Christmas Cactus

[Round Tuit]

My wife and I have a Christmas cactus that blooms two or three times a year but never at Christmas! When it does, the plant is quite spectacular. I have taken many photos of it in full bloom over the years but have never been able to fully captured its beauty.

#1 - This is a backlit shot. The white background doesn't help but I find the plant itself rather bland looking.



#2 - This one is lit from camera right from a north facing window on an overcast day. It is closer to the real thing but still misses the wow factor. I may also have overdone the PP on this one.



#3 - I am reasonably satisfied with this backlit single bloom. I just wish that I could achieve the same result with the whole plant.



I am open to suggestions although a reshoot will have to wait until its next blooming cycle.

Andre

[astechman]

I would use a black mat background (i use a black velvet fabric - absolutely no shadows show on this) and I would then try lighting from several angles, multiple lamps. try various arrangements, but always shine some light specifically on the backdrop and another to highlight the flowers. Hope this helps

[just me]

I like the second image....

Griddi........

[Shadowman]

Nice series.

[Wavelength]

Beautiful images..... I specially liked the close up shot

[Cananeer]

Nice shots
I also have one of these and it's always bloomed after Christmas. It only blooms once a year unlike your's you said it blooms a few times.

[Round Tuit]

I would use a black mat background (i use a black velvet fabric - absolutely no shadows show on this) and I would then try lighting from several angles, multiple lamps. try various arrangements, but always shine some light specifically on the backdrop and another to highlight the flowers. Hope this helps

Thanks for your suggestions astechman. I won't be able to reshoot for a few months. That will give me time to get some black fabric etc.
As an alternative I have darkened the background considerably in pp. Does that look better?



Andre

[Round Tuit]

I like the second image....

Griddi........

Thank you Griddi

[Round Tuit]

Nice series.

Thanks John

[Round Tuit]

Beautiful images..... I specially liked the close up shot

Thanks Nandakumar. So do I.

[Round Tuit]

Nice shots
I also have one of these and it's always bloomed after Christmas. It only blooms once a year unlike your's you said it blooms a few times.

Thanks Roger.
Out of curiosity, did you flip you photo upside down? The blooms on my cactus all point down while yours are pointing up.

Andre

[IzzieK]

I will come back to this later when I can see the images on your original post...I see nothing but a green square box at the top left hand side...

OK...I saw some images yesterday but can't manage to go in so I am commenting. I think I used to have a few of these plants when I was in Melbourne. They flowered profusely for a month or so when I used to babied them. Last time I looked I can't find any trace of them. My son has probably finally managed to kill them.

That is sure a beautiful specimen of that cactus. If it is mine, I wouldn't know how to photograph it either but I will use a dark background. Op shops or second-hand stores like the Salvation Army, Goodwill or somewhere similar is the best place to look for fabric backdrops. Just look in their curtain/fabric section. I used to go to a discount fabric store nearby but it shut its door a few months ago...but I have enough good ones lately for my winter studio photoshoot from the op shops around...

Anyway, I like your latest edit...

[Cananeer]

These are in a small (cup size) vase. I clipped them and placed them in the vase - made it easy to photograph
So no flipping of the pic

[Round Tuit]

These are in a small (cup size) vase. I clipped them and placed them in the vase - made it easy to photograph
So no flipping of the pic

That's cheating