Assignment 13- Flowers

[Doc]

Assignment 13- Flowers

It’s spring!  Flowers are blooming!  So that’s what this assignment is about- getting The Perfect Flower shot.  

As usual, check one of the earlier assignments for the assignment Rules.

By now you should’ve done the other assignments, looked over the tutorials, so we’re expecting great things from you!  
(Easy for me to say, huh?)

The usual way most of us take flower pictures is to grab the camera, find a pretty flower, bend or kneel down to get close enough, put it on “macro”, let the camera auto-focus on it, pop it and hope for the best.  (I do that a lot myself, so don’t feel bad.)  But for this assignment, grab-shots won’t cut it- we’re looking for a really good one that fits specific requirements... and you may have to work to get it.

THE ASSIGNMENT
Your assignment is to show us A Perfect Flower Shot.  To get a K for this one:
* It should be exposed and processed properly.  (Yes, that includes cropping for the best composition).
* None of the flower should be cut off (we want the whole flower- no chopped off pedals).
* The whole flower should be in focus- not only the center and all the pedals, but the depth also (front to back).
* The background (and foreground if any) should be out of focus.
* If there’s several flowers in one picture, only 1 (complete flower) should be in focus.  The others need to be somewhat out of focus.

Here’s an example of what we’re looking for (yes, it’s a handy fake rose).



To do this one, you’re going to need to watch your DOF (Depth Of Field, or “area of sharpness”).  I can tell you that you may need to take several pictures in a row at different apertures or distances in order to get it right.  As for what settings to use, I wish I could help you.  But there can be quite a range of flower sizes, inside vs. outside lighting, etc., so the aperture and focal length can be quite different between scenes.  Not to mention how your camera does it’s macro settings compared to another camera can vary quite a bit.  Sorry, no magic formula or bullet.  You’ll just have to experiment to get the desired end result.  But you’ll learn a lot about your camera in the process!

I can answer a few questions before you ask them:

My colors are off- why?
You didn’t set the white balance to your camera for the scene (though Auto works pretty good) and/or you didn’t correct the white balance in post.

There’s some parts blown out (blinding pure white)!
You need to lower your exposure by about ½ to maybe one 1 stop.  Use your camera’s EV function.  You might also check the histogram (if your camera has that function) either before or after you take the shot.

All the flower isn’t sharp!
Back up some and/or use a smaller aperture to get a deeper DOF.

Too much is in focus- I only want one flower.  Help!
You either need to get closer and/or use a more open aperture to get a shallower DOF.

I have a shot I took a while back. Can I use that one?
NO.  You need to take a new shot just for this assignment.  That's part of The Rules.  Besides, if you did it once, you can do it again with no problem, right?

Good Luck!

Further reading:
http://www.plantea.com/photoflowers.htm
http://www.ephotozine.com/article/All-in-bloom--a-field-guide-to-flower-photography-4673
http://photography.about.com/od/takingpictures/ss/flowerlesson.htm

[notsotechie]

hey Doc I think I did OK   :
Window light shade muted and a reflector on the left side is this allowed??

Cheers

[nusaja]

I have faith

[Doc]

Nosotechie: here's your k.  Nice!  Real flowers look so much better than fake ones!  Good job.

nusaja: This is really close and you did a pretty good job on it, but those back 4-5 pedals are out of focus.  Bet if you backed up just a tiny bit more you'd have it!

[nusaja]

well well LOL this one then

[Dodie]

Hope this is what you want, I tried, didn't know how to get the background to blur with my P&S so I pp it

[Doc]

nusaja: nice shot, but for the assignment we're looking for one flower in focus, not several.  Try taking a picture of just one flower (two at the most but just one all in focus, the other out).

Dodie: your P&S poses special problems, but not insurmountable.  This picture has the greenish center of the flower blurred (should be sharp), and the pistol is blown out due to the mostly very dark flower and the white center.  What I would do is get you a more neutral, even-colored flower, bring it indoors, use the macro mode on it with the camera on a tripod and the background several feet away so it will blur out.  I don't think you can do it outside in a natural setting unless you can get the POV where that background is several feet away.  Just taking a picture pointing down in a flower bed like that- I don't think that will work for this assignment.

I know, guys.  The assignment sounds simple, huh?  But it's not quite as simple as is sounds.  As I said, "... you may have to work to get it".

[Dodie]

Ok will work some more on it, I have a tulip about to open will try it on that

[nusaja]

ok ok LOL

it came out pretty dull looking since its early morning and am not using flash
dont know wich one is the best , leaving that for you to tell me

#1



#2

[Doc]

Ah, can't you tell just by looking?  That first one is much better.  More color, not as flat, even looks a tad sharper. 

I'm gonna give you your K for this one cause you did do all the things required for the assignment: all the flower, all in focus, background out, etc.  Nice backlighting and the flower itself looks great!  Good job.

