Flowers - an open thread.

TP_Bee.jpg
 
Cordy said:
@BillN_33
Is that Geranium Rozanne ?
Click to expand...

Hi John, yes it is, seems to flower from about May to about October down here in the South of the UK

I took the image using a ring flash with the 60mm f/2.8 D Nikon Micro lens
 
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This macro/close up stuff is hard - fighting the elements, (any kind of light wind), just interferes with it......... plus all the other stuff ......... I need a serious re-think, I'm just not getting enough detail - maybe time for some GAS!!

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 + R1C1 flash

TP_flower_with_fly.jpg
 
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BillN_33 said:
This macro/close up stuff is hard - fighting the elements, (any kind of light wind), just interferes with it......... plus all the other stuff ......... I need a serious re-think, I'm just not getting enough detail - maybe time for some GAS!!

Nikon 105mm f/2.8 + R1C1 flash

TP_flower_with_fly.jpg
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I like your pics with the little insect at the centre.

As to the usual depth of field issue, have a look at this guys technique in the field using a burst mode to generate a stack ( there are others s well ) :

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HowcTTo3vfY


I think that this is a basis of a useful technique but it takes a lot of trial and error. I have tried both moving the camera during a burst and "focus pulling" during a burst,

In the hands of someone experienced, this should work. For me it is definitely work in process,

I have tried this out e.g.

Close up tests of Meike 35mm f1.4 at f2 in lower light at close focus: Nikon 1 System Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.
www.dpreview.com www.dpreview.com

or,

Focus stacking handheld - first efforts: Nikon 1 System Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.
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The post of mine above uses this technique - as I said not there yet ! The ghosting etc can be removed with a clone tool in post but I can't be bothered. The softness is due to the lens I was using on a 1 inch sensor - not enough resolution.

As for the wind its just luck: for straigthforward macro, my Tam sp90 f017 is good enough in AFC with, say d25, on a D500 to get a good hit rate for some insects and occasionally one landing/taking off. You still have to stop down to get DoF and then get diffraction softening.

Jeez - I though BIF was difficult.

Richard
 
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greyowl said:
I like your pics with the little insect at the centre.

As to the usual depth of field issue, have a look at this guys technique in the field using a burst mode to generate a stack ( there are others s well ) :

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HowcTTo3vfY


I think that this is a basis of a useful technique but it takes a lot of trial and error. I have tried both moving the camera during a burst and "focus pulling' during a burst,

In the hands of someone experienced, this should work. For me it is definitely work in process,

I have tried this out e.g.

Close up tests of Meike 35mm f1.4 at f2 in lower light at close focus: Nikon 1 System Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.
www.dpreview.com www.dpreview.com

or,

Focus stacking handheld - first efforts: Nikon 1 System Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review

Expert news, reviews and videos of the latest digital cameras, lenses, accessories, and phones. Get answers to your questions in our photography forums.
www.dpreview.com www.dpreview.com

The post of mine above uses this technique - as I said not there yet !

Richard
Click to expand...

Thanks Richard, I have not tried focus stacking yet - I have done a lot of Dragonfly shots with several different lens/camera combinations, but I always try to get side on shot to minimise DOF issues

(I watched this guys vids a few days ago)
 
BillN_33 said:
still plugging away at flower stacking - not there yet

flash from L & R sides and natural light from above - black sheet behind - 5 shots stacked in PS
it's not easy with small flowers

TP_Red_flower_stack_2.jpg
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That looks really good to me - fine detail. I think 5-15 frames is probably the max - as few as possible or just enough to get the total depth of focus you need . I have overdone things and tried to stack 10-20 frames with the result that Affinity usually generates artifacts ( "ghosting" ) which doesn't bother me too much but objectively can look reallly naff.

Like the idea of the black background - really does isolate the subject and you don't get the weird bokeh-esque effects that I mentioned above.

When I get a bit better at this, I might download a 30 day trial of Helicon to see if that makes things look better - but not yet.

richard
 
greyowl said:
That looks really good to me - fine detail. I think 5-15 frames is probably the max - as few as possible or just enough to get the total depth of focus you need . I have overdone things and tried to stack 10-20 frames with the result that Affinity usually generates artifacts ( "ghosting" ) which doesn't bother me too much but objectively can look reallly naff.

Like the idea of the black background - really does isolate the subject and you don't get the weird bokeh-esque effects that I mentioned above.

When I get a bit better at this, I might download a 30 day trial of Helicon to see if that makes things look better - but not yet.

richard
Click to expand...

Thanks Richard - it's new to me and I'm finding it hard work - taking the shots using manual focus and focusing on different parts of the image starting at the front - I have a really old heavy metal tripod and a very heavy Arca Swiss ball mount that keeps the camera steady,. I have a D850 which has that "new" facility for automatic "focus shifting" but I have not had much success using it, so I just go the manual route and I have found that the Nikon 60mm f/2.8D Micro, (the old "D" lens), works well using manual focus, (using either LiveView or focus confirm)

To date I have probably done about 15 stacks, converting them in Photoshop - I seem to choose small flowers and to keep out of the breeze and get good light I use my greenhouse in the back garden. It's always been breezy/windy outside and even the slightest of breezes just moves the flower, so outside has just been a no no. I have a few different coloured panels that I can use as backgrounds and a R1C1 Nikon flash kit that is good for close ups.

Photoshop - stacking facility - I have found this very hit and miss - sometimes it does not seem to use the best parts of some images and I've always had "ghosting" sometimes minor which I have been able to remove in PS and sometimes bad meaning that the stack was not usable. I've been reading up on alternative stacking software and as you indicate Helicon keeps cropping up.

I'll have another go tomorrow and concentrate on getting a group of better image to use.

Although the Nikon Micro lens are good, for me, I'm not getting that ultimate sharpness really close up, (say at MFD), I am thinking about getting a MF 100mm f/2.8 LAOWA micro lens as this close up photography is as interesting as bird stuff.......... plus, and I'm serious, I've just booked an appointment at SpecSavers as I realise that I do need another eye test and a stronger pair of glasses for computer work

Good luck and thanks for your comments
 
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a few from this morning

I used an old MF Micro-Nikkor-P Auto 55mm f/3.5 converted from NAi to Ai - the lens was manufactured in 1972

just natural light this time, no flash

I did not notice the small bug until I had the images on my computer

Dahlia
TP_flower_stack_insect.jpg


TP_flower_stack_insect_2.jpg


Bindweed flower
TP_Bindweed_stack.jpg
 
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2 from today

flowers coming to an end

a Rose and it's visitor

TP_Rose_over.jpg



Allium seed heads - Stargazer I think

TP_Seeds.jpg
 
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