Blue Globe Thistle

[ktuli]

So - I don't know if this qualifies as high key or just slightly over exposed, but I shot several frames of this blue globe thistle Saturday morning (I just posted more versions to my blog if you care to see them and vote on which is your favorite version).

With the back-lighting, I decided to open up to my widest aperture and expose for (I think) a stop and a third over-exposed. I then decided it might look good in B&W.

Please share your opinion and any C&C you might have.

Thanks for viewing.

- Bill

[Katy Noelle]

I like it, Bill! Aren't they fascinating, though?

Alright. I'm not sure.... this is what I would think if it was my photo (and, believe you me - I have some photos like this.) Firstly, nice bokeh! Secondly, I wish there was more punch on the color in the first and more black in the second. I know that you said "high key" but, still.... The last thing is, (and I would be asking you guys what you thought, myself) I think that there should be more light on the bee. So! What do you think of what I think?

[ktuli]

I like it, Bill! Aren't they fascinating, though?

Thank you! And yes, they are some awesome plants.

(and, believe you me - I have some photos like this.)

Which is exactly why I was specifically hoping you would post a comment, so thank you again!

Firstly, nice bokeh! Secondly, I wish there was more punch on the color in the first and more black in the second. I know that you said "high key" but, still.... The last thing is, (and I would be asking you guys what you thought, myself) I think that there should be more light on the bee. So! What do you think of what I think?

I have no clue how to put more punch into the color, so I'm not even going to pretend like I could do that without screwing it all up.

However, I definitely understand what you mean about the more black - Mike (KTHXBAI) recently told me that B&W conversions should have absolute white and absolute black. Shows how well I listened. Though since I was going for the high key effect on it, I thought it was ok... I guess not. I'll try and do another version this weekend.

While I am at it, I will see what I can do about brightening up the bee a bit. Unfortunately, he was right on the far side of the thistle from the sun and flew away before he got into more light. I worry that making him too bright will cause an impossible scenario with him bring bright where there should be a shadow. Anyone know a good way to handle that (jiro, I'm looking your way... haha!)

So I think you have some very valid points, and considering this is one area that falls under a Noelleism, I think I'll listen.

Thank you for commenting.

- Bill

[Katy Noelle]

There are a couple of ways that I would approach this, personally. (but remember, I'm an ever so slightly confused puppy between iphoto and Lightroom.) In iphoto and LR, I would just simply push the wb towards blue. Maybe, also, the black slider would be helpful in both the color and the B&W. Also, in iphoto, anyway, I would simply lighten the shadows. But....you know this already..... That's a start anyway.

B&W - there are different approaches, eh? With the Queen Anne's lace that I just recently did, at first, I wanted it to be faded and washed out. I was encouraged to use a little more punch - now, I see it. (Well, it helped to realize at the end of it all that the brightness on my monitor was turned down, too.) It's such a balance of listening to the feedback and developing our own style, isn't it? However, my sister, the artist,... every time I would show her a B&W, she would either say, "not enough black" or "not enough white." sigh!

Also, I had this epiphany about floral shots. I always thought that spectacular floral shots were taken by people who - I don't know - where THE most observant in the world - had fancy lenses - luck beyond belief - something like that. Those things help, I know BUT Rob made a comment.... if you scroll down just past the gorgeous floral shot, you'll see a link of INCREDIBLE floral/nature photography. Then you'll see the comment made by Rob and I realized - those photos are so beautiful because of the way they were post processed. I don't know.... I'm still just working on the whole concept. HERE's the link.

~Goodnight!

[Katy Noelle]

[QUOTE]

While I am at it, I will see what I can do about brightening up the bee a bit. Unfortunately, he was right on the far side of the thistle from the sun and flew away before he got into more light. I worry that making him too bright will cause an impossible scenario with him bring bright where there should be a shadow. Anyone know a good way to handle that (jiro, I'm looking your way... haha!)

I love reflectors - white cardboard or, now, I have one of those nifty reflector "shields". Also, you know, I've been encouraged to use the on camera flash if I need it. The light "in the air" is so bright and I have my flash turned waaaaay down, anyway. It just subtly helps. Anyway, so far, so good. The first time I tried it, I thought I was being silly and it was going to be horrible - those were the only ones that turned out well. Again, someone has kept reminding me that photography is about the light - not the camera. We're working with light. So, we need to look at how the light is and see if it needs any "intervention" to make it better. Very inspiring words, really. Anyway, I've done a shot with the light coming from behind and it was pretty bright. The part that had the flash on it still seemed in shadow. I'll go look for it.... HERE it is. There are two versions from the same photo in that thread. er, just if you're interested.

I have a vague feeling that I'm being pendantic. I don't mean to be. I just can't stop sneezing from allergies and really need to go to bed; so, sorry if my words are presented oddly.

Thanks, Bill, for your kind words. They're appreciated!

[ktuli]

I have a vague feeling that I'm being pendantic. I don't mean to be. I just can't stop sneezing from allergies and really need to go to bed; so, sorry if my words are presented oddly.

The only words presented oddly is that one... pendantic. That's a new one to me, and I generally have a wide vo... vo..... set of words thingie.

I think I need to let what you said sink in a bit, so I'll respond to that later. I do have a Spyder 3 Express on order, so I think I will wait until that comes in to try doing more PP on this one.

Thank you again for your helpful comments. And even if you were being pendantic, I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with it.... oh wait, just looked it up... dear god, woman! Just kidding.

- Bill

[Katy Noelle]

Lord have mercy! You're right, Bill! It's not even a Freudian slip because I didn't even know....

I did have a little bell go off in the back of my mind saying that I had the wrong word. Obviously, I meant pendantic. and, really, I meant and thought, I'm being such a pedagogue. Well, that's how I felt it might be coming across, last night. Now, I have a wicked Benadryl hangover!

You know, my screen is not only not calibrated, it's about to fall off. ( I mean, beyond the in-computer stuff - I don't have a fancy screen spyder doohicky thing.) However, what I see and hear tallies with what I see. So, grain of salt with my comments, please.... I'm crawling back under the quilt on the couch, now...

edit: I did it again.... I said "pendantic" - what's wrong with me.....???? Oh, you know what I mean...