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04/16/2009 12:58:28 AM · #1 |
I have a few questions about shooting Flowers:
1. Do you always use Macro Mode for shooting Flowers?
2. Whether you 'zoom in' or 'zoom out' to get minimum focusing distance?
3. Do flower pictures benefit from using Noise reducing Filters (like neatimage)?
The questions are to both i.e. SLR users, and poor fellows like me with S1 IS type of prosumer compact cameras. |
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04/16/2009 02:06:41 AM · #2 |
I have the similar S3 IS (had the S1 as well) ... lately I've been stepping back as far as necessary to zoom in to the max and frame as if a macro -- it helps get a shallow DOF to blur out any backgrounds, and keeps the lens (and photographer from getting in the way of the light. I do this when shooting whole flowers or with stems/leaves ... if I want detail on interior parts I still often use the SuperMacro mode and get in as close as I can.
I have quite a few examples in this gallery, and here are some recent examples ...   
Message edited by author 2009-04-16 02:38:02. |
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04/16/2009 03:54:27 AM · #3 |
| Thanks. Good Examples. Anyone else using a dedicated Macro lens? |
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04/21/2009 10:47:14 AM · #4 |
In so far as my Sigma 70-200 is also advertised as a Macro lens, then yes - to get that tight in shot I would (and have) used that. If you are shooting the flowers in a more controlled environment then you have a wider choice of lenses. I recently used both the Sigma at 200mm on one flower and a few minutes later the canon 17-55mm at 17mm as close as I could focus it to get a quite different effect.
It depends what you want to achieve...
One thing I would always do (if your camera supports it) is to shoot in RAW to allow you to be sure that the colours are correct (white balance) - if not possible then perhaps shoot a white card and set your custom WB instead. |
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04/21/2009 10:49:49 AM · #5 |
On the basis that this thread is worthless without pics, here are some very old ones I took using only my XTi and the 18-55 kit lens...
Flickr Link |
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04/21/2009 02:32:36 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by kbhatia1967:
I have a few questions about shooting Flowers:
1. Do you always use Macro Mode for shooting Flowers? |
Not always, but most of the times
some examples of photos shot with 100mm macro:
  
Shot with 17-40
Originally posted by kbhatia1967:
2. Whether you 'zoom in' or 'zoom out' to get minimum focusing distance?
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depends on what you want to capture in frame.
Originally posted by kbhatia1967:
3. Do flower pictures benefit from using Noise reducing Filters (like neatimage)?
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Again depends on how much noise you have and the details. These are very general questions and there is no simple way to answer.
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04/27/2009 05:14:07 AM · #7 |
Thanks for the reply.
I'll redraft my questions 2 &3:
2. Whether you 'zoom in' or 'zoom out' to get minimum focusing distance?
3. Do flower pictures invariably benefit from using Noise reducing Filters (like neatimage)?
Message edited by author 2009-04-27 05:15:50. |
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04/27/2009 01:25:21 PM · #8 |
| I rarely use noise-reduction on flower shots, but I've usually been able to take them at a low ISO setting and with enough light that I don't notice/don't have much noise. |
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04/29/2009 06:51:45 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I rarely use noise-reduction on flower shots, but I've usually been able to take them at a low ISO setting and with enough light that I don't notice/don't have much noise. |
We shoot flowers mostly in natural light, mostly on overcast days. So I always observe some noise, even when I use slowest ISO setting (which is ISO 50 in my camera). |
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04/29/2009 03:51:11 PM · #10 |
I almost always use Neat Image on my flower shots. I think I'm genuinely addicted to it, but I tell myself it adds to the overall idea of softness and clears distraction to allow details to show.
On the other hand,  Jutilda posted this one a few days ago, and the grain adds to the photo. If she would have used Neat Image on it the classic, rustic aspect would have been lost.
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04/29/2009 03:56:09 PM · #11 |
IMO the grain is a personal choice, feel free to have a look in my portfolio, 99% of the flowers in here were shot with my 70-300 IS and mostly on cloudy days and Im usually at ISO 100 and zoom in to fill the frame or what ever looks good in the viewfinder at the time.
-dave |
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04/29/2009 04:38:45 PM · #12 |
Originally posted by kbhatia1967:
Originally posted by GeneralE:
I rarely use noise-reduction on flower shots, but I've usually been able to take them at a low ISO setting and with enough light that I don't notice/don't have much noise. |
We shoot flowers mostly in natural light, mostly on overcast days. So I always observe some noise, even when I use slowest ISO setting (which is ISO 50 in my camera). |
Maybe I just don't notice it that much. If I have a good composition, in-focus and with an approximately proper tone range, I don't zoom way in looking for trouble ... :-) |
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05/04/2009 02:40:51 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by dknourek:
IMO the grain is a personal choice, feel free to have a look in my portfolio, 99% of the flowers in here were shot with my 70-300 IS and mostly on cloudy days and Im usually at ISO 100 and zoom in to fill the frame or what ever looks good in the viewfinder at the time.
-dave |
Nice collection. How often do you use Neat image? |
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