Description: Jenny wants me to photograph more of her dahlias. She only has 60 of them so I have to get hopping. With stakes, busy backgrounds, and unfavorable lighting, I have discovered that I can cut a dahlia, place cut stem in a beer bottle and position the flower in a large light box. I only use 2 flashes to light the scene with one at +1 and the other at -1ev. The Nikon Creative Lighting System does the rest to properly expose the flower. My goal was to properly expose the whites and create soft, delicate shadows on the petals.
Specific Feedback Requested:
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
D850 200mm f4 micro (6.0 sec. at f25, ISO 200) light provided by 2 flashes set at different power. Levels, Brightness & Contrast), Topaz DeNoise, Crop for Comp.
Thank you @David_Bostock, @Kris_Smith, @linda_mellor, @Steve_Kennedy, @Mike_Friel, @Mark_Muller, and @Diane_Miller for your comments and critiques. My monitor’s brightness is set fairly low so I could not see the inconsistencies. So I made a layer and cranked up the brightness and there were the artifacts seen by David and Diane. So I deleted the layer and adjusted the black point for the BG and rubber stamped out the light area in the upper LH corner. I may have to calibrate the monitor as it has been a while since it was done. @Mike_Friel the Nikon Creative Lighting System works for multiple flash setups where each flash is set on TTL at varying strengths and the camera communicates with the flashes to set the proper amount of light needed for optimal exposure and balanced fill lighting. I use my SB-800 as the master and one to several old SB-26 flashes for shadow fill with my D500 and D850. Hope that helps…Jim
Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites)
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Lovely, Jim. The whites of the flower seem perfectly exposed, at least for me, there is still plenty of definition in the whites to allow them to stand on their own. The detail in the entire flower is exquisite. Very nicely done.
Hi Jim! This is simply beautiful. The lighting and exposure are spectacular. Excellent detail and color as well. The black background really sets off the perfect whites. I love everything about it. Well done!
You keep coming up with winners, Jim!! This reminds me of fireworks - the way the petals are still curved and separated from one another. You’ve got the light just perfect and that background really shows it well. Superb!
Jim, this is incredible, and thanks for the technical details. I think you’ve positioned the flower perfectly in the frame. I do notice a bit of…something…in the background, especially in the upper left that pulled my eye away. Not a big deal…Love the colors. I agree, a wonderful firework!
I’m late here and all has been said – simply gorgeous!! Looking forward to all the rest!!
Looks like you added black canvas top and sides, but the BG wasn’t pure black there so there is a subtle frame. Do a temporary curves or levels above it all and pull the sliders to lighten the darks and you’ll see any flaws in dark areas.
@Mike_Friel the Nikon Creative Lighting System works for multiple flash setups where each flash is set on TTL at varying strengths and the camera communicates with the flashes to set the proper amount of light needed for optimal exposure and balanced fill lighting. I use my SB-800 as the master and one to several old SB-26 flashes for shadow fill with my D500 and D850. Hope that helps…Jim
