Just another Rose Shot!

[curtiswheat]

Could use any CC on this one. Seems in my mind setting a high Aperture would bring in more detail. But I had to do some post to keep the background black and with no noise. Would someone reccomend setting the Aperature set to give just enough DOF to cover the subject?



<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/photobycurtis/2266545542/" title="IMG_0626 by photobycurtis, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2013/2266545542_b47ae80392.jpg" width="333" height="500" alt="IMG_0626" /></a>


Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 3.2 sec (16/5)
Aperture: f/22
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Artist Name: Photo by Curtis
Exposure Program: Manual
Date and Time (Original): 2008:02:14 23:56:34
Date and Time (Digitized): 2008:02:14 23:56:34
Metering Mode: Center Weighted Average

[geotography]

curtiswheat,

I am not the one to advise you because I am asking the same aperature questions as I just started shooting flowers (seriously) yesterday with my new 100mm macro lens.

What I can say is that I like your photograph very much. To me, it is not "just another rose," rather, it is a beautiful, artistic presentation of what you saw at that very moment. The image has a fine-painting-like quality for which I am starting to have a lot of appreciation.

Thanks for the inspiration.

[curtiswheat]

Well Ty very much. I just recently have become interested in shots like this and and am thinking I might need to get me a macro lens....

[Saralonde]

A shutter speed of 3 seconds seems a bit long. Since your ISO was at 100, maybe some of the noise was from the long shutter opening. Opening up your lens will allow more light; a shallower dof would be fine with this subject. Try moving it to f/8 or even less and see what happens.

[RussHeath]

You may have heard that every lens has a "sweet spot" of aperture range where it's the sharpest. Above or below that gives you issues for different reasons.

With a very small aperture like f/22, you get diffraction issues that hurt the sharpness. So, while it's nice to have a very small aperture in close up shots for more DOF, you want to have that aperture as small as possible without being smaller than you need. My guess is that you would still have a great DOF with an aperture closer to f/16 or f/14, but you would get more sharpness and detail in the petals. Just be careful with your focus point as you loose DOF. :)

And it's a very pretty rose, nice color rendition and the black background was a good choice. For the sake of simplicity, I would probably strip off those lower leaves from the stem next time too. Thanks for sharing!

[curtiswheat]

I will give it another shot tonight and just do my setup. Will start with F8 and go up from there might as well try em all. I tried to find a website that had what the sweet spot of my EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens but no luck.

[Saralonde]

The sweet spot of a lens is generally 2 full stops down from wide open.

[curtiswheat]

Thank you for your help. The advice was great and the results were amazing!


<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/photobycurtis/2268381570/" title="Katelyns Beauty by photobycurtis, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2030/2268381570_b7a601ae52.jpg" width="400" height="500" alt="Katelyns Beauty" /></a>




Camera: Canon EOS 40D
Exposure: 0.05 sec (1/20)
Aperture: f/8
Focal Length: 85 mm
ISO Speed: 100
Exposure Bias: 0 EV
Flash: Flash did not fire
Date and Time: 2008:02:15 22:38:56
Artist Name: Photo by Curtis
Exposure Program: Manual
Date and Time (Original): 2008:02:15 22:33:17
Date and Time (Digitized): 2008:02:15 22:33:17
Metering Mode: Pattern
Exposure Mode: Manual
White Balance: Manual
By-Line (Author): Photo by Curtis

[RussHeath]

Now that's a macro! Amazing how a few simple changes can give you a picture so similar to the first yet so much better. You don't have to know the details to prefer this one, