Anyone have any pointers on getting some good orchid shots?? I've seen some people post some amazing up close pictures. I was tinkering with the camera a bit this afternoon and wasn't getting what I wanted. A friend suggested some black felt or velvet in the background to help absorb the light. Some came out incredible and others....ehhh . Good or bad, here are my results.........
Paul, did you check out the previous posts in the Photography section? My first response is that black backgrounds trick most auto cameras and also make for generally wrong exposed images. Other things to consider:
If you really are trying for closeups, get either a closeup lens or a closeup adapter filter for your current lens.
Softness of the image will be caused by one of three things: camera movement (shake); subject movement (wind, etc.) and/or bad focus. The best way to eliminate the first and last item is a good, solid tripod and careful focus. The middle one is best cured by getting up really early (before the thermals start) or moving the plant indoors out of the breezes.
Exposure is something learned over time, but all camera light meters are calibrated for 18% gray. That means they are expecting to see a balance nearly 18% gray (or equivilant). So if the subject is really white, the camera will underexpose. If the subject is really dark or black, the meter will overexpose.
There have been lots of other principles discussed here over the time this forum has existed. Please feel free to check out the many threads.
much better than close-up lenses and/or filters, is a good zoom, and zoom in your plants. You will avoid A LOT of the "profundity effect" (don't have the right term now in my head), and will be able to have a better focal depth in your pics... you will however, probably need more light for a good effect
Please keep in mind that any lens, from any manufacturer, has a certain range that is optimum for most photos. To get really sharp results, one needs a lens (zoom or otherwise) that is designed (optimized) for closeups. For instance in my photos I have and use a 60mm prime, a 85mm prime, a 105mm prime and a 200mm prime, all are micror lenses designed specifically for closup photography.
Paul, did you check out the previous posts in the Photography section? My first response is that black backgrounds trick most auto cameras and also make for generally wrong exposed images. Other things to consider:
If you really are trying for closeups, get either a closeup lens or a closeup adapter filter for your current lens.
Softness of the image will be caused by one of three things: camera movement (shake); subject movement (wind, etc.) and/or bad focus. The best way to eliminate the first and last item is a good, solid tripod and careful focus. The middle one is best cured by getting up really early (before the thermals start) or moving the plant indoors out of the breezes.
Exposure is something learned over time, but all camera light meters are calibrated for 18% gray. That means they are expecting to see a balance nearly 18% gray (or equivilant). So if the subject is really white, the camera will underexpose. If the subject is really dark or black, the meter will overexpose.
There have been lots of other principles discussed here over the time this forum has existed. Please feel free to check out the many threads.
I did dig around in the photography section. Basically I've come up with two things. 1- I need to get a tripod, my hands shake like ive been chewing on coffee grounds. They always have and 2- I need a new camera. I have a Kodak easy share camera which we purchased to take pictures at the rodeo when we compete. According to the salesman it was going to take awesome actions shots. NOT SO! The pics turn out great so long as nobody is moving, the camera isn't zoomed in, your not too far away, and the planets are all in correct alignment. It wasn't overly expensive but it wasn't a cheapo either. So I guess the answer to my own question is to get a new camera. Which won't happen for another year because I need a greenhouse more than I need a camera. I guess I was just hoping for a magic want to fix my photography issues
I did dig around in the photography section. Basically I've come up with two things. 1- I need to get a tripod, my hands shake like ive been chewing on coffee grounds. They always have and 2- I need a new camera. I have a Kodak easy share camera which we purchased to take pictures at the rodeo when we compete. According to the salesman it was going to take awesome actions shots. NOT SO! The pics turn out great so long as nobody is moving, the camera isn't zoomed in, your not too far away, and the planets are all in correct alignment. It wasn't overly expensive but it wasn't a cheapo either. So I guess the answer to my own question is to get a new camera. Which won't happen for another year because I need a greenhouse more than I need a camera. I guess I was just hoping for a magic want to fix my photography issues
Don't jump to conclusions. First correct the things you can easily correct (of the three major things you can easily correct camera shake with a tripod or other steady surface to set you camera on). You can use a sand bag, a rock wall, a board wall, anything that is more stable than you are. You can correct subject movement by finding a time of day subject doesn't move so much (ie., no wind or move plant indoors). You can fix last one (focus) by staying withing the focus range of your camera and using a computer program like Photoshop or Photoshop Elements to enlage the subject.
Actually (I added this as a seperate post for obvious reasons) your pictures are pretty darned good. Lose the black background. It doesn't help except with certain types of exposures. Look for a complementary color background. I use several rolls of flocking in maroon, brown, green, gray and black depending on the subject. Your camera is including all the black in the exposure factor when exposing and altering the exposure incorrectly (well, correctly for the balance it assumed).
ok, well you made me feel a little better about it Ill pick up some different colors to use as flocking and get a tripod. I don't have to worry too much about the movement of the plants. They're all indoors, for the next few months anyways, so its as easy as shutting off my fan. I'll see what I get after that and go from there. Thanks for all your help Ross.
Following Ross' comments, I'd add two small hints that may help: first do not position the object too close to the background; by doing so you avoid having its texture in focus together with the object being photographed. Second, turn off the flash device. It produces hard shadows. If you don't have appropriate spot lights, use natural light, taking your shots especially in the morning when the sunlight has better proportion of blue, thus allowing good balance between the so-called hot and cold colors (your camera maker probably has conditioned it to this light). Also, late in the afternoon(longer wave length, tending to golden/red) is an interesting option for good photos.
Photography tips anyone?
. Good or bad, here are my results.........
I guess I was just hoping for a magic want to fix my photography issues
Ill pick up some different colors to use as flocking and get a tripod. I don't have to worry too much about the movement of the plants. They're all indoors, for the next few months anyways, so its as easy as shutting off my fan. I'll see what I get after that and go from there. Thanks for all your help Ross.
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