I am not a flower shooter... Help

I am not a flower shooter... Help · 10:30 AM

So I am a bugger not a bloomer. But my wifes flowers are really wonderful this year and I have decided to attempt to shoot some for her. It is nice when our hobbies collide.

I ran into the bokeh / busy background question after I did some test shots. I actually kind of like some of the shots where the background is OOF but the hint of the chaos is still there. But before I shoot a bunch, I thought I would ask your thoughts?

This is the type of pic I am talking about... The question is only about the background here as I know the comp and subject is not good...

REMEMBER BACKGROUND / OOF area only....
Attachment 15116

Attachment 15117

Also is the reflected light on this bud acceptable or would you consider it a touch blown out.
Thanks for the help... I am gonna spend a day (in the heat) trying to shoot her blooms and any thoughts or tips would be appreciated.

Attachment 15118

Now these two are more my speed...
Attachment 15119

Attachment 15120

Damn Brit · 07-09-2008, 05:37 PM

Originally posted by rmtagg

Personally I love both of these

Good for you (pulling a face and sticking my tongue out).

Gary

Igilligan · 07-11-2008, 12:53 AM

Originally posted by rmtagg

Personally I love both of these

Originally posted by Damn Brit

Good for you (pulling a face and sticking my tongue out).

Gary

Ok you two, I will turn this car around and we will head right back home... YOU think I am kidding?

Rosemary.... I saw a thread about pulling out an old lens you have not used in a while so I grabbed my S-M-C tak 50 1.4 and put my raynox 250 on it for fun....

I got a couple of flower shots... This one made me think of you!
I cant remember if you ever came up with a name to call the style you were working out.... But I call this one "Reflections of Rosemary"

**NaClH2O** · 07-11-2008, 03:10 PM

Hi Gus

On flowers, and backgrounds and angles and other stuff.

Personally I think all the rules are meant to be broken. One of the times I like to include the background is when it offers a good color contrast

Another time I like to include the background is when I want to give the impression of LOTS and LOTS of flowers.

Even if there is no distracting shapes/color in the background try to choose the angle that gives the most contrast. For instance a light colored flower against sunlit grass doesn't stand out as well as the same flower shown against a dark hedge or evergreen tree/shrub.
I don't mind OOF flowers in the background, sometimes they give actually help give context to the main subject. However I do prefer the background to be mostly smooth OOF more like your first sample.

Other things to consider.
Backlighting can work wonders, but you have to be careful of exposure, I almost always use spot metering and expose to (or at least towards) the highlights. This shot borders on over exposed, but I still like the play of light and shadow in it.

Don't be afraid to throw everything out the window and try something weird...it might just work out. This shot was taken from behind the flower. What you are looking at is the backside of the flower but I think it works.

One final comment. Flowers are a mixture of color, shape and texture. Sometimes a full profile shot is just ho hum while a direct face shot is Oh Wow! or vice versa. And sometimes a 3/4 view will be the best angle. I'd provide examples, but I think I'm coming close to hijacking this thread and that's not my intention. You can see lots and lots of flower shots at my smug mug site which unfortunately has been pretty neglected lately, check out both the "Flowers" category and the "Seasons" category if you want more examples.
http://saltwater.smugmug.com/

NaCl(hope this helps)H2O

rmtagg · 07-11-2008, 07:22 PM

Gus, I LOVE THAT FLOWER! Sorry for shouting but thats how it made me feel

It's beautiful! Sometimes it is not about the shape or the look but the color, texture and light

If I kept to the rules I would not have my work filling a 10 foot wall in a gallery right now. Play and experiment, have fun

And I do like that title a lot , he he he

Igilligan · 07-11-2008, 08:17 PM

Originally posted by NaClH2O

Hi Gus

On flowers, and backgrounds and angles and other stuff.

Personally I think all the rules are meant to be broken. One of the times I like to include the background is when it offers a good color contrast

Don't be afraid to throw everything out the window and try something weird...it might just work out. This shot was taken from behind the flower. What you are looking at is the backside of the flower but I think it works.

NaCl(hope this helps)H2O

Hey Salty... thanks for the advice, You are right about exploring all the angles and exposures... I did shoot a lot of flowers when I first got my bridge camera a couple of years ago (doesn't everyone?). And the ones I like the most from those days were almost always "not your normal flower" shots.
And I agree that sometimes the that colorful background like in your first post, works well for flower shots.
I wanted to go out to the garden and attempt some shots, but we went from 107&109 for two days to 90 with high winds the next. What the heat did not kill the wind has beat to death. Hopefully the wind will die tomorrow for me and the firefighters....
Your shot from underneath reminds me of one of my old pics... I still like it.

And there was just always something about this one that I was drawn too...

Originally posted by rmtagg

Gus, I LOVE THAT FLOWER! Sorry for shouting but thats how it made me feel

It's beautiful! Sometimes it is not about the shape or the look but the color, texture and light

If I kept to the rules I would not have my work filling a 10 foot wall in a gallery right now. Play and experiment, have fun

And I do like that title a lot , he he he

Rosemary, I am so glad you saw 'Reflections of Rosemary'...
I thought the thread had died and I was gonna send it to you in a PM.
It so reminded me of what you were shooting during your 'raw impressionist' period....I thought of you the minute I saw it on the computer.

You have so many good ones... I always enjoy seeing those kind of shots from you.

