Dewdrop flower refraction comparison

Lord Vetinari

Two shots both taken around 2:1 magnification (FOV width= 11mm)
#1 F9 1/200th ETTLflash ISO200
#2 F2.8 1/200th Natural light ISO400
Which "style" do you prefer ignoring composition ?
Brian V.

BeachBill

First let me say this is awesome work. Someday I hope to be able to shoot images like this.

I prefer #1, however it is hard to ignore composition. #1 appears sharper and my eye likes it better. Can you try again with the exact same composition?

Dee

#1
I like #1 because the flower reflection is sharp...

But #2 is really fascinating to see so many reflections, although they are blurred...

DoctorIt

#1 is sharper, but also what you expect when you see this type of shot.

#2 is a bit more interesting, in my opinion. And I guess its not a lack of sharpness, but there's more reflection there. Am I right?

Lord Vetinari

Thanks for the comments Bill ,Dee and Erik.
Erik- you are right- there are a lot more stray reflections in #2 and a different quality to the BG light.

It's odd If I think of them as photographs then I prefer #1 but if I think of them as paintings I prefer #2
Brian V.

Awais Yaqub

Wonderful !! just amazing i think 1st

odd

#1 is ACE

Antonio Correia

Brian,
I prefer the second "style" with the detail of the 1.st shot.
This one (the 1.st) is almost unbelievable. It looks you have been photoshoping, which I know you do have not.
They are both very nice.

Ric Grupe

:wow Simply amazing!

Art Scott

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Thanks for the comments Bill ,Dee and Erik.
Erik- you are right- there are a lot more stray reflections in #2 and a different quality to the BG light.

It's odd If I think of them as photographs then I prefer #1 but if I think of them as paintings I prefer #2
Brian V.

Therein lies the problem....with this kind of fotographie....we should not think in terms of photograph, but simply as works of ART (paintings, whether oil or acrylic or whatever, or colored pencil)....

When looking at them in this respect... they are both AWESOME....however I can see the flash highligt in the reflection and it distracts from the image to me.....I personally prefer #2....and I would have shot it at iso100 (but that has been a trait of mine from day one....iso 50 or 100...never cared for Koda 25 or ecta 64...simply fuji 50 or 100 and then Konica 50 towards the end).....I prefer #2 due to the surrealisem of the shot..even the almost vertical leaf had dropplets with relections going from almost sharp to faded out......really the only thing that bothers me about #1 is the flash highlight....and how there is a massive loss of defination at that spot due to it......

But that is only my opinon and not really worth much.:D

Skippy

Lord Vetinari wrote:

Two shots both taken around 2:1 magnification (FOV width= 11mm)
#1 F9 1/200th ETTLflash ISO200
#2 F2.8 1/200th Natural light ISO400
Which "style" do you prefer ignoring composition ?
Brian V.

Hey there Brian, I like the sharpness of the first shot, the second shot seems to take on that dreamy soft look, I like both, but if you ask me to choose one I am going with Image Number ONE

Is the first one stacked shot??? ......... Skippy (Australia)

boogie

#2 is the best by far. The lighting, colors and subject is perfect and reminds me of floating crystals.
My eyes keep jumping around taking in the beauty. #1 is bland in comparision...but that's my opinion. Beautiful work.

douglas

Both excellent shots, # 2 is my fav

Lord Vetinari

Art Scott wrote:

Therein lies the problem....with this kind of fotographie....we should not think in terms of photograph, but simply as works of ART (paintings, whether oil or acrylic or whatever, or colored pencil)....

When looking at them in this respect... they are both AWESOME....however I can see the flash highligt in the reflection and it distracts from the image to me.....I personally prefer #2....and I would have shot it at iso100 (but that has been a trait of mine from day one....iso 50 or 100...never cared for Koda 25 or ecta 64...simply fuji 50 or 100 and then Konica 50 towards the end).....I prefer #2 due to the surrealisem of the shot..even the almost vertical leaf had dropplets with relections going from almost sharp to faded out......really the only thing that bothers me about #1 is the flash highlight....and how there is a massive loss of defination at that spot due to it......

But that is only my opinon and not really worth much.:D

Thanks for the detailed comments:) Everyone's opinion counts !

One of the big problems with macrophotography is light- there isn't enough of it when shooting at high magnification so for the second shot I had to raise the ISO and use a large aperture to get any reasonable exposure but I actually liked the effect it gave.
Brian V.

Lord Vetinari

Skippy wrote:

Hey there Brian, I like the sharpness of the first shot, the second shot seems to take on that dreamy soft look, I like both, but if you ask me to choose one I am going with Image Number ONE

Is the first one stacked shot??? ......... Skippy (Australia)

Thanks Skippy- they are actually both stacked from 3 pics although you may not think it for #2.
Think I've done too many of #1 type shots and was looking for a different style to try

Brian V.

Lord Vetinari

boogie wrote:

#2 is the best by far. The lighting, colors and subject is perfect and reminds me of floating crystals.
My eyes keep jumping around taking in the beauty. #1 is bland in comparision...but that's my opinion. Beautiful work.

Thanks for the critique Boogie
Must admit I prefer #2 but as I said above I have to view it as a painting rather than a macrophotograph. Macrophotographs are supposed to be pin sharp .
The thing I don't want to do is to start lugging around a lighting studio- the neighbours already think I'm crazy- kneeling on the front lawn early in the morning getting my knees and elbows wet.
Brian V.

Lord Vetinari

Thanks for the comments everyone
Interesting to see the split in views
Brian V.

photosnappinphool

Dewdrop Flower Refraction Comparison
Bravo for this top quality piece of art!
Photo number one gets my vote hands down.
It looks like tiny glass paperweights
with perfect flowers encased in them --
being blow from out the side of the plant stem.
Quite surreal and elegant.
A creative masterpiece!

B. Char

rjpat

You are the Master, lol, beautiful shots.

Lord Vetinari

Thanks for the comments and views Ron and B.Char- much appreciated
Brian V.

Forehead

That top image with such clarity!

I'm a big fan of clarity, now!

Lord Vetinari

Forehead wrote:

That top image with such clarity!

I'm a big fan of clarity, now!

Thanks Steve
I'm a fan of clarity as well but every now and then I go a bit soft just for a different look- always good to try different things:)
Brian V.