Florida Wildflower w/PP

[SarasotaTim]

Made a version with muted colors and a bit of glow...I'm thinking now it needs a bit more saturation, I was going for the nice, soft desaturated look of some portrait photos I see by the more experienced folks on here


FlowerDesat by Sarasota Tim, on Flickr

 

[mishele]

Nice try!! I think the background is a little distracting and taking away from the pretty flower. Maybe try a smaller DoF (smaller f-stop) and focus on the the middle close side of the flower. It will help give a softer look to the petals on the far side.

This might help....
How to Photograph Flowers - Photography Tips on Depth of Field, Taking Macros, Including Bugs & More!

 

[SarasotaTim]

Thanks for the advice! I was using the smallest f-stop possible (f5.6 on a canon 18-55 lens, zoomed to 55mm), but the background wasn't that far away from the subject, I know that has an impact as well....but yes I wish I could have gotten a more shallow DOF!

Thanks for the link too, checking it out now!

Actually, this gives me a chance to ask..........it seems like that lens should be able to give me smaller f-stops than 5.6.....if I don't zoom in and use the lens at 18mm, I can get 3.2 I think...but no lower. I'm shooting in Manual mode....if I adjust other things (ISO, shutter speed), will that allow me to open the aperture further, or is 5.6 on a 55mm zoom as low as I can get? I feel like I'm doing something wrong in this department, as I'm still experimenting lol

 

[mishele]

Your welcome.......if you want more links let me know....lol
I'm a flower link whore......:hug::

 

[SarasotaTim]

LOL sweet!

Your welcome.......if you want more links let me know....lol
I'm a flower link whore......:hug::

 

[SarasotaTim]

Nevermind, did some research and answered my own question about the stock Canon lens that comes with the Rebel XS:

"If you are using the kit lens 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6, it's f/3.5 max at 18mm, and f/5.6 max at 55mm"

So I'm assuming then, contrary to what I've heard, you'll get a more shallow DOF by NOT zooming in to the maximum focal length of the lens?

 

[Frequency]

I liked it from some other point of view

Regards

 

[480sparky45 45]

What's happening? Pix disappearing!

 

[Breaux]

The DOF depends on aperture, focal length and focus distance. At a given focal length and distance, larger aperture gives less DOF. As to whether 3.5 at 18mm gives less DOF than 5.6 at 55mm at close focus, you could do some quick test shots and find out. (I'd like to know the answer myself.)