I'm new to Flowers with a macro - Going to Longwood Gardens.

Pilznr

Hey all, I'm going to Longwood Gardens in PA next week. I just got my macro lens 2 weeks ago, so I'm not a pro with it yet.

I'm interested in any input or techniques that anyone can offer for photographing flowers. I'll obviously be photographing a million flowers in a public setting. Probably mostly indoors with natural light and glasshouses.

Are there any filters that you've found helpful? Polarized, ND, etc?

Is a flash a bad idea?

I have a Canon XTi, Canon 100mm Macro, 18-55mm, 75-300mm, and 430EX Flash. All of the lenses have a UV Filter, and I have a Circ Polarizer filter.

Thanks in Advance!

Skippy

Pilznr wrote:

Hey all, I'm going to Longwood Gardens in PA next week. I just got my macro lens 2 weeks ago, so I'm not a pro with it yet.

I'm interested in any input or techniques that anyone can offer for photographing flowers. I'll obviously be photographing a million flowers in a public setting. Probably mostly indoors with natural light and glasshouses.

Are there any filters that you've found helpful? Polarized, ND, etc?

Is a flash a bad idea?

I have a Canon XTi, Canon 100mm Macro, 18-55mm, 75-300mm, and 430EX Flash. All of the lenses have a UV Filter, and I have a Circ Polarizer filter.

Thanks in Advance!

A flash is your friend when doing MACRO, if you can difuse it do so,
to avoid harsh highlights.

If you have heaps of light without having to use a flash then that is a big bonus.
Usually your so close your in your own light or there is hardly any light available between you and your subject.

Water droplets on petals, imperfections can sometimes make a shot.
Interesting angles, that sort of thing.

Have fun, shoot till your hearts content .... Skippy
.

Lord Vetinari

Not much help to offer but think a polariser is only of use in reducing glare ina direct light situation and not from flash- you may find the light loss is too much for natural light photography. You may find fill flash useful usefull in situations with slight backlight (ie shooting in Av or Tv modes) but you may need to set -ve EC and -ve FEC to prevent blowing the flowers. Fraid I don't use any filters on my lenses apart from odd goes with a polariser. You may find it useful to try a few different lighting shots with the same flower and see what works best under the conditions there.

brian V.

cmkultradome

I am so jealous - Longwood Gardens is one of my favorite places!! I just bought my first digital SLR (Canon Rebel xTi) and I have not been to Longwood Gardens since I got it. In the past I just used my "point and shoot" camera and still got some really nice shots.

FYI - if you check their website, there is a restriction on using tripods - you can only use them from 9AM-12PM. I'm not sure if you use one for macro photography but I thought you'd like to know.

Stephanie

Pilznr

cmkultradome wrote:

I am so jealous - Longwood Gardens is one of my favorite places!! I just bought my first digital SLR (Canon Rebel xTi) and I have not been to Longwood Gardens since I got it. In the past I just used my "point and shoot" camera and still got some really nice shots.

FYI - if you check their website, there is a restriction on using tripods - you can only use them from 9AM-12PM. I'm not sure if you use one for macro photography but I thought you'd like to know.

Stephanie

Thanks, I Was aware of the tripod rules. I'd like to use one, but I'm probably not going to bother carrying it around. I won't be getting there until 11, so I doubt it's worth it.

I haven't been to Longwood since I was about 14 years old.

MichaelKirk

Post your images
I only live just a few miles from Longwood Gardens, have a family season pass.........and the last time was I there was last summer

BUT I did just order and receive my first Macro lens (Nikon 105 f/2.8vr) a few weeks ago just for going to Longwood with the family. Hoping to make it there in the next week or so.

Make sure to post some of you shots.
Michael

Pilznr wrote:

Thanks, I Was aware of the tripod rules. I'd like to use one, but I'm probably not going to bother carrying it around. I won't be getting there until 11, so I doubt it's worth it.

I haven't been to Longwood since I was about 14 years old.

Pilznr

Longwood Shots
So I made it to Longwood. I was upset in the morning because it was a cloudy day. However, that didn't matter too much because I managed to take over 500 photos. Of those, 160 were suitable to put online.

The gallery is HERE.

But here are a few of my favorites:
#1


#2


#3


#4


#5


#6


#7


#8


#9


#10


#11


Sorry, I guess that was more than a few. It was tough to pick!!

MichaelKirk

Nice Images
I assume all are natural Light and hand held?

Michael

Pilznr

MichaelKirk wrote:

I assume all are natural Light and hand held?

Michael

They are all Natural light except for the scrotum looking orchid and the wasp. I had my flash out in the Orchid room because it was somewhat dark, and I really wanted some of that color.

They are all handheld because Tripods were not allowed on the grounds after 12p. I got there at 11:30, so I didn't bother with the tripod at all.