Three botanical shots for critique

[Willy wombat]

I would appreciate your help in critiquing these three images for me in my quest to find botanicus perfectus.

[img]http://www.fototime.com/{CD8B54FA-9774-4347-9001-AC1C32105086}/picture.JPG[/img]


[img]http://www.fototime.com/{82360272-66A8-4400-8381-495076BA82C3}/picture.JPG[/img]


[img]http://www.fototime.com/{8F273D2C-68C9-44F8-A8AD-6B8B785692D1}/picture.JPG[/img]

All the best
Steve

[optogamut]

image#1 - Full sun is hard to get a nice shot with, this is pretty good though, but a diffuser for something like this might be good. A bit of a different angle or something would make it more interesting, depends what you're after, I just prefer things off center in general.

image#2 - I liked this one best, the cropping is interesting. Could use a bit more DOF.

image#3 - maybe if the background had been a little darker? kinda loses it in a sea of green. and there's a typo, it's "Wollemi"


cheers,
Danny.

[Willy wombat]

and there's a typo, it's "Wollemi"

Sometimes I spell things "fonetically" - But cheers Danny thanks for your feedback on the series.

[Willy wombat]

 PS - and yes I do realise I spelt phonetically wrong.

[johnd]

Willy, I like all three shots.
I notice you have a SB800 and I would like to suggest a way to use it to produce a different effect in your botanical shots. Shoot in TTL mode (not TTL BL) with spot metering. Stop your lens down to about f11 of f16 and use a shutter speed that will get rid of most (all) the background light. Then the SB800 should give you good light on the main subject but the background will be dark. It makes the main subject really stand out.

You can make final adjustments (assuming raw) when you import the nef, adding more shadow and contrast if necessary.

It might create an intresting effect on the Wollemi as the out of focus part of the image fades to black.

Just a suggestion.

Cheers
John

[stubbsy]

Steve

Image #2 works best then #3 for me. In #2 I really like the off centre framing of the flowers and in #3 the shallow DOF works well, although more seperation from the background, as already said, would have enhanced it. #1 doesn't grab me mainly because of the distracting background. As suggested by John, use the SB800 to effectively darken the background.

[Willy wombat]

Willy, I like all three shots.
I notice you have a SB800 and I would like to suggest a way to use it to produce a different effect in your botanical shots. Shoot in TTL mode (not TTL BL) with spot metering. Stop your lens down to about f11 of f16 and use a shutter speed that will get rid of most (all) the background light. Then the SB800 should give you good light on the main subject but the background will be dark. It makes the main subject really stand out.

You can make final adjustments (assuming raw) when you import the nef, adding more shadow and contrast if necessary.

It might create an intresting effect on the Wollemi as the out of focus part of the image fades to black.

Just a suggestion.

Cheers
John

Hey John - Thanks for pointing out this technique to me. I havent really played around enough with the flash thus far for botanical macro shots so I will have to give it a go. Im curious if you could please provide me with an example so i can make sure i have the right thing in my head.

Will keep you posted

Steve

[stubbsy]

Steve

Have a look at this post of mine from last week. I only had on board flash so the flash is a little too obvious but it gives the iea. Done between 3 and 4 pm

[Willy wombat]

Thanks Peter - Very helpful (as usual ).

[johnd]

Hey John - Thanks for pointing out this technique to me. I havent really played around enough with the flash thus far for botanical macro shots so I will have to give it a go. Im curious if you could please provide me with an example so i can make sure i have the right thing in my head.

Will keep you posted

Steve

Steve, take a look at my Smugmug galery under flowers. Particularly the galleries labelled Dahlia Show, Tulip Festival, Rhodo Show, Orchid Show. Theye are all done using this technique.

Cheers
John

[suzanneg]

I like #1 and #2 best. Interesting post and some interesting tips on technique. Thanks for posting and generating this discussion