Bluebonnets

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

We usually end up not taking bluebonnet pictures, but decided to have a run at the wildflowers this year. Went to a place we were at about 9 years ago that gave rise to this picture taken with a Sony Mavica:
20010331_032.JPG

9 years later, the field hasn't changed much, but she sure has! These are all basically SOOC. I set the white point and adjusted the black point and exposure in them, but no retouching. I'd like to get any feedback on light, composition, etc.. I was using my 24-105 f/4L, and my 580EX gelled 1/2 CTB. Shot around 6pm yesterday, so sun was still about 30-degrees above horizon.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5. Not the same source as #4, but almost looks it. Changed the overall exposure and dropped the flash back to fill levels.

6. Gotta jump

7. This was her pose. Just made it up on me...

8. More leaping

9. Some cloning work to be done...

10. Out-take... it got a little breezy

Memories by Melinda · April 1, 2010

Love the location and the shots!:D I'm going to be at Hood next week for my husband's Assumption of Command (Change of Command) and was trying to decide whether or not to bring my gear. I really can't take pictures during the ceremony (Cavalry Charge) since I am a part of it. However, now I want to bring it just to look for great photo op spots.

3, 7 & 10 are my faves.

The only nit is the cropping on 10 (I know that sometimes outtakes don't give you much compostion). Too much space on the right.

lilmomma · April 1, 2010

i like how you posted that shot from 9 years ago, and she was a blonde???

1 is just beautiful!! (maybe a little cool? but i'm on my work moniter)
2 kinda wierd for me, maybe its the elbow chop?
3 gorgeous!!!
4 flash is really harsh but I think you realized it and dialed down in the next one
5-a lot better than 4, very pretty!!!
9 flash might be a little much here too
The rest are cute! the last one made me laugh...

she is gorgeous, and I love the location too

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

Melinda, welcome to central Texas, and congratulations on your dh's change of command. Are you having to move as well? I don't know where is great up that way. I know there is a camp that is in Bruceville and very close to Fort Hood (not public, though) that is beautiful, so I imagine you'd have some wonderful opportunities off-base, and I'm sure on-base has some interesting options as well.

10 will take some work in cropping. I didn't do anything with it at this point. Just a bit of levity from the day. Thanks for the picks!!

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

Thanks for feedback, Melissa.
I wish #2 had more arm as well. It was just a shot while she was fixing her hair that I ended up loving. She didn't bring anything for her hair, so with the breeze, she was fixing it a lot...

Yes, she started off very blonde (well, she really started off very bald), and she still holds onto the ghost that she's some sort of blonde... It's much more a light brown than blonde anymore with a bit of red cast to it.

The funny thing is mom likes the ones with more contrast with the b/g underexposed and the light coming from the flash. Kinda funny that way. My preference, through, is more along the lines of #5 over #4. Do you think #4's overall look would have worked if I had a decent reflector or an off-camera flash to move the light off-axis?

sweet caroline · April 1, 2010

1, 3, and 5 are my favorites! The light looks very natural. Watch out for "bunny ear" feet in that first one! I didn't notice them until my third time viewing, though. Her expression is so lovely. I almost like 2.

Great field! I'm hoping to get some good shots in San Marcos on Sunday. My grandparents have a front yard full of them.

Caroline

jeffreaux2 · April 1, 2010

1- I like the intent, but dropping her feet so that they arent bunnie ears would have improved it for me.
3- Very nice
5- The flash work is much more pleasing than in 4.....even still...it could perhaps be dialed down some more.
8- Try putting flash on the ground ...aiming it up...and zooming the flash head a bit....50mm or so.
9 the flash is too strong again,,,,and the color temperature inbalance bugs me.......a gel to warm up the flash next time......or....this is a perfect set up for a reflector (foam core!)

kris10jo · April 1, 2010

Beautiful set! #1 and #3 are my favorites. I agree with the bunny ears, though; wonder if you could clone the feet out. I love the light and composition in that one. And #3 is just dreamy! The flash in #5 looks very natural. Nice work!

whiterice · April 1, 2010

Great Set!
Nice Andrew - and how great that you went back to the same spot 9 years later.

