Orchid Project Excercise

[jcdeboever]

Did one of the projects in Hedgecoe's books. Shot indoor using my Nikon Coolpix P7100. I am rather happy with the way they turned out for not having any lighting equipment but the shadows bugged me a little. Very little editing in Gimp. The goal was to get accurate color, sharpness, and creative composition using my SB600 flash. C & C welcome.

#1: Tripod, close up scene mode, f/5.6, 1/30s, ISO 200

#2: Tripod, close up scene mode, f/5.6, 1/30s, ISO 200

 

[dannylightning]

i dont care for number one as much just because its really close up to where you can only see a small part of the subject.

i think number 2 turned out great, i love stuff with a black background, the subjects are exposed well, the color looks very nice, the image is sharp.

 

[JoeW]

Love orchids. Very good pictures for a point-and-shoot.

Here's my advice:
1. This Phalenopsis isn't a great one to shoot. It's got brown spotting on the flowers of the upper blossom that detracts from the picture.
2. Lighting is critical for this kind of work. A softer light (or bouncing a couple of lights or using reflectors) to help remove shadows and soften the light. Try putting up some thin white cloth to serve as a scrim between the light source and the orchid.
3. I personally find that playing with DoF can produce some really lovely orchid shots. Here's an example of what I mean...another Phalenopsis but this one shot with a narrow DoF and a lighter background.

 

[jcdeboever]

Thanks. I was isolating the middle part in the upper thirds. He said to try and dissect a part to make it interesting.

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[jcdeboever]

Love orchids. Very good pictures for a point-and-shoot.

Here's my advice:
1. This Phalenopsis isn't a great one to shoot. It's spotting on the flowers of the upper blossom.
2. Lighting is critical for this kind of work. A softer light (or bouncing a couple of lights or using reflectors) to help remove shadows and soften the light.
3. I personally find that playing with DoF can produce some really lovely orchid shots. Here's an example of what I mean...another Phalenopsis but this one shot with a narrow DoF and a lighter background.

View attachment 112687

Very nice. Thank you for the comments. I had no idea of the type, they had other ones at Kroger's and will look for that.

I have zero lighting except for flash. On my list. I love yours, something to strive for.

Maybe some triggers, Insulation board, and dig out some older flash's...

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[Derrel]

I agree with Danny's comments: Shot #1 has black empty space that's very large in area, and that blackness doesn't serve to advance the overall photo much. Shot #2 though, as Danny mentioned, has a nice composition, balanced, the black background is allocated wonderfully, and the blossoms make basically a pleasing figure-eight type look.

And as JoeW mentioned, the brown spots are a distraction; I opened the image in Lightroom, and my FIRST though was, "Man, I need to clone out those sensor dust spots!" I took the liberty of opening the image in Lightroom and spotting out the small blemishes, and I think you can see, that strengthens the shot quite a bit by bringing it more close to perfect. The idea of these types of close-ups is to idealize the flower, and it's often impossible to have absolutely peak, perfect blooms when you just randomly decide to shoot a flower and you only have "one" to choose from.

Overall, a pretty good exercise result! If the camera goes any lower in ISO setting, I might have used that lower value for a, hopefully, little tiny bit more crisp image makeup. Whaddaya' think with the spots cloned out?

DSCN0632_spots cloned out.jpg

 

[jcdeboever]

Awesome. They are spots on the flowers not in my camera. Thanks Derrel. Working in more tomorrow with the DSLR.

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[JoeW]

Love orchids. Very good pictures for a point-and-shoot.

Here's my advice:
1. This Phalenopsis isn't a great one to shoot. It's spotting on the flowers of the upper blossom.
2. Lighting is critical for this kind of work. A softer light (or bouncing a couple of lights or using reflectors) to help remove shadows and soften the light.
3. I personally find that playing with DoF can produce some really lovely orchid shots. Here's an example of what I mean...another Phalenopsis but this one shot with a narrow DoF and a lighter background.

View attachment 112687

Very nice. Thank you for the comments. I had no idea of the type, they had other ones at Kroger's and will look for that.

I have zero lighting except for flash. On my list. I love yours, something to strive for.

Maybe some triggers, Insulation board, and dig out some older flash's...

Sent from my XT1254 using Tapatalk

First, I grow orchids. A Phalenopsis (moth orchid) is what you'll usually see in stores...very hardy and among the easiest to grow...big leaves, lots of roots coming out of the plant and in to the air. Biggest issue: over-watering. Do NOT keep it moist and especially not in standing water. Ideally, just put it in the sink and run water in it for 1 minute. And then forget about it and don't water it for at least another 4-5 days (or a week in winter). I've attached a high key shot of a Brassia (spider orchid) which you'll sometimes see at Trader Joe's. Brassia orchids are very cool to shoot, will do well outdoors in summer if you live anyplace south of Pennsylvania.

Second, as for the lighting...white balance matters a lot for shooting orchids well. So if you don't know how to adjust it effectively, then try to use indirect sunlight. For your speed light, don't hit your orchid directly with it. Bounce it off of a white wall...and then have a piece of foam core on the other side of the orchid to serve as a reflector. Do have the flash off-camera so the light is coming straight-on from the POV of you/the camera. I don't think you need any triggers. Here's another option. Find some good soft light (early in the morning or on an overcast day), put that camera on a tripod so it's stable. And then do a long exposure. The tripod will insure stability. Then you won't even need to use a speed light (though you'll still want to use some white cardboard or foam core as reflectors to soften some shadows).

