Hi Folks,
I haven’t been doing much macro lately, but I had the opportunity to get out my 100mm macro lens at the Out of Oregon workshop a week or so ago. It was a challenge to isolate a individual subject at this location, but I found myself drawn here to the convergence of the anemones and the black kelp (I think it’s kelp?) in a diagonal pattern.
The reflections were a bit of an issue, and I did use a polarizer, but it was still a challenge to cut out the glare surrounding the bits of kelp rising about the surface of the tidepool. In the field, I kept looking for cleaner specimens, but then I came to love the multicolored gritty sand and the sense of diversity it added to this very crowded house.
Specific Feedback Requested
I’m out of practice with macro and didn’t have a focusing rail, nor do I like the tedium of focus stacking (I used to use Combine ZP and Zerene Stacker, but I’ve gotten out of the habit). Are the edges of the anemones sharp enough?
Did I tame reflection enough or are the reflections in the black zone a deal-breaker?
How do you feel about the foam: nice break in pattern or something worth assiduously cloning out?
It’s a crowded image, with all the anemones snuggled in together. Is it just too busy? Or does the square crop calm it down enough?
Would an even tighter crop be better (eliminating the anemone with a yellow sand grain top right)?
Other thoughts and suggestions (for in-field or processing)?
Technical Details
Canon 5d3 with 100mm L macro with cpl
ISO 320, f/20, 1.6 sec
Hi Marylynne - Overall, I think this presentation works well and shows a nice little slice of a tidal community. I like the mix of the anemones and their surroundings, and I think the current crop works well. I also do not think the bubbles are an issue. You could consider darkening some of the brighter spots along the edges, like the sand in the upper right corner, the rock with glare on the left edge, and the bottom edge overall. I also would clone out some of the bright white bits of shell on the biggest anemone. The reflections do not bother me at all since I think they bring a bit of life to the photo through some additional contrast. Nice work!
Marylynne, what is not to love about this image. I like it as is, but I’m sure @Sarah_Marino suggestions might improve it more. Not being from out west, I had no idea what I was looking at, and was trying to make it an aerial view. I love it!
Thanks @Sarah_Marino and @Shirley_Freeman. I will definitely clone out some bright rocks, shells, and spots. I did that with more glaring examples, but it’s like weeding: once you get the obvious ones out of the way, you realize how many small ones there are.
Shirley: Funny you should mention aerial. It was a directly down shot from a tripod at about 3 feet high. I guess more of a close-up than macro, technically. It was part of my effort to get parallel to the plane to avoid focus stacking Lol. And, I’ve decided I’m not allowed to by any more equipment except perhaps a drone. I am really enjoying others’ aerial shots and love the aerial photography in The Handmaid’s Tale so it is inspiring me to try that. We tend to look parallel to the ground and looking down at it is a whole new experience.
I’ll wait to see if I get additional feedback and post a re-do.
ML
Hey Marylynne,
Great shot! I’m an Oregon native and shoot the coast a ton, always experimenting with shots like this. I love how you found this “dividing line” between the kelp and the anemones. I agree with Sarahs comment about cloning out the bright white shells and any other specular highlights in the scene. The reflections don’t bother me at all. Knowing how difficult this kind of shot is, you did great! The two things that I might suggest are 1. the sand seems to have a bit more green tinge, maybe taking on some of the color from the anemones, or maybe it’s my eyes. My monitor is calibrated, so it’s not that. 2. I would vignette this image some, add a bit of perceived depth to it so it isn’t so “flat”
you did an awesome job with this. No need to focus stack or have rails. This is the kind of shot that you can get in one frame and you did awesome.
Wow! I just love this image, Marylynne! It’s not just macro but so abstract looking. If you hadn’t told us what it was there could have been all kinds of guesses. Really great seeing on your part!
Thanks everyone! I did my first round of revised processing, cloning out bright shell, burning the bubbles, and applying a very slight (maybe too slight??) vignette.Let me know if you think I need to go further with the vignette or other specular highlights. This is the second one put here. I accidentally cloned some tentacles into a biologically unlikely place.
I really appreciate everyone’s feedback. This site has been helping me grow for over a decade, and I credit all of y’all for making me a better photographer.
ML
The repost is a terrific update, Marylynne. All of the those little specular highlights are now gone and no longer a distraction. I’m from out west so I immediately new what this was. You did terrific with just one shot of this. Edge to edge sharpness is pretty dang good. I actually like the bubbles. It gives the scene life. I love the square crop and think it works well. The arrangement of the anemones is just right with the larger one placed perfectly in the frame. There is nothing not to like about this one. Great shot!
I’m a bit late with my feedback so I’m not going to bother as there’s enough feedback in the above comments already. Suffice to say this image just screamed “open me” when I looked through your portfolio thumbnails. I just happened to look at fabric patterns yesterday and your photo looks exactly like a pattern I lingered on. It is beautiful!
Grtz, Ingrid.
