Macro flower photographs

[Pandrion]

What amazing, amazing flower macros, all of them. Can't possibly compete (yet !), so my humble submission is a sort of close-up but I think it is in the spirit of the thread. Spring flowers and all that.

I liked the leaf shapes and the water-colour tones, has something of a Japanese scroll painting.

Its straight out of the camera with no PP, haven't started on that box of mysteries.

[Katy Noelle]

I know what you mean. They are quite colourful, but the composition on the first just lacks that little... ah well, you did make them pop

Exactly! Some had a nice composition, some had the light on what I wanted to be the focus (but it was out of focus), some had a nice focus but there was a blurry part that was much brighter - I just didn't have any of them all together. Like I said, it was at the end of a very long day....

I think that I need to grow them!!!

[Katy Noelle]

Oh, for Petey's sake!

[ScoutR]

Thank you!

Oh my, you are certainly on the right track with this. I just love the background and how it looks like a painting. Just a little more pop to the forground flower and I think you have a hit. It's really quite beautiful the way it is though.

Wendy

[ScoutR]

It looks like a flower; don't know what type. I wonder how long it will take before I get pissed off with this kind of photography.

Nice one Arith, one of my favourite flowers but I've been struggling to get a nice photo. I'd be thrilled with this.

Wendy

[arith]

cheers Wendy.

Well a couple of different exposures; spot on the flower or spot on the sky with fill.

[arith]

and of course got to have one with a bee in it.

[arith]

Don't know what this is either.

[Dave Humphries]

and of course got to have one with a bee in it.

Nicely caught (and sharp) Steve

[ScoutR]

cheers Wendy.

Well a couple of different exposures; spot on the flower or spot on the sky with fill.

DOUBLE WOW Arith, I woulda never figured you for a flower child Go figure, these are beautiful. I will leave others to ponder over technicalities. To my eye either one works.
And another WOW for the one below with the bee. I sure hope you don't get p****d off with floral photography anytime soon.

Wendy

[ScoutR]

Don't know what this is either.

Hi Steve: This is a Columbine. They come in all colours. I like your previous one much better. This looks more like something I would shoot, kind of ordinary compared to your other posts, but OK for identification purposes.

Wendy

[arith]

Hi Steve: This is a Columbine. They come in all colours. I like your previous one much better. This looks more like something I would shoot, kind of ordinary compared to your other posts, but OK for identification purposes.

Wendy

Cheers Wendy and Dave for being so kind.

This one I was most proud of because it took eight shots to get one remotely close to sharp. I don't know if it did anything but I even set the AF to AI servo whatever that is, and the camera sounded like a volvo with the seat belt undone, ping ping ect.

There is loads of things I don't know about this camera.

As far as composition is concerned I like the purple one the most. I've already forgot what it is called.

[arith]

I had another go; see if this is better.

[JohnC]

So John, what lens do you use? the aperture seems quite big if you use a tripod. You can probably go a bit smaller.
I would use a tripod if I could, but TBH the camera with lens is already quite a weight to carry around, so I rely on sunshine quite often and higher ISO, which the D7000 is good at luckily.

This is the set up I have,Peter except I have the Canon 5D11 not the 1D featured here.

When I go out and about I carry more gear than a Himalayan porter on an expedition to the summit..Lol.. keeps me fit though.

http://www.juzaphoto.com/eng/article...cro_review.htm

I've checked my exit data and the sunflower head was at f3.5 and the centre of it at f5.6. I tried shots of insects and needed to go to f16 to get a decent amount of their bodies in focus so why I chose f3.5 and f5.6 for the sunflower I don't know - probably wasn't thinking and concentrating on getting it exactly in focus using the focusing rail as well as the lens focusing, not sure why I needed both tbh...must have been a reason..I remember. I was having problems trying to get insects in focus,quite different from a flower head ,the insect needs mm's

[Letrow]

The rhodondendron. From a distance I always feel that they are overpowering, because the foliage gets so large, but from up close they are actually quite delicate.

And one more for the bee collection. He isn't sleeping.

[ScoutR]

Anemone: Getting close to what I want on this one. Does anyone know how I can get lighten the background in the centre to match the outside without changing anything on the flower itself. I got the edges of the background white with a feathered vignette. No layers please, I don't know how to do them yet, it has to be something really simple.


Dianthus


Wendy

[arith]

I don't understand lighten the centre Wendy; but I like them both, inparticular, the second.

[ScoutR]

I don't understand lighten the centre Wendy; but I like them both, inparticular, the second.

Thanks Arith, by lighten the centre I mean that the background in around the flower is a shade darker than the background at the outside edges. I would like it all to be white like around the edges, but I don't know how to do that without affecting the flower.

Wendy

[Steve S]

Thanks Arith, by lighten the centre I mean that the background in around the flower is a shade darker than the background at the outside edges. I would like it all to be white like around the edges, but I don't know how to do that without affecting the flower.

Wendy

Looks like you need some light on the background. Try reflecting some light on the background or use some fill flash.

[Katy Noelle]

Sunflower anther. (for Katy re. Jiro's Small visitor post') Love your top shot there,Katy- Columbine /Ladys Mantle. It's really very striking and made so, in no small part, to the effective bokeh.

The Dahlia (Wendy's) is a superb shot too ,I really like that one and same with Peter's Allium with Bumble Bee. The bee is so intent on nectar gathering it pay no attention to having a photographer right there.

Katy-re. 'bending' a stem of a sun flower-perish the thought lol.. we do have a problem with breezes here and 'wafts' of wind (infact it's blowing a gale now as a new Low comes in) I photographed a poppy field earlier this week and I almost missed them (they're finished this week) because of having to wait for a no-wind day and a least some decent light-it shouldn't be like this in June but that's our weather for you - a maritime climate.

Here's what's recommended for outdoor macro work here. The Wimberley Plamp.http://www.ephotozine.com/article/th...p--review-4059

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...imberley+Plamp

I'm new to macro and these sunflower photos are just about the first macro photos I took and opportunities are few and far between due to those weather conditions I mentioned if wow's doing outdoor work.ASs you know, these sunflowers are so tall.... I had to have the tripod at eye-level and even extended the centre column for a couple. Any cc would be appreciated to help me on my way.

I've taken these with a Canon 180mm F3.5 macro lens and using the Manfrotto 454 Focusing rail.

Thanks, John, for posting these up! Suddenly, I couldn't picture a single English garden with a sunflower in it but I think it's because I've been staring at lovely photos of 'vary grahnd' gardens for the past month from one of my favorite books. Silly me! I just looked through, again. One small sunflower - in Rosemary Verey's garden - growing next to her walkway that is a tunnel of arbours with zucchini growing over the tops of them.

Yes, now that I think about it, I don't think that the tripod will be much use with a 6 ft sunflower - need a...ladder!

I'm sorry that I haven't responded to your pleasant PM, yet. but, best wishes to you and, especially, your wife with your music!!!

Oh, and, btw, the dookicky that you've put a link to looks interesting. I've bookmarked it and will have a closer look, later. Rob, also, suggested just a simple stake to keep the stalks of smaller flowers a bit more still - I have just acquired my bamboo rods!