[BruceBanner]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2dmbcWF]

[noelcmn]

I like the first image best. The lighting on that hibiscus is particularly satisfactory.

Thank you!

[rgknief60]

Orchid. My Mom's orchid almost died when she took a trip last summer. It is now in full bloom. She is pretty happy, as it's the first time she nursed one back to health. White is always a challenge for me to shoot.

K-1 & DFA 28-105 @ 105mm, f10, 3 sec.


Mom's Orchid

[paulh]

At the botanical gardens with the iPhone 5:

[WPRESTO]

Cactus flowers, probably some species of Opuntia.

... White is always a challenge for me to shoot. ...

Interesting observation. Why is that, you s'pose?

[WPRESTO]

Interesting observation. Why is that, you s'pose?

I find it tricky to get the illumination level right for white. It's so reflective that you must cut the exposure to get any surface texture, but that causes all the other colors in the image go too dark and flat. If you brighten the other colors, the white areas tend to wash out. I you look at Nolecmn's second image above, the white petals and dew drops look lovely, but the center of the flower and the insect there are a bit too dark to be appreciated fully. I had the same problem with the assassin bug on a Queen Ann's lace posted below. I went for best exposure on the insect, as that is the main interest, but the white blossoms are somewhat blown out.

Attached Images

View Picture EXIF

File Date

 

[ivanvernon]

Orchid. My Mom's orchid almost died when she took a trip last summer. It is now in full bloom. She is pretty happy, as it's the first time she nursed one back to health. White is always a challenge for me to shoot.

K-1 & DFA 28-105 @ 105mm, f10, 3 sec.


Mom's Orchid

I agree that white flowers give a real challenge. I generally try to stop down about two stops, then lighten back up in post.

[WPRESTO]

I agree that white flowers give a real challenge. I generally try to stop down about two stops, then lighten back up in post.

I take much the same approach. For images with important white areas I commonly fiddle the color sliders in LR to increase illumination & saturation (underexposed areas seem to lack saturation when brightened) of the non-white regions that have gone too dark, flat and murky. It doesn't always work

[rgknief60]

I agree that white flowers give a real challenge. I generally try to stop down about two stops, then lighten back up in post.

I take much the same approach. For images with important white areas I commonly fiddle the color sliders in LR to increase illumination & saturation (underexposed areas seem to lack saturation when brightened) of the non-white regions that have gone too dark, flat and murky. It doesn't always work

That is the approach I took with the orchid. This variety also "sparkles" (for want of a different term) which makes macro detail challenging. Here is the original, unprocessed (except resized crop) from RAW, which demonstrates that about which the gentlemen speak. No doubt some of you can do better from this JPG than I could starting from the raw.


Mom's Orchid Prior to Processing

[KC0PET]

I take much the same approach. For images with important white areas I commonly fiddle the color sliders in LR to increase illumination & saturation (underexposed areas seem to lack saturation when brightened) of the non-white regions that have gone too dark, flat and murky. It doesn't always work

That was a learning curve for me when I first go a DSLR coming from film and getting completely washed out whites. I also still do a lot of bracketing, sometimes down to 3-4 stops under. Of course the good thing about digital is that taking a dozen photos of the same thing is not 1/3 of a roll of film

[Racer X 69]

The first two are perfect Noel.

[photolady95]

I have more but here's another that unless you stop down can blow the colors out and leave less details.

[noelcmn]

The first two are perfect Noel.

Thank you!

[StephenHampshire]