc) to do it and then compare results.

I'm just throwing ideas in because these are some great images

Grahame

[Marie Hass]

Dear Grahame,

Depending on the conditions, I will stop at different openings and see what that gives us. I will shoot as small of an aperture as I can. If I am not mistaken, the narrower the aperture, the less separation between the subject and background? Of course, if it is black anyway, I guess it does not matter? lols.

Thank you for the compliment. It is nice to share learning with friends.

Marie

[rudi]

Frank, Grahame, Christina and Rudi,

These are shots from today with finally some light!!!! The contrast is much better. What do you think?
This one I turned so you could see the flower structure.

Marie

Hi Marie,
They are both nice in their own way. Most has been said I think, but for me personally, the first works just, maybe a tighter crop.? The second one, crop is perhaps a bit too tight (boy what are we difficult....). And as Frank mentioned maybe landscape
orientation.....
I do like very much your high key attempt.

[rudi]

Rudi, you would laugh. The black background that you see is only shadow. I shot in a light area into a dark area, and thus created a black background. No fancy background.

For the white background, I shot in front of an open door, shooting for the subject, which over exposed the sky. Nothing fancy. Not even a flash.

Your orchid is lovely. Very delicate. Is there any way to bring back some of the detail of the large yellow petal area? I do see, faintly, some shadows. Do you grow these? Orchids are beautiful.

Marie

Thanks for your background details, good find....

About the orchid. I just wanted to show the background. Perhaps I can bring back some detail in the large petal, it was a bit overexposed in most off my shots, I don't like the flower on the left..There are different things I don't like about the shot. I was just experimenting with different backgrounds and different flash settings, home made diffusers etc......
My wife grows them. So lucky me I can experiment more....

Kr, Rudi