Third, if you want to get some variety (of your photos and also challenge yourself as a shooter) than go to a plant and garden store. Home Depot isn't ideal b/c of the setting. But I often go to a Merrifield Garden Center and shoot their orchids (and other flowers).

Let me say one last thing: kudos to you for showing your work and inviting C&C. It's so easy when you're starting out or you're in a new genre or you're using a point-and-shoot to be insecure about one's work and not being willing to share it. As a result, the shooter misses out on value insight and the learning process takes longer. It isn't easy to expose yourself to C&C so good on your part. Keep it up!

 

[JoeW]

Also, I get Danny's point about the first photo but I don't think the issue is b/c it's a close-up....macro photography of orchids can be fascinating (see the example of a Paphilopedium or Lady Slipper below). But as Derrel pointed out you have this chunk of black/negative space that is distracting (while it works in the 2nd photo).

 

[jcdeboever]

Wow, great instruction and photo's Joe, Thanks! Exactly what I was looking for. I looked up white balance in my manual and apparently you can adjust it for different lighting. I had it on auto and never realized you could set for different lighting. I have read a few posts on here but they were talking about gray cards and I assumed it was for more advanced camera's.

Your knowledge on orchids is helpful. I think they are wonderful and I won't over water it. Keeping the cat from eating it is the challenge.

I carry my P7100 P&S pretty much everywhere but I was impressed at the macro on this little gem. I do have a D3300 and use it a little more. Going to try some stuff today but I am limited so I have to improvise.

I am struggling with the tripod but slowly figuring it out. I understand light from painting in my studio in Detroit (I miss it) as it had three walls of industrial windows and skylight as well. I can visualize what I am lacking for sure and it makes it very challenging / frustrating. Bouncing the light is a different thought process however, trial and error I suppose. I bounced light for over an hour last night (killed 4 fresh batteries) to gain a better understanding and improve aiming. I took out some blank canvas and some watercolor sheets and they work well enough. I also have a sheet of silver insulation board but I don't care for it so much, too hot maybe or WB settings fighting it? I am such a noob but having a great time learning.

 

[jcdeboever]

Well I played around some more... I think I am on the right track. I went to my D3300 with a 35mm 1.8G. My goal was to shoot in manual mode, pick up a little DOF, and bounce the flash better, and adjust WB manually. I am sticking with the black background for now to keep on track and not get confused. Can't do anything in front of windows today as the wife and her friends are over, so I am relegated to the man cave.

#3: D3300 / 35mm 1.8G, f/2.8, 100 ISO, 1/13, manual mode, manual WB. These look so close, if not spot on to original color and I assume that is where the WB improvement comes in?

#4: D3300 / 35mm 1.8G, f/2.8, 100 ISO, 1/13, manual mode, manual WB. I picked up the shadows a little to get an idea what effect it has on DOF.

 

[JoeW]

Beautiful! I love the quality of the light...not as hard, softer--it flatters the orchids. Also, I love what you've done with the DoF. I like the 1st one the best. The 2nd one--too much of the frame is filled with the background bloom (which is bokeh) and thus distracting--I'd crop it tighter.

Last of all, auto for WB is not a bad option for many photographers at times. But for shooting sunsets, fall foliage and orchids, it's a terrible setting. I know one photographer who says that the "A" (for "auto") actually means "awful." What it effectively does is eliminate extremes in colors. So if you're shooting something with wild colors (like an orchid, a mind-blowing sunset, or foliage in Maine in fall) it will assume the colors are off and mute them--bring them more to the center.

 

[jcdeboever]

Beautiful! I love the quality of the light...not as hard, softer--it flatters the orchids. Also, I love what you've done with the DoF. I like the 1st one the best. The 2nd one--too much of the frame is filled with the background bloom (which is bokeh) and thus distracting--I'd crop it tighter.

Last of all, auto for WB is not a bad option for many photographers at times. But for shooting sunsets, fall foliage and orchids, it's a terrible setting. I know one photographer who says that the "A" (for "auto") actually means "awful." What it effectively does is eliminate extremes in colors. So if you're shooting something with wild colors (like an orchid, a mind-blowing sunset, or foliage in Maine in fall) it will assume the colors are off and mute them--bring them more to the center.

Thanks Joe! That is very encouraging. I see what you mean on the crop. Quick crop in phone. I can clone the bokeh part out later... Better?

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[JoeW]

Beautiful! I love the quality of the light...not as hard, softer--it flatters the orchids. Also, I love what you've done with the DoF. I like the 1st one the best. The 2nd one--too much of the frame is filled with the background bloom (which is bokeh) and thus distracting--I'd crop it tighter.

Last of all, auto for WB is not a bad option for many photographers at times. But for shooting sunsets, fall foliage and orchids, it's a terrible setting. I know one photographer who says that the "A" (for "auto") actually means "awful." What it effectively does is eliminate extremes in colors. So if you're shooting something with wild colors (like an orchid, a mind-blowing sunset, or foliage in Maine in fall) it will assume the colors are off and mute them--bring them more to the center.

Thanks Joe! That is very encouraging. I see what you mean on the crop. Quick crop in phone. I can clone the bokeh part out later... Better?

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Nicely done. That is a lovely shot.

 

[Derrel]

OMG--the quality of the lighting you arrived at in post # 11 is just outstanding! Bravo!!!

And the cropped version of the second image--excellent work!

Wow...this is a monumental advance over yesterday's lighting. Just an astounding difference!