Looking for tips

[ifi]

Hi, I am to take some indoor Flowers Arrangements photographs. Looking for tips on exposure, lighting, and recommendation on lens.

I am thinking of using my Sigma 50mm 1.4 and Speedlight with built-in diffuser.

Thanks

 

[KmH]

Hi, I am to take some indoor Flowers Arrangements photographs. Looking for tips on exposure, lighting, and recommendation on lens.

I am thinking of using my Sigma 50mm 1.4 and Speedlight with built-in diffuser.

Thanks

That's not a lot of information.

Use spot metering to set the exposure, using the speedlight on the camera will make the lighting quite flat and there will be hard shadows. The diffuser will just scatter light all over making it harder to control and eating light power.

Knowing the camera and speedlight model you will be iusing would help to make other lighting recommendations, since getting the speedlight off the camera would be very useful.

For example many Nikon cameras and speedlights have a built-in, off camera speedlight triggering system called CLS.

 

[ifi]

That's not a lot of information.

Use spot metering to set the exposure, using the speedlight on the camera will make the lighting quite flat and there will be hard shadows. The diffuser will just scatter light all over making it harder to control and eating light power.

Knowing the camera and speedlight model you will be iusing would help to make other lighting recommendations, since getting the speedlight off the camera would be very useful.

For example many Nikon cameras and speedlights have a built-in, off camera speedlight triggering system called CLS.

Thank you for the response.

I will be using a Canon 7d and Canon 580EX II. 7d has a built-in system to trigger off-camera speedlight. I have a second speedlight that can be used as well if required.

I am open to rent/purchase anything that might help.

PS: I am not getting paid for this

 

[ifi]

Seems like no one wants to share their techniques

 

[markomni]

Have you considered using natural daylight? you don't need much with a longer exposure and tripod worse case scenario. Color correct it and you're all set.

If you're looking to use the flash, I would bounce it off a nearby wall to soften it up. It likely won't look good aimed straight at the flowers, IMO. I have used that flash and it's effective when used correctly.

Just experiment.

 

[ifi]

Have you considered using natural daylight? you don't need much with a longer exposure and tripod worse case scenario. Color correct it and you're all set.

If you're looking to use the flash, I would bounce it off a nearby wall to soften it up. It likely won't look good aimed straight at the flowers, IMO. I have used that flash and it's effective when used correctly.

Just experiment.

Thank you for the response. You are right, all the tools including flash are effective when used right

It's an indoor shoot, the reason I am planning to use 50mm 1.4 is so that I can easily use ambient light. I have no choice but to experiment. I might take some shots using wide angle as well.

 

[ifi]

Nice but very basic tutorial

How to Take Beautiful Pictures of Flowers and Floral Arrangements - watch free tutorial at LearnMyShot.com

 

[kkamin]

You should link to some images you like and we can all figure out the lighting used. : )

 

[ifi]

You should link to some images you like and we can all figure out the lighting used. : )

Seems like a good idea. I hope it is okay to link other's images.

http://www.uniqueoccassionz.com/images/wedding_show_fu7s.jpg
http://www.etownfloristonline.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/HW0_49111.jpg
http://secretgardenflowershop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wedding-bouquets.png
http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/images/best-wedding-flowers04.jpg
http://www.rs2guru.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/white-bridal-bouquets.gif
http://ph.88dbmedia2.jobsdb.com/DB88UploadFiles/2008/02/14/7A0B450D-0717-4922-9D39-A149737A6EEC.jpg

 

[kkamin]

I don't think you are allowed to embed the images in your posting unless you have permission from the copyright holder. You should just pick a few you really like and just copy and paste the links in your message.

But I think most of the images you have selected are snap shots of flowers and not really very refined images (there are a few exceptions). The video link you posted is far more interesting than any of the reference images imo.

 

[ifi]

Yeah, you are right, this is all I could find on-line that was not too much staged.

 

[gsgary]

You should link to some images you like and we can all figure out the lighting used. : )

Seems like a good idea. I hope it is okay to link other's images.

http://www.uniqueoccassionz.com/images/wedding_show_fu7s.jpg
http://www.etownfloristonline.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/HW0_49111.jpg
http://secretgardenflowershop.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/wedding-bouquets.png
http://www.wedding-flowers-and-reception-ideas.com/images/best-wedding-flowers04.jpg
http://www.rs2guru.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/white-bridal-bouquets.gif
http://ph.88dbmedia2.jobsdb.com/DB88UploadFiles/2008/02/14/7A0B450D-0717-4922-9D39-A149737A6EEC.jpg

They are all crap so you should have no problem getting the same or better results

 

[ifi]

They are all crap so you should have no problem getting the same or better results

Thanks for the response

I agree, some of them are.

What would be some better/non-crap images to follow?

 

[kkamin]

google flower photography like this

Lighting is obviously a foundational and critical aspect of flower photography and any photography. If you don't have the book already I would recommend [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Light-Science-Introduction-Photographic-Lighting/dp/0240808193/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277311471&sr=8-1"]Light, Science and Magic[/ame]. Imo and many others, this is the bible of lighting principals. Once you understand how light really works and reacts, you can do whatever you want with it.

That being said, when I googled 'flower photography', what struck me as of utmost importance is the treatment of the flowers. Flowers come in all shapes, sizes and colors. One type of framing, depth of field, angle, exposure, and background on one type of flower might look great, but on another might look like total a$$. I know this is true on everything, but it really stands out as an issue with flowers for me. They are strange shaped objects and differ dramatically in their formal qualities. For instance, with really intricate busy looking flowers, you might want a very shallow depth of field and to focus on only one flower in the bunch--if you were to focus on the entire bouquet it would be too busy and distracting looking. Something like a lily, I might try to really try to exploit its streamline bottom bulb shape by lighting is as dimensionally as possible. Flowers with a sun burst like shape and rounded petals, I might play up the uniform and almost graphic shape by shooting it straight on. Flowers are beautiful objects, but I think they need careful work in how to best exploit their unique qualities.

Good luck!

 

[ifi]

google flower photography like this

Lighting is obviously a foundational and critical aspect of flower photography and any photography. If you don't have the book already I would recommend Light, Science and Magic. Imo and many others, this is the bible of lighting principals. Once you understand how light really works and reacts, you can do whatever you want with it.

That being said, when I googled 'flower photography', what struck me as of utmost importance is the treatment of the flowers. Flowers come in all shapes, sizes and colors. One type of framing, depth of field, angle, exposure, and background on one type of flower might look great, but on another might look like total a$$. I know this is true on everything, but it really stands out as an issue with flowers for me. They are strange shaped objects and differ dramatically in their formal qualities. For instance, with really intricate busy looking flowers, you might want a very shallow depth of field and to focus on only one flower in the bunch--if you were to focus on the entire bouquet it would be too busy and distracting looking. Something like a lily, I might try to really try to exploit its streamline bottom bulb shape by lighting is as dimensionally as possible. Flowers with a sun burst like shape and rounded petals, I might play up the uniform and almost graphic shape by shooting it straight on. Flowers are beautiful objects, but I think they need careful work in how to best exploit their unique qualities.

Good luck!

I searched/googled "floral arrangements" and "floral arrangements for wedding" to find the above images.

Thanks for the tips :thumbsup: