Iris

[CMunzel]

[Clicker]

I ‘m not normally a fan of flat black background for flowers as often the lighting just doesn’t work especially if it’s been manipulated but you’ve got this just  right in my opinion Cheryl .. The cobalt  blue looks brilliant  with splash of yellow and the subtlety of light on the stem ... really very nice work in my opinion ....

[CMunzel]

Thank you very much, Polly. To be honest, I posted it just to get your feedback as I love your way with flowers. 
 I wanted to achieve this look, set it up & took only this one photo. Usually I spend hours fiddling with backdrops, camera angles, reflectors, camera settings etc. trying to get the photos I want with cut flowers. The flowers can be half dead and I’m still not happy.
Tomorrow - just because it was too easy - I’ll try some other approaches: softer with textures.
If I get anything worth sharing, I’ll post them. 

[Clicker]

It's always good  to experiment Cher.... and at the end of the day as long as the end result is what you are wanting , that's the most important thing. The reason I'm not a fan of black backgrounds to be honest is because it so rarely done really well ....  in my opinion that is .  So  I was impressed with your  Iris as I said ... I think it shows that you have  got your lighting set up really  nicely for this shot. 

  I am   no expert in anything to do with photography  but  I  know what I want an image to look  like and most of the fun I have  is the endless task of trying to achieve  something close to what is in my head when I take the photograph..Occasionally I feel I'm getting close  but it  isn't that often ....but  I 'll keep trying  and learning ....

I'm a huge fan of Kathleen Clemons Photography . I only found her  6 months ago  but I felt  she was the nearest I  have found to  the images in my  head  that  I have been trying to  produce ...    I may not get there but the journey is fun ......

[CMunzel]

Thanks for sharing your reflections, Polly. Its true it’s good to experiment as that’s where the creativity comes in. Like you, I am often striving to achieve the image in my mind as with the iris photo while, at other times, I’m experimenting without an image in my mind. 
I checked out Kathleen Clemons photography & can see why you are a fan. It’s lovely work but no better than yours (in my opinion). Some of her landscapes are also beautiful: several with a solitary tree in a soft landscape that I liked very much and one of a Clydesdale horse walking in the snow. 

[FUJI]

Here you go ladies.... this might be of great interest to you ?

 

 

 

[FUJI]

Forgive me ladies for intruding on your thread.... but, you pair have fired up my creative/inventive mode....after studying a slideshow of Kathleen’s work, and then watching part of the YouTube interview; I  took myself into the garden at 07:20 to shoot a flower series especially for you .

i had rightly thought that my super-cheap-easy to make Art/Macro set up might achieve similar results.....here then are my first efforts whilst still half asleep.

once I get a creative idea it is difficult to stop my mind working overtime to resolve issues.

My lens is simply one from a vintage slide projector, they are ten a penny on eBay.... I chose a particularly good make ... a  Leitz -Wetzlar ...Colorplan .... I have a Leica version of the same lens too.

I include a photo of my set up.... M 4/3 camera... M42 Adapter..... A plastic focus tube .. ( I use the Leica lens minus this) ... you can see that the slide projector lens is held in place with masking tape.... no expense spared..... cost ? Less than £50...... compare that  to a Lensbaby.

It is something that both of you, or anyone else can do.... all it takes is a little lateral thinking plus the basic...rock-back-and-forth focusing method.... no electronics, nothing sophisticated... 

Dark winter days are due for us here in the UK, so no excuse for a bit of photographic DIY.... 

 

Here then are my very first efforts.... with a little more thought to background and the filling of viewfinder with a pleasing image I could do a deal better.

FUJI

 

[Clicker]

 I actually posted a link to Kathleen Clemons’ work a while ago before mentioning her to Cheryl on here Fooj but  I’m pleased to see that you have watched  some of the videos too after reading this .   You are certainly not intruding  as far as I’m concerned Fooj ...  I am pleased to see anyone being inspired to  try out other ways of looking at things that we so often take for granted or look at in an orthodox way . You’re always such an enthusiastic member and willing to try out ways to get from A to  B  with the least expense using anything from Sticky backed plastic (  like in Blue Peter days ) to masking tape or even a hot glue gun  in one case ...   so thank you for  showing us  your floral display ... appreciate  your input and constant energy  for anything and everything !!

I meant to ask you Cheryl if you use Photoshop ... I’m sure I  must have asked you that before  as we discussed the use of textures.... I have now captured lots of blurred bokeh background  images that I can incorporate  in some cases in composites ... and    like Fooj I use  some cheap vintage lenses for some interesting effects .   It’s all good fun at the end of the day........ and keeps me out of mischief ... sometimes ....

[CMunzel]

Sorry for not replying to your posts, Fuji and Polly, I intended to agree with Polly that you’re not intruding at all, Fuji. I hope you didn’t think that my silence meant that I thought otherwise.
I’ve just watched another Kathleen Clemens video which came through as one of the tutorials with Nick filters. In her introduction, she gives her 10 tips for flower photography. Tip #1 “Its not about the gear”: it doesn’t matter what Camera or lens you are using, its how you use your gear to capture what you appreciate about the flower. It reminded me of your work, Fuji, and how you approach your subjects using your vintage lenses, and of course reminded me of your work, Polly. I appreciate sharing our flower photography here on this site with you both.

[FUJI]

Thank you Cheryl.... ..... you are dead right.... it’s not the gear.....it’s the results that come from the gear younhave at the time.

I remember waay back, posting a Misty shot of a pink rose.... all I did was to breathe on my 50 mm lens....then crop.

FUJI

[CMunzel]

Hi Fuji, I love that story of breathing on the lens. Back in film days, people suggested smearing the lens with Vaseline but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Your breathing seems safer. 

Polly, in reply to your question about editing software, I do use Photoshop and have some experience (limited) using textures. I’m curious to learn more about adding bokeh layers. Would love to see one if you feel like sharing. No problem if you don’t.