Milk Weed Pod

[TomM]

Something I am working on, comments and/or thoughts, please.

[GrahamH]

Evening Tom,
Difficult to get these (one of my favourite weeds) just right in bright sunlight as the fluff blows out so easily, but it seems as if you hae managed to hold detail quite well on the fluff.
The fron of the pod itself seems to have great texture, but the image shows it soft, perhaps a DoF issue.
However, the background is very busy and distracting and takes away from the main subject.

Perhaps a small reflector could have been used -
a. as shade to hold detail in the fluff and the pod more easily,
b. as a background to remove the detail from view.

Great potential and great subject to work on. Many more shots to be had of this I am sure.
Graham

[TomM]

Thank you Graham for your comment. The background is a problem. I agree on the background being busy, I have been working on darkening the background hoping to tone it down a bit. And yes the image does look to be a little soft. I think we may need to back out when the pods are out and re-do.

thanks for comments

[GrahamH]

Hi Tim,
I have heard of some photographers who take control even more so of the background. Print onto canvas an out of focus (blurred) background. Place said print behind the subject, and take picture. Now the background to your subject is ALWAYS out of focus. I haven't done this yet, but I may.
Graham

[Nat]

I struggled with taking shots of this beautiful, fluffy seed pod, so I finally brought it to my house, put a black sheet behind it, used window light, used a reflector (piece of aluminum foil) behind it to throw light back at the back of it, and finally got the details I wanted. BUT, don't leave it there indefinitely...LOL! The sun made the seeds pop and I had so much fluff in that room, it was not funny!! If you want, I can post some of my attempts in a post.....? Let me know, don't want to step on toes.

[TomM]

Nat you would not be stepping on my toes. I will always look at images. That in my opinion is the best way to learn. I would be happy to see what you have done. Let me know where they are.

[Nat]

Thank you, I just started a new thread labeled Milk Weed Pod in this same category, Nature and Architecture. Let me know what you think.