Need Tips in Photographing White Flowers

[quiltergal]

I've tried different lighting....indoors without flash, with flash, outdoors, and I've yet to produce a satisfactory photo. Either it's too dark, or the white is too overexposed and all detail is lost. Please keep in mind I am not a photographer. I am using a Kodak EasyShare DX6490. The only "equipment" I have is a tripod. No fancy lighting or backdrops.

HELP!

[gmdiaz]

The problem is that the whites are too white and the darks are too dark. . .so your camera averages the exposure.

Try finding a background that is not tooooo different in value from the flowers (maybe just a different color). And maybe try finding a place to photograph both the flower and the background, that is neither too light or too dark. . .real even lighting.

Then see if you can add a spot light just to the flowers.

And zoom in kinda close.

See what happens. *shrug*

[kavanaru]

or do what I did in the past... use a dark background, and place your plant in front of it with the right illumination. Place your camera on a tripod, and when about to take the picture, ask your assistant to place a white paper behind the plant, let te camera read the light, and then take off the paper and take the picture...

[camille1585]

I have a point n shoot, and also had trouble with the whites, especially since I shoot them against dark backgrounds. On my camera I fiddled around and discovered that I can change the exposure(?) to darken the white a bit. That in combination with finding the right spot at the right time of day has allowed me to take some nice shots!

Ramon, I'll try your white paper idea. And you refer to it as something you did 'in the past'. What do you do now?

[kavanaru]

Hi these are two examples of pictures I took with a "relatively" simpel digital camera, using the method I explained above:

[Ross]

Originally Posted by quiltergal

I've tried different lighting....indoors without flash, with flash, outdoors, and I've yet to produce a satisfactory photo. Either it's too dark, or the white is too overexposed and all detail is lost. Please keep in mind I am not a photographer. I am using a Kodak EasyShare DX6490. The only "equipment" I have is a tripod. No fancy lighting or backdrops.

First you need to be in PASM mode (check your manual). Select Aperature Priority mode for metering. Select Center Spot for Exposure metering. The read the white orchid. If possible set the reading 1/3 to 2/3 lower than the light meter setting. I don't see where your camera has any way to set it manually.

[Lee Conner]

Originally Posted by Ross

First you need to be in PASM mode (check your manual). Select Aperature Priority mode for metering. Select Center Spot for Exposure metering. The read the white orchid. If possible set the reading 1/3 to 2/3 lower than the light meter setting. I don't see where your camera has any way to set it manually.

Lee conner 60875013

This expanation will only work if you can depress your shutter release half way down and while holding it in the half way down position it will lock the sensor for exposure. If your camera works that way, here is the way to obtain perfect exposure everytime. First , an explaination of why. The camera sensors create an exposure value equivilent to 20% gray to give a correct reading for rendering skin tone correctly. Kodak sells cards called an 80/20 card. But the perfect subsitute for that card is the palm of your hand. If you hold your hand at the flower, press the shutter down half way; Caution( it may lock focus as well ) hold the shutter down remove hand and take photo. It will be perfectly lit if all conditions are possible and met.

I used to photograph old masters for museums, some were dark and some were light, so to get the correct exposure I always used my hand or the 80/20 card to set the correct exposure.

[Lee Conner]

Originally Posted by Ross

First you need to be in PASM mode (check your manual). Select Aperature Priority mode for metering. Select Center Spot for Exposure metering. The read the white orchid. If possible set the reading 1/3 to 2/3 lower than the light meter setting. I don't see where your camera has any way to set it manually.

Lee conner 60875013

This expanation will only work if you can depress your shutter release half way down and while holding it in the half way down position it will lock the sensor for exposure. If your camera works that way, here is the way to obtain perfect exposure everytime. First , an explaination of why. The camera sensors create an exposure value equivilent to 20% gray to give a correct reading for rendering skin tone correctly. Kodak sells cards called an 80/20 card. But the perfect subsitute for that card is the palm of your hand. If you hold your hand at the flower, center the light meter on you hand, press the shutter down half way; Caution( it may lock focus as well ) hold the shutter down remove hand and take photo. It will be perfectly lit if all conditions are possible with your camera procedure is met.

I used to photograph old masters for museums, some were dark and some were light, so to get the correct exposure I always used my hand or the 80/20 card to set the correct exposure.

[Ross]

Originally Posted by Lee Conner

Lee conner 60875013

This expanation will only work if you can depress your shutter release half way down and while holding it in the half way down position it will lock the sensor for exposure. If your camera works that way, here is the way to obtain perfect exposure everytime. First , an explaination of why. The camera sensors create an exposure value equivilent to 20% gray to give a correct reading for rendering skin tone correctly. Kodak sells cards called an 80/20 card. But the perfect subsitute for that card is the palm of your hand. If you hold your hand at the flower, press the shutter down half way; Caution( it may lock focus as well ) hold the shutter down remove hand and take photo. It will be perfectly lit if all conditions are possible and met.

I used to photograph old masters for museums, some were dark and some were light, so to get the correct exposure I always used my hand or the 80/20 card to set the correct exposure.

That is a short cut for many cameras, but I don't think the Kodak one mentioned will work that way. The problem (as you have stated) is the meter. The way around this is a manual mode. For the camera being cited here it is the PASM mode. I use Nikon and the problem is no longer a problem.