Your daughter has grown - must make you proud and a bit sad at the same time.

I agree with what the pros have pointed out so far.

I very much love #3.

#6 is such a great pose - just looks a tad washed out - though I'm certain you could fix that easily.

And please keep #10. A little crop and some cloning and you have a fantastic shot that'll make you smile every time you look at it.

redleash · April 1, 2010

Nice series, Andrew! I don't stop in this forum much but I'm glad I did. I've been shooting lots of wildflowers, but no people in mine.....

I love #1, even with the bunny ears. #3 is my favorite--I like her pose and expression and I think the lighting works well here. #4 is too dark and I don't care for her expression. I think #7 is adorable--she looks like someone who isn't quite sure whether she wants to be a young lady or still be a kid, much like I'm sure most of us were!

Lovely series!

When shall we get another SMUG on the calendar? I had so much fun at the last one and would love to do it again.

Cheers,
Lauren

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

Caroline, Thanks. Enjoy San Marcos!!

Jeff, Thank you for the feedback! One question on the gel in #9. I thought for shooting into the sun you'd want blue on the flash to match the shade light on the face, no? Really trying to get the whole gel thing right. Had I had no gel or 1/4 CTO as fill, wouldn't the color match been off? She is definately too blue now that I'm looking at it again. Thanks for the tip on #8. The amount of low/close light bothered me when I got home. I was thinking about flagging it some, but worried about too much light loss and ending up with heavy shadow. I didn't notice it at the time on the LCD. I noticed the bunny ears part way through, but she kept popping them up... at one point they were perfect bunny ears...

Kristen, thanks! I'll see what I can do in post with them. I'm not the most-skilled PS'er but images worth saving provide good reason for practice.

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

Christopher, thanks for looking. I think 6 will take a bit of work with all that direct sun hitting CR but I'm sure with some work, improvements will be made. I feels good that for once I went out with something like a plan and ended up with something like what I thought I wanted. Need to take a little gear next time (the 2x2' reflector didn't seem to help much and my VAL had never done it and wasn't catching on quickly...

). Nice thing was she had a new outfit so getting her picture taken in it was pretty easy to sell. Hopefully, I get some nice days this weekend and a lull in her busy schedule to get some more attempts.

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

Hi Lauren!!! Glad you stopped by, and thanks for the feedback. I haven't been on OCS in ages. Work and life have been impeding my viewing time, but in a good way overall.

She is in that funny place between 7 and 17, sometimes changing every 30 seconds...

I'd love to do another SMUG. Caroline suggested possibly getting a couple of models she knows, which would be nice alternative and learning experience.

jeffreaux2 · April 1, 2010

adbsgicom wrote:

Jeff, Thank you for the feedback! One question on the gel in #9. I thought for shooting into the sun you'd want blue on the flash to match the shade light on the face, no? Really trying to get the whole gel thing right. Had I had no gel or 1/4 CTO as fill, wouldn't the color match been off? She is definately too blue now that I'm looking at it again. .

THINK!!!

You gel the flash to match the ambient.....

You photographed her in direct sunlight. Good thinking to face her away from it, but see that golden warmth kissing the back of her head. THATS what you wanna match. If you gelled blue then a bare flash may have been the ticket. CTOs can be tricky....too yellow sometimes in sunlight...and require experimentation. 1/8 Maybe....but again...if you gelled blue for this shot a bare flash may have done the trick.

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

jeffreaux2 wrote:

THINK!!!

You gel the flash to match the ambient.....

I think I thought about 1/2 of it. We had that long thread of mini-Diva with the setting sun, but in that case, there was much less ambient, so the issue (I now realize) was much different than this case, where the ambient was much warmer. When she was fully in the shade, it worked out better, but the last set (which is #9 here) was total sun, and I didn't think then.... Thanks for the kick in the seat....

slpollett · April 1, 2010

I just love #1, 3, & 5. I like the lighting and the treatments.

