Abstract rose

Argos

Since the flowers that I bought my wife for Mother's Day can't run from me, I thought they'd make good experimental subjects for some macro work. Here's one take at this:

EXIF:
Olympus E-510
50mm lens
ISO 400, 1/40 sec, f/2

A wider DOF would bring out more details, but I thought the intentionally shallow DOF here gives the image a sort of dreamy, abstract quality.

Thoughts? Critiques? Suggestions?

dohara

Very nice!

Argos wrote:

Since the flowers that I bought my wife for Mother's Day can't run from me, I thought they'd make good experimental subjects for some macro work. Here's one take at this:

EXIF:
Olympus E-510
50mm lens
ISO 400, 1/40 sec, f/2

A wider DOF would bring out more details, but I thought the intentionally shallow DOF here gives the image a sort of dreamy, abstract quality.

Thoughts? Critiques? Suggestions?

ccpickre

I like the depth of field, but there seems to be some motion blur as well, which takes away for me. Maybe bump the ISO to 800 and speed the shutter speed up to 1/80. Or better yet, if you can (I'm not familiar with your camera so who knows), go to 1600 and use 1/160 or even 1/200 or 1/250. This would darken it a bit (some of the highlights look over exposed). It should eliminate the motion blur, but the high iso will add some noise and a drop in contrast and saturation, which add to the dreamy moodiness of the photo.

Argos

I can pretty much guarantee there's no motion blur -- the camera was on a tripod, triggered via remote, with a 1 second delay after the mirror lock-up.

It's just a really fast lens, wide open (f/2.0), with an extension tube -- the DOF is REALLY, REALLY, small this way.

I'm thinking, though, that the image could use a bit of cropping off the right side & bottom.

Skippy

Argos wrote:

Since the flowers that I bought my wife for Mother's Day can't run from me, I thought they'd make good experimental subjects for some macro work. Here's one take at this:

EXIF:
Olympus E-510
50mm lens
ISO 400, 1/40 sec, f/2

A wider DOF would bring out more details, but I thought the intentionally shallow DOF here gives the image a sort of dreamy, abstract quality.

Thoughts? Critiques? Suggestions?

Hi there Argos, the shot is very soft, a lovely colour I must say.
I like the dreamy look, maybe a tighter crop.

Nice Shot .... Skippy
.

ccpickre

Argos wrote:

I can pretty much guarantee there's no motion blur -- the camera was on a tripod, triggered via remote, with a 1 second delay after the mirror lock-up.

It's just a really fast lens, wide open (f/2.0), with an extension tube -- the DOF is REALLY, REALLY, small this way.

I'm thinking, though, that the image could use a bit of cropping off the right side & bottom.

Maybe so, but the flower still could have moved, if not the camera. Maybe it's just me, but I couldn't find one point that looked in focus, that's why i thought there was motion blur.

I just know from experience shooting macro at that slow of a shutter speeds can be difficult. The subject can move (especially if you're outdoors on a windy day).

Argos

The in-focus bit is the edge of one of the more prominent pedals -- the DOF here is about 1 mm, so most of the image is (intentionally) soft.

I know what you mean about motion blur, I've fought it enough times myself. Still, this image was of a rose packed in a vase along with a dozen or so other flowers, sitting on our dining room table. No breeze, no motion, the blur is all from intentionally shallow DOF.

ccpickre

Ok, like I said, maybe it's just me