Growth

[jiro]

Hi guys, this is my first time to try shooting some flowers under artificial light. I still can't go out due to cold weather so I have to find a way to amuse myself inside the house. Any C&C would be most welcome!


Growth by jiro bau, on Flickr

Thank you very much for viewing!

Nikon D70, 50mm f1.8D lens, Exposure set at f16 at 1.6 seconds. 1 single 60 watts incandescent bulb used with a light handkerchief cover to soften the shadows. RAW to Jpeg conversion and processing via ACDSEE Pro.

[Donald]

Willie

Is that a fabric that the flower is laying upon? One thougth is that it's a bit too indistinct, as I found myself trying to work out what it was, rather than concentrating on the image as a whole. So maybe it needs more light to make it clear what it is, or the background needs to go completely to black.

The lighting on the flower itself works very well. It is very well processed and certainly 'pops'.

[MixedHerbs]

Hello,

A lovely photograph, but I agree the background is a distraction.

I am curious. Why F16 and such a long exposure?

My Nikon 50mm F1.8 is pretty much stuck on F5.6 because the image is so good at that aperture.

Peter.

[jiro]

Yup, it's fabric. Too many distracting elements on the flower pot so I decided to cover it with a tulle type of fabric. You know, still "experimenting". Hehehe. I tried it to go completely black and it looks too artificial to me. I'll just probably extract the whole flower and put it in a new background later. Thanks a lot for the feedback, Donald. I really appreciate it!

[jiro]

Hello, A lovely photograph, but I agree the background is a distraction. I am curious. Why F16 and such a long exposure? My Nikon 50mm F1.8 is pretty much stuck on F5.6 because the image is so good at that aperture.

Peter.

Hey Pete, thanks for the feedback. I'm trying to put every part of the flower in focus that is why the f16 opening. Still trying to experiment on a lot of stuff with this shot. I'll change the background later. Thanks a lot, guys! I really appreciate this kind of feedback.

[Peter Ryan]

Hi Jiro (I note some are now calling you Willie - is there another name we can dress you by?)

Nice exposure and colour. I agree about the fabric but to me its more about the highlights. I don't mind the idea of some fabric/texture flowing underneath. I hope you can get out soon and the arthritis settles down.

[jiro]

Hi Jiro (I note some are now calling you Willie - is there another name we can dress you by?)

Nice exposure and colour. I agree about the fabric but to me its more about the highlights. I don't mind the idea of some fabric/texture flowing underneath. I hope you can get out soon and the arthritis settles down.

Thanks, Peter Ryan. You can call me Jiro or Willie, It's OK. I know it is still me. I experimented on this mesh fabric here. I was actually surprised that it can generate a lot of those specular reflections. Now, I learned another interesting thing about this fabric. I hope I can really try some snowy shots but I can't risk my only camera outside. When my arthritis kicks in I can't literally hold anything well. Sad to say, it runs in our family.

[jiro]

2nd revision. Does this looks "better"?



Thanks for the feedback, guys.

[jeeperman]

I like this one much better Jiro.

[jiro]

Thanks a lot, Paul! I appreciate your comment.

[MiniChris]

Not that it is not exposed correctly...I am quite sure it is...but even so, I think the green-yellow in the stem almost overpowers the subtle, yet powerful reds and good solid yellow on the upper right leaf. I think I would tone that part down just a little but not so much as to lose its snap...and that should be fun.

[jiro]

Good observation there, Chris. I'll try to adjust it and see how it affects the image. Thanks a lot!

[jiro]

Chris, does this look "OK" now?


Growth3 by jiro bau, on Flickr

[MiniChris]

I am thinking it is now "too" green. The image below doesn't do the image justice but it is too small to work much beyond what I am sending...it is sorta-kinda closer to where I would go...but if you judge my track record in competitions, I might not be the best judge of what's good.
It would even be good if the very bottom part of the stem could just shadow bleed into the background.

[jiro]

Yeah, I see the subtle changes a little bit. Not to noticeable but I think I can see it. Oh my, these 8 cups of coffee must be messing up my eyesight now. LOL! I'll give it another shot re the stem. Thanks! I like this, I am learning.

[MixedHerbs]

I like your second version.

How far is the cutting from the lens? And how "thick" is it?

A Depth Of Field utility you may find useful is here:

http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html

Try taking the same photograph but at different apertures. You can then cherry-pick the one that exploits the lens's abilities. The Nikon 50mm F1.8 can do amazing things.

Peter.

[jiro]

Hey, Peter, that was an awesome link. Thanks!

I tested it using the setup that I did on the poinsettia and I am only 1 full stop over to the desired depth of field required. I set it up at f16 and the program recommends an f11 opening. Not bad for an amateur, eh.

[MiniChris]

That link was more math than I've done since high school...but I am using it in class tomorrow to give my math hoodlums a way to share a skill level I can't possibly explain (well, not that way).
As per the hyperfocal distance, I almost always bracket my exposures to at least make an attempt at ensuring the perfect f/stop. If it is a ho-hum shot, I may only give it one stop on either side, but if I really want the shot, I go a lot on either side. In film, I would do the desired f/stop, and then go in increments of 1/2 stop in both directions at least two full stops. Film was cheaper than trying to get back to a same location, set up, shoot and process..again.

[Peter Ryan]

Thanks Peter, I have seen a number of these sites but I like the diagrams and can use this with my students.

I did download a good version from this site but I notice they now want to charge $10. A very good version if you want it on your computer.

http://fcalc.net/