Lily # 4

critiques welcome

Joanie, this looks to me like the start of using back lighting. Really hope you give it a fair go. It's all trial and error. A great start is using late afternoon sun and just shoot until you run out of light. You do this just a handful of times and you will very quickly learn what possibilities there are and how they effect the results. Another trick i use here is we have a big old tree that grows right up against our veranda. We face to the west so that means the sun comes through that tree, if you look really closely you will notice that all the little pools of light are of different strengths. If you just move around the different rays of light coming through the tree, you will see they are all just a wee bit different, caused by the foliage acting as a filter. Just put your flower in as many of those pools of light as you like until you find the "magic light".

 

Figuring out how to use light just opens so many more doors for you. Another important factor in working with flowers would be the ability to pick your flower. I have been working with flowers now for around 10 years, actually about 8 as the first two years i religiously never even thought of removing a flower. Used to get bad back and aches and pains, from laying in the most awkward of positions tying for just the right shot. Than one day it was like the lord spoke to me. He suggested i pick my flowers and move them to where it was most advantageous for me to work with them. The effect on my flowers was so profound it almost turned me to religion!

 

Joanie, if you have any questions about back lighting feel free to ask. I just am so sure this will really please you, and open up more of those old doors to different possibilities.

 

Stay well...........roger

this was taken with a light when I took the others , I haven't experimented with the sun yet , that's when it shines here in Pittsburgh . We don't get that many days of sun . But I will take you advice . My neighbors think I'm nuts as I'm lying in my driveway or hanging off of my porch upside down . The kids ask questions and the adults give me weird looks . Oh to be a kid again . Thanks for the advice .

Wonderful control of focus, and of a very subtle color palette.

Mark's comment nearly says it all. I'd add that the composition is also well worked out - I like how the stygma is "shadowed" by the bright area in the background.

Besides, @Roger: you have some very good suggestions - I like working with flowers and have made similar experiences that playing with light pays off.

@Joanie: rest assured, you're not the only one getting weird looks from neighbours ;-)

cheers, Wolfgang

Beautiful

Lovely work!! One could think about the use of lensbabies here, but It all seems the soft/blur was created with PS only ?....Congrats!!

thanks everyone for your comments , always appreciated . I used a 50mm macro with an extension tube . The only PS work was a bit of contrast and some sharpening .

Almost abstract art. Love the colors, shapes and forms in the image.