Thanks again for the inspiration....

rmtagg · 07-11-2008, 09:36 PM

I am very flattered! And I truely love that pic

Its funny how when you down load something and it is not crisp and clear you automatically head for the delete button. LOLSometimes breaking most of the rules pays off

Thank you for your kind words

I realy need to get back out and do some shooting. My next adventure is shooting 3 young men and 1 young lady this Sunday. I am short 2 females!

07-11-2008, 12:53 AM	#17
Igilligan Guest	For Rosemary and the Damn Brit Originally posted by rmtagg Personally I love both of these Originally posted by Damn Brit Good for you (pulling a face and sticking my tongue out). Gary Ok you two, I will turn this car around and we will head right back home... YOU think I am kidding? Rosemary.... I saw a thread about pulling out an old lens you have not used in a while so I grabbed my S-M-C tak 50 1.4 and put my raynox 250 on it for fun.... I got a couple of flower shots... This one made me think of you! I cant remember if you ever came up with a name to call the style you were working out.... But I call this one "Reflections of Rosemary"

07-11-2008, 08:17 PM	#20
Igilligan Guest	Rosemary and Salty.... Originally posted by NaClH2O Hi Gus On flowers, and backgrounds and angles and other stuff. Personally I think all the rules are meant to be broken. One of the times I like to include the background is when it offers a good color contrast Don't be afraid to throw everything out the window and try something weird...it might just work out. This shot was taken from behind the flower. What you are looking at is the backside of the flower but I think it works. NaCl(hope this helps)H2O Hey Salty... thanks for the advice, You are right about exploring all the angles and exposures... I did shoot a lot of flowers when I first got my bridge camera a couple of years ago (doesn't everyone?). And the ones I like the most from those days were almost always "not your normal flower" shots. And I agree that sometimes the that colorful background like in your first post, works well for flower shots. I wanted to go out to the garden and attempt some shots, but we went from 107&109 for two days to 90 with high winds the next. What the heat did not kill the wind has beat to death. Hopefully the wind will die tomorrow for me and the firefighters.... Your shot from underneath reminds me of one of my old pics... I still like it. And there was just always something about this one that I was drawn too... Originally posted by rmtagg Gus, I LOVE THAT FLOWER! Sorry for shouting but thats how it made me feel It's beautiful! Sometimes it is not about the shape or the look but the color, texture and light If I kept to the rules I would not have my work filling a 10 foot wall in a gallery right now. Play and experiment, have fun And I do like that title a lot , he he he Rosemary, I am so glad you saw 'Reflections of Rosemary'... I thought the thread had died and I was gonna send it to you in a PM. It so reminded me of what you were shooting during your 'raw impressionist' period....I thought of you the minute I saw it on the computer. You have so many good ones... I always enjoy seeing those kind of shots from you. Thanks again for the inspiration....

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07-09-2008, 05:37 PM	#16
Damn Brit Guest	Originally posted by rmtagg Personally I love both of these Good for you (pulling a face and sticking my tongue out). Gary

07-11-2008, 03:10 PM	#18
NaClH2O Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Bronx NY Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,631	Hi Gus On flowers, and backgrounds and angles and other stuff. Personally I think all the rules are meant to be broken. One of the times I like to include the background is when it offers a good color contrast Another time I like to include the background is when I want to give the impression of LOTS and LOTS of flowers. Even if there is no distracting shapes/color in the background try to choose the angle that gives the most contrast. For instance a light colored flower against sunlit grass doesn't stand out as well as the same flower shown against a dark hedge or evergreen tree/shrub. I don't mind OOF flowers in the background, sometimes they give actually help give context to the main subject. However I do prefer the background to be mostly smooth OOF more like your first sample. Other things to consider. Backlighting can work wonders, but you have to be careful of exposure, I almost always use spot metering and expose to (or at least towards) the highlights. This shot borders on over exposed, but I still like the play of light and shadow in it. Don't be afraid to throw everything out the window and try something weird...it might just work out. This shot was taken from behind the flower. What you are looking at is the backside of the flower but I think it works. One final comment. Flowers are a mixture of color, shape and texture. Sometimes a full profile shot is just ho hum while a direct face shot is Oh Wow! or vice versa. And sometimes a 3/4 view will be the best angle. I'd provide examples, but I think I'm coming close to hijacking this thread and that's not my intention. You can see lots and lots of flower shots at my smug mug site which unfortunately has been pretty neglected lately, check out both the "Flowers" category and the "Seasons" category if you want more examples. http://saltwater.smugmug.com/ NaCl(hope this helps)H2O

07-11-2008, 07:22 PM	#19
rmtagg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Warrington, PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,271	Gus, I LOVE THAT FLOWER! Sorry for shouting but thats how it made me feel It's beautiful! Sometimes it is not about the shape or the look but the color, texture and light If I kept to the rules I would not have my work filling a 10 foot wall in a gallery right now. Play and experiment, have fun And I do like that title a lot , he he he

07-11-2008, 09:36 PM	#21
rmtagg Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Warrington, PA Photos: Gallery Posts: 1,271	I am very flattered! And I truely love that pic Its funny how when you down load something and it is not crisp and clear you automatically head for the delete button. LOLSometimes breaking most of the rules pays off Thank you for your kind words I realy need to get back out and do some shooting. My next adventure is shooting 3 young men and 1 young lady this Sunday. I am short 2 females!