I'm a wee bit 'jealous' that your daughter let you get bluebonnet pictures with her AND that you had a chance to take any bluebonnet pics. My daughter just says 'do I HAVE to?' so I never get nice bluebonnet shots with her & I haven't had a chance to go looking for wildflowers yet. We were planning an outing tomorrow since school is out, but the weather is not supposed to cooperate. Grr...

Melinda, I actually live in the Killeen/Ft. Hood area. There are several nice areas around here for wildflower pics. I haven't gone out and scouted the 'usual' spots yet (was planning to do that tomorrow) to see how they are now, but the time is right for them. There is a Soldier Hospitality house south of town that has a huge field in front of it that is usually covered in blue this time of year. It's the nicest spot in town for flowers. Your husband will probably know where it is or any of his soldiers can probably tell you how to find it. There are some nice places around Belton also and around Stillhouse Hollow reservoir. If you're up for a day trip, head down to Burnet (about an hour southwest of town) and drive Park Road 4 (I think it's 4) around Inks Lake State Park. Gorgeous!! Then head a few miles further south on Hwy 281. Just before you reach Marble Falls will be an old stone farmhouse on the right. There's usually a big field of bluebonnets in front of it and it's a popular photo spot. I hate to post a pic in someone else's thread of it, but I will add the link if you want to check it out.

http://psphotos.smugmug.com/Sherry-Shots/Nature/Texas-Spring/4123988_CCiVS#240575607_LY8NF

Sherry

adbsgicom · April 1, 2010

Hi, Sherri. Thanks for the feedback!
Notice that there is a 9-year span between visits to the field....

redleash · April 1, 2010

I wondered where that old stone farmhouse was--I've seen it in pictures before. Andrew, maybe we should have our SMUG in a bluebonnet field!

kidzmom · April 2, 2010

Really beautiful and soft setting! Love the light in 1,3, 5 and 7! Really gorgeous shots Andrew and such a pretty little lady. I agree that the flash was too harsh on a few! Otherwise...perfection!

redleash wrote:

Nice series, Andrew! I don't stop in this forum much but I'm glad I did. I've been shooting lots of wildflowers, but no people in mine.....

I love #1, even with the bunny ears. #3 is my favorite--I like her pose and expression and I think the lighting works well here. #4 is too dark and I don't care for her expression. I think #7 is adorable--she looks like someone who isn't quite sure whether she wants to be a young lady or still be a kid, much like I'm sure most of us were!

Lovely series!

When shall we get another SMUG on the calendar? I had so much fun at the last one and would love to do it again.

Cheers,
Lauren

thebusch · April 2, 2010

She's a sweetheart!
You are luckly to have such a beautiful daughter to pose for you!

#7 is my favorite of the series but I also like #5, #1 (clone out feet) and #2 (work on lighting).

Take PP comments with a more than a grain of salt as I'm no portrait photographer. ;-)

adbsgicom · April 2, 2010

redleash wrote:

I wondered where that old stone farmhouse was--I've seen it in pictures before. Andrew, maybe we should have our SMUG in a bluebonnet field!

We'd have to move fast.... They don't last forever...

adbsgicom · April 2, 2010

Kelly and Busch, thanks for the feedback. I had the flash dialed up on a couple intentionally (stupidly?). I think I noted in another reply that my dw likes those. Funny. I think it is because of how saturated the foliage is when the b/g is stopped down. However, to do them right, I needed OCF, which I didn't have with me (stupid me x2 since it was a drive in and about 200 yard walk to the spot).

slpollett · April 2, 2010

Hey Andrew, Belinda, & redleash-- I drove by that stone farmhouse on 281 today. The bluebonnets are pretty thick and plentiful in the foreground but are still very sparse throughout the rest of the field leading to the house. It's still a decent shot, but not spectacular yet. I'd give it a week or so before making the drive.

Sherry

redleash · April 2, 2010

Thanks, Sherry! I won't have time to go until next week so I'm glad they aren't quite ready yet.

Bluebonnets

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