Random shots for C&C

[Sonic4Spuds]

C&C on these would be helpful. These are the first shots I have asked for C&C on so *any* thoughts would be helpful.

-Sonic

[Geoff F]

Those are virtually impossible angles, Sonic, without doing image stacking from several shots at different focus points.

Getting 'square' with the subject without too much out of focus distracting petals etc obscuring the 'main view' and using a suitable aperture (say F14) will help. A good tripod is essential and using just the centre focus point for auto focus or manually focusing will also help.

Choosing the best exposure can be tricky. Evaluative metering can be fooled by hotspots or 'hidden shadows' while spot metering can miss important areas. If in doubt, I try to spot meter around the subject and take those readings into account when making my decision. Often, a bit of exposure compensation is necessary when using evaluative metering.

Try to avoid direct sunshine and setting a Custom White Balance will help to achieve correct colour.

Wind rock can be a serious problem when shooting 'in the wild' so some form of windbreak or stem support may be necessary.

But flowers usually present a considerable challenge. Recently I was trying to 'look inside' a crocus and create a composite image from 2 shots and while the result was just about acceptable, I wasn't totally happy with the result.

I think that with a little bit more careful brightness adjustment you may get something usable from your third photo.