Posting Date: Saturday, May 11, 2013
Online Background Information:
Additional Tips and Suggestions:
Instructions:
Prepare one to three of your own photographic images of flowers. You may take new photos or use ones in your archives, although it would be preferable to take at least one new image for this particular challenge. Please include any information or tips that may be of assistance to other participants (e.g., how you took the images, post-processing details, camera settings, what you learned).
Additional Tips and Suggestions:
If you attempt a close-up or macro shot, be careful with your depth of field. This is a good time to try to get your camera off of the “automatic” mode and make adjustments to your f-stop for optimum depth of field. Be aware of how your camera is focusing, and ensure that it is focusing on the flowers or petals that you want sharp. Manual focus works better than automatic focus for close-ups. (Get out that camera manual if you need to do learn how to accomplish these tasks!)
A tripod is always helpful for close-up shots, but switch off any automatic vibration reduction feature on your camera or lens when using a tripod. Watch out for and avoid blown-out highlights that can occur on bright, sunny days. Soft light can be found on overcast days or you can use a diffuser. Pay attention to details and competing elements in the background. Schedule your photo shoot on a day when the winds are calm or else block the wind so the flowers don’t move.
Consider staging your flower shoot. The flowers can be in displayed a vase, draped on a table surface, held in a hand, etc. Break out of your typical shooting style and try a different perspective. Edit the images to provide a nice saturation of colors. Consider the application of editing enhancements such as a glow filter, an orton effect, or vignette.
A tripod is always helpful for close-up shots, but switch off any automatic vibration reduction feature on your camera or lens when using a tripod. Watch out for and avoid blown-out highlights that can occur on bright, sunny days. Soft light can be found on overcast days or you can use a diffuser. Pay attention to details and competing elements in the background. Schedule your photo shoot on a day when the winds are calm or else block the wind so the flowers don’t move.
Consider staging your flower shoot. The flowers can be in displayed a vase, draped on a table surface, held in a hand, etc. Break out of your typical shooting style and try a different perspective. Edit the images to provide a nice saturation of colors. Consider the application of editing enhancements such as a glow filter, an orton effect, or vignette.
Instructions:
Prepare one to three of your own photographic images of flowers. You may take new photos or use ones in your archives, although it would be preferable to take at least one new image for this particular challenge. Please include any information or tips that may be of assistance to other participants (e.g., how you took the images, post-processing details, camera settings, what you learned).
The linkup tool will be available the day before the challenge date (May 10) and a couple days thereafter.