However, I got to mention that background.  While the flower looks good, those overblown spots in the background really kinda pop out at you.  Moving to the left would've gotten rid of them.  Overall you did really good, but don't let a background detract from your subject.

[KateUK]

This isn't up to standard I know, the rain and wind has been torrential here today, I nipped out between showers to get this but the wind proved too problematic for my amateur capabilities!!

I can see it is out of focus at the front but liked it any how, will try again tomorrow and re-submit~:)

plus..being a daisy, it is obviously small to begin with, do you think I should go for something a bit bigger until I am better at focusing?

[Dodie]

2nd attempt

[Doc]

Kate: You're right, nice try, but the front pedals are out of focus.  Looks like it focused on the back edge instead of the front.  Can't wait to see the reshoot.

Dodie:  WOW.  This one is much better than your other one!  (Pats Dodie on the back).  Good Job!  This is a really good shot as is, but it's so close to being a Great shot.  What I'd like to see you do is work on the PP a bit.  The first thing you need to do is extend the top of the canvas about 50 pixels or so, then clone the background in.  Now that you got enough room at the top, you can straighten it- the bottle's tilted.  Next crop just a little off the bottom and right side- the flower's too centered vertically.  Then using either shadow/highlights or levels, lighten the darks just a bit so there's a bit more detail in the center of the flower.  That should do it.  Got any questions, just ask. 

I'll make you a deal, I'll give you a k for doing the assignment so well, but I'll give you another one if you get the PP of it done.

[Dodie]

  Thank you Doc, took me about 15 shots to get one I liked lol. I will do the pp and post.

[Dodie]

ummm Doc how to I add pixels? Can find it under the help

Never mind lol found it

[Lucilly]

Ok, Here we go.  I have done very few close up.  So this is a good assignment for me.

Here is what I found in the yard.  The only thing that has come up so far this spring.
#1





Bought myself some flowers, yes just for the assignment. I wished I would have picked up
something a bit more colorful !!!!

#2


#3



So Doc, If I did good on all 3 of them, does that mean I get 3 karmas.....
I think I know the answer 

[Dodie]

I aim to please the master  did I?

[Doc]

Lucilly:  Good an excuse as any to buy flowers, right?  Sorry, only one K, but you knew that.  The K is for the last one.  That one is great.  The first one is very nice, but it looks a bit oversharpened and there a 3-4 pedals in the top/back that aren't in focus.  The second one is also very nice, but the back isn't quite as in focus as the front and it could use some sharpening.  That's nitpicking- both of those are really nice and you should be proud.  Good job on all of these!

Dodie: Man oh man, you're almost there!  Darn that looks good.  Only one small detail left- that bottle is still crooked.  Straighten it and you got it!

[Dodie]

ok going back to straighten it some more

[Dodie]

Well they say the 3rd time is charm! So I hope you like what I did!  Do you think it's good enough for table top close up or still needs more work?

[nusaja]

Thanks for the K ..

[Doc]

4th times the charm.  Rotate it 2.5 degrees to the right.

[Dodie]

Yes master I hear and obey lol. this is the other shot I liked but something about it bothers me.

[Dodie]

Rotated 2.5 to the right  I like it I like it! Dang Doc you make me look good at photography!

[Lucilly]

Man, you made my day.  I got a K.  Don't take me much to get excited. Here is a K for you

[Doc]

There's your K Dodie! You finally got it straight.  I won't even quibble about the lost of canvas at the top.  (I didn't like the other one either.  Crop it at the neck of the bottle and some off the right)

"Dang Doc you make me look good at photography!"
Naw, the picture was there all the time, just needed some TLC to bring it out.

[Dodie]

Thank you Doc for the K, and your magic knowledge on how to make this picture just right! A k back at you for your help. 

[Celestya]

Well you were right, this did take alot of work to get the whole thing in focus. 

Not really happy with it tho    Dont like the BG and the light wasnt good, will retry it tomorrow in a different light and BG

[Doc]

I agree, a different colored background will help a lot, but it looks good!  Have a K!

[Celestya]

Thanks Doc :-)

[cicak]

First time posting a photo on these assignments. Hope you'll like it!

[Geoaskier]

Am I too late to play?    I need help with my flowers.   You all have  so many beautiful shots.

[cicak]

Am I too late to play?    I need help with my flowers.   You all have  so many beautiful shots.

I don't think you're too late to play, it just started about 5 days ago. Just post your photos up anyway. =D

[Doc]

cicak: nice shot!  Good control of DOF.  I'd probably lighten it up some and take some off the top and bottom, but it's a goodie as it is.  K for you!

[Dodie]

Well Doc I wanted to give this another try and do it all on my own. What do you think?

Shot one the original, shot with my P&S don't have a tri pod so I put camera on a plastic cube I had



Second shot: PP: straightened, Levels 23 1.05 211 and cropped