After admiring the flower shots here on the forum for some time, I decided last southern hemisphere winter that it was time to lift my game. Looking at some of the better images posted, I came to the conclusion subject lighting was the X factor that made the difference. In particular, carefully deployed flash illumination. I've found the Aussie sun can be just too intense and if I leave it to the evening light, then slower shutter speeds and a little bit of nodding about in the wind don't go real well together.

So I looked at what flashes I owned and decided I could make a two flash rig using my Pentax AF540FGZ and an old Achiever 632LCD I've had since my Pentax ME Super acquisition in the early 80's (and having tested that the Achiever was safely below 6V on the trigger pin).

A burst of small purchases on Ebay secured a bracketing system to hold the two flashes, some mini-tripod heads to angle the flashes as needed, and some small soft boxes to diffuse the flashes.
No need for cables at least - the in-camera wireless would trigger the 540FGZ as a slave and bought a Seagull flash remote trigger to trigger the Achiever 632LCD (no cable socket on the Achiever). Oh, and a new heavier duty tripod and ball head to hold everything in place (that was the expensive bit).

But spring and early summer came and went without a single flower photo. At first some flu-like bug laid me low for a month or more, then overseas travel for work, and after that, the usual rush to get stuff done before Christmas. But a lone dahlia flower in the front yard has been calling out to be photographed for the past few days. Today, finally, I put all the bits and pieces together and early this afternoon ventured over to the dahlia with the K-3 and my FA77. Having mucked about with the flashes on manual some time back with a few indoor shots of various nic-nacs off the mantlepiece, I took a guess on the power settings and was pretty well on the money straight away, getting these results in the first few frames.


1/180th, F5.6



1/125th, F11

It was full-on Australian summer sunshine today so I used a handheld umbrella (of the conventional rain deflecting kind) to shade the flower and avoid hot spots from the sunlight.

Certainly encouraging enough for me to pursue some more hapless flowers.

[Sailor]

I'd say you "lifted" your game, indeed. These beautiful shots are simply splendid. I lack the patience and skill to do this sort of thing, but I'm sure glad there are folks like you and my forum friend, EM, who have those traits and produce photos like these!!

Jer

[joip]

Great effort - it was worth the wait!

[Bruce Clark]

Very good result from some very detailed planning. Well done

[eaglem]

Excellent shots

[southlander]

I'd say you "lifted" your game, indeed. These beautiful shots are simply splendid. I lack the patience and skill to do this sort of thing, but I'm sure glad there are folks like you and my forum friend, EM, who have those traits and produce photos like these!!

Great effort - it was worth the wait!

Very good result from some very detailed planning. Well done

Excellent shots

Thank you all for your kind words.

I've had another go today down at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens and have uploaded the results into a new post.

I found though that the Seagull trigger is not reliable in bright light so I may need to rethink that bit.

[TimR]

Great shots. I love the colors.

[tnttnt]

very nice picture

[southlander]

Great shots. I love the colors.

very nice picture

Thank you both. It was the intense colour of the flower that kept catching my eye as I walked from my driveway to the front door. After a few days, I could ignore it no more!