I noticed how one of my Lewisias had a “large” cluster of blossoms yesterday and decided it was worth a try to photograph it. I took a number of shots earlier in the day with a tripod, but due to other vegetation, I couldn’t get it as low as I wanted, so I went back out in the evening and took some hand held shots lying on the ground with the camera braced on one hand. I probably would have gone for an angle that would have rotated this image left a bit and gotten more blossoms face on, but it wasn’t available.
I removed a cluster of buds that came up from the right side of the plant and was just an eye magnet and severely subdued a large stem coming up on the left (still vaguely visible). Did those modifications work?
What artistic feedback would you like if any?
This is a three image stack to put the flowers and foreground buds in focus but leave the back of the plant and background soft-does it work this way?
Pertinent technical details or techniques:
Canon 5DIII, 100mm f/2.8 macro, hand held lying on the ground, three images at f/8, 1/250, iso 400, manual exposure and manual focus. Processed in LR & PS CC. Stacked using Helicon Focus. A couple of distracting elements removed above the plant. Exposure and saturation adjustments, mostly to the flowers.
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Dennis: I love your POV and the ingenuity you used. I’ve often used a bean bag for the same challenges. Without seeing the original I can only imagine your adjustments but the finished product is superb. Very nicely done. >=))>
These are really nice, Dennis, and well photographed. Maybe the angle on them is not perfect , but you’ve caught the subtelties of the colouring beautifully. Wish we could have an image of the photographer in the act as well !!!
The subtle change of color from pink to coral in the flowers is enticing. I have never seen this plant before and your composition and presentation is beautiful. Thanks for posting it.
I actually prefer this off-centered look. I’m trying to imagine how a frontal view of the cluster makes a stronger or more impactful image (assuming that’s a desired outcome). I really like the earlier blooms/buds trailing off to the left side of the image and wonder if including the left side of the shrub with including buds would’ve been an option. Regardless, I think this is a very successful image as presented and agree with @Ian_Wolfenden about the excellent color management. And yes, those modifications worked.
I love the photo Dennis with the focus that concentrates the attention to the protagonist of the scene. I have a big feeling with this flower for the delicate and changing colors, that you have very well captured, and also for the beautiful transparencies that its petals show when back lit. I never stack photos and I know very few things about it. I am wandering if shooting a single image in front of the flowers with a f/22 it’s possible to achieve the same result.
Hi Gigi. You can achieve a similar result by stopping down and I did take some images that way. The difference is that the background elements tend to be more prominent doing it that way, whereas stacking lets you really control what is in focus and what isn’t. In this case, I decided I didn’t want the leaves in the back in focus. I have other shots from a slightly steeper angle where I went the other way and put the entire plant in focus.
