>> Leaves <<

[Ganesh Mahadevan]

let me know your technical input to improvise

f-8 1/15sec ISO-800




f-8 1/160sec ISO-800




f-8 1/15sec ISO-800

[FrankMi]

Hi Ganesh, technically these look fine but that really depends on what you are trying to achieve and that includes the compositional elements involved.

What do you like about these scenes that you like and prompted you to press the shutter?

What is it about these images that you'd like to improve?

[Ganesh Mahadevan]

Hi Ganesh, technically these look fine but that really depends on what you are trying to achieve and that includes the compositional elements involved.

What do you like about these scenes that you like and prompted you to press the shutter?

What is it about these images that you'd like to improve?

thank frank. i am trying to click natural objects based on the various tutorials lessons (exposure, focusing etc.,) to improve my skills to deliver a quality, crisp, clear picture.

[FrankMi]

thank frank. i am trying to click natural objects based on the various tutorials lessons (exposure, focusing etc.,) to improve my skills to deliver a quality, crisp, clear picture.

The images are sharp and clear but there are areas where you can improve. For example, in the first one you have effectively used DoF to provide bokeh but with a busy background, the contrast still grabs attention away from the foreground leaves, particularly in the white areas and the partial leaves.

The second one is better and could be made stronger if the berries were sharper and stood out more against the green and the brown spot on the right were subdued or cropped out.

In the third one, the emphasis is on the green leaves so the bright brown leaf could be darkened so that it doesn't grab so much of the attention.

These suggestions are primarily about composition and not as much about technical issues. Composition can make or break a technically perfect image so if I were to suggest one thing to work on at this stage it would be to make the image simpler, with fewer distractions. For example, you could try to play with getting a very sharp image of a single very interesting leaf and retaining the DoF you have, shoot it against a less busy background.

[Ganesh Mahadevan]

The images are sharp and clear but there are areas where you can improve. For example, in the first one you have effectively used DoF to provide bokeh but with a busy background, the contrast still grabs attention away from the foreground leaves, particularly in the white areas and the partial leaves.

The second one is better and could be made stronger if the berries were sharper and stood out more against the green and the brown spot on the right were subdued or cropped out.

In the third one, the emphasis is on the green leaves so the bright brown leaf could be darkened so that it doesn't grab so much of the attention.

These suggestions are primarily about composition and not as much about technical issues. Composition can make or break a technically perfect image so if I were to suggest one thing to work on at this stage it would be to make the image simpler, with fewer distractions. For example, you could try to play with getting a very sharp image of a single very interesting leaf and retaining the DoF you have, shoot it against a less busy background.

thanks much frank. will work on these tips

[Mike Buckley]

The most important tip I can give is to Google "leaf photos." Compare yours with the Googled photos and determine what makes certain photos, whether they're yours or the others, the most satisfying photos.

The second most important tip I can give is to notice the glare on the leaves, especially in the last version. If you use a polarizer filter, you can minimize or eliminate that glare. The result will be a much more pleasing color (not the white glare) and increased detail.

If you're using a digital camera, use a circular polarizer, which unfortunately is a lot more expensive than a linear polarizer. If you use a linear polarizer with a digital camera, your autofocus will be messed up.

Keep working at it and keep posting your images!

[Barbara Ponder]

Ganesh Mike and Frank have given excellent advice. I like the composition on #2 but perhaps a wider DOF so that more of the berries are in focus.

[Geoff F]

This year, my Project 52 posts have been about improving my botanical photo skills and the first thing I learned was that in reality I didn't know nearly as much as I thought I did!

This is a very difficult subject to photograph.

My suggestions would start by looking carefully at each scene before even thinking about going near the shutter button. About 90% of my 'shots' get 'deleted' just through rejecting what obviously won't work before even taking a photo.

Some 'gardening' around the scene is usually necessary. Remove any leaves or stems which will be distracting to the intended scene. Sometimes simply bending any offending stems sideways is all that is needed.

Carefully checking the exposure and avoiding any potential hotspots is essential. Bright sunshine can be very difficult and sometimes light cloud or introducing a bit of artificial light shadow is beneficial.

Both of the above suggestions apply to your first image.

The second photo works a lot better. Are they juniper berries or something similar? But I wonder about a bit of a crop from the right side to concentrate more on the main subject? Maybe try 4 x 5 ratio or square?

Ivy leaves are extremely difficult to photograph perfectly due to their shiny surface so you have done well here. Stray ivy leaves in the background have become a nightmare for me when I accidentally overlook them until it is too late.

You can try spot metering but this is usually another case which requires diffused light and careful use of exposure compensation. Also, there are a few brown dead leaves in the background (showing beneath the green leaves) which I would have removed before shooting.

For virtually all flower or leaf shots I shoot using Aperture Priority to give sufficient focus depth and use a tripod.

[bnnrcn]

Leaves also make good subjects for B&W conversions, if you want to try one day