Getting closer to good close ups

[Bird Song Farm]

Originally Posted by Swamper

Al, these were not edited. When I do, I use a free version of photoshop just to crop.

Here is a great program (free) that takes some time to learn but is well worth it.
I'll gladly help you with it, just shoot me a PM.
Al

GIMP - Windows installers

[Swamper]

Thank you Al. I have seen this program. I forget why I never used it. I'll look at it again. I think when I was looking around I found that photoshop3. I'll look at it, thanks again.

[Connie Star]

Hi Swamper,
I'm very new to orchids and very old to macro-photography- I used to be a pro photographer. In fact, I started raising orchids in part to have more subjects.
Your shots look good, but some could use more depth of field. I've just discovered macro-stacking myself. Be glad for digital cameras- you can play around with exposure, contrast, dynamic range.
I use both Photoshop Elements and CS3. I don't want to admit it, but mostly I use elements-it's more convenient. CS3 has a steep learning curve, but more control.
I usually use flash, unless I am outdoors in very bright conditions. I find the on-camera flash of my Canon XTi works well with my 100mm macro lens without casting a shadow from the lens. If there is little or no ambient light, the extremely fast flash eliminates motion blur. I have an inexpensive folding reflector that works fairly well to soften the harsh shadows of the flash. If I'm shooting with ambient light, even only a little to balance out the flash, I use a tripod.
I have to admit I've collected a lot of photo equipment over time so it's easier to take good shots.
And most important, remember that there is a difference between a good and a bad photographer:
A good photographer throws away the bad pictures!

[Swamper]

I'm getting to be a pro then cause I've been throwing and deleting a lot of pics. Seriously though, thanks for your input and advice.

[ronaldhanko]

Hi Swamper,
I'm going to add my two bits to the discussion. Since you doing mostly orchid photography you have more control over what you're doing than if you're photographing flowers in the garden or in the wild. You made the most important purchase with a macro lens, but beside that the things I found most helpful are:
(1) a decent tripod (you can get one for less than $50);
(2) a plain colored background - a piece of dark blue or black card stock or a piece of plain colored cloth (you can even use a variety of colors from off white to black - I use dark green, dark blue, black and tan.
(3) a remote shutter release which with a tripod eliminates camera shake altogether.
(4) some supplemental lighting - you can use some clamp on utility lights with incandescent bulbs, but don't forget if you are using incandescent light to set the camera for incandescent light as well, otherwise your colors will come out wonky. I shoot near a bright window and use a couple of cheap reflectors with incandescent bulbs.
I always use a tripod indoors and a remote (I do with outdoor flower photography also) - this allows me
to take a number of different exposures at different aperture settings without worrying about camera shake or lighting. I generally shoot on aperture priority and then take a series of shots from an aperture of about 10 up to 30 focusing on the middle of the subject. Doing this will also help you to see the different depth of field at different aperture settings.
Only if the subject is quite deep and I want it focused all the way do I use focus stacking, but other than that I do almost no processing of my photos - some minor tweaking or a bit of cropping, but I don't even own Photoshop. I have only Elements 2 and Picasa.
The other thing I found necessary, is that when I've gotten everything lined up for a photo, I step back and think about it for a minute and then look again, not at the subject, but at the background, the arrangements of the flowers in relation to each other, etc., and if I'm not satisfied look for other angles from which to get a better picture.
A few comments on the pictures posted:
(1) - generally good but perhaps a slightly better angle on the flowers and this might be one I'd tweak to brighten just a little bit.
(2) - again, quite good (good angle and very good background), but I'd probably include either the whole flower or get a little closer and shoot just the center of the flower. I'd also try to eliminate the bright spot in the background at the bottom of the flower - it's a bit distracting. A plain background or a different angle or camera position would take care of that.
(3) - nice angle and good focus (you might need focus stacking to get the whole flower in focus from this angle), background a bit busy and the green leaf on the right a bit distracting.
(4) - quite good, but could use slightly sharper focus and the very dark to very light background is a bit much.
(5) - could use a better angle or perhaps a portrait instead of landscape format (turn the camera 90 degrees to the right) and the pipe in the background needs to go.
(6) - The best of the lot in my opinion except perhaps for the first. I'd probably shoot this in portrait format, but the plain background is quite good and sets off the flowers.
Hope you don't think I'm too critical, but I've been taking pictures for thirty years and had to learn a lot of this myself by trial and error.
Ron

[Swamper]

Hey Ron, that was really great help and a lot of much appreciated information.
I wasn't even looking at the background. Obviously a lot of novice mistakes. I've never really thought things out enough, just snapped away. I did begin a class in photography this past Sat at the college campus nearby and I'm sure that in the next few weeks I will improve quite a bit.
The instructor did mention a lot of the things you mentioned. Like taking time to think things through as well as standard accessories we should have. I did get a remote control for my camera and I think I'm gonna try to make the reflectors myself since I was told you can make them better then the ones for sale,at least the affordable ones.
The tripod, I had a cheap one that broke on a trip to the everglades. I'm seeing them for 100 to 150. I would like one for around 50 that's reliable.
Thanks for the help and you were definitely not too critical at all, it's what I'm looking for.
P.S. I was shooting in A priority but he wants us all to go Manual from now on so, I've been doing that since. It's been challenging but a ton of fun.

[ronaldhanko]

Hey Swamper,
Manual's even better than A priority. My point was that you take a lot of shots at different settings and you'll soon get the hang of it. I use a very light Manfrotto/Bogen (785SHB) for backpacking since it only weighs about 12 oz., folds down to about 13 inches, has a ball head and allows me to get within about 3-4 inches of the ground (approx. $50 online) and for my other indoor work I use a Manfrotto 718B (about $75 online). You can also get older heavier tripods very cheaply on Ebay (I've seen them in the $15-25 range).

[Swamper]

Found the 785B, it looks pretty good, just what I would need for all around purpose. Now to see if I can find it for around 50 bucks....Is this similar to the 785SHB?

[Connie Star]

I use a tripod for photographing anything I can get to be still, like flowers. For my husband I take pictures of tiny, tiny invertebretes, some a quarter of an inch, that move around. I use flash for that, with a small aperture, manuallly set, and it eliminates motion blur.
But for flowers, the tripod is great. I have one $200 one that is really heavy so I rarely travel with it. The version that was light weight was several hundred dollars, way out of my price range. I have some cheaper ones I've collected over the years that are so so. Again, if everything is still, they work fine. I also have a tripod I got at the take it or leave it section at the dump (free). Even heavier.
But, I agree. A tripod of any sort makes life easier.

[ronaldhanko]

Swamper,
The 785B is a bit larger and heavier version of the 785SHB. It weighs just over 2 pounds and is about a foot taller, probably just what you want. There are a couple on Ebay (search for manfrotto 785b), one that is closing in less than a day, the highest bid less than $20 and another closing in a couple days with no bids, listed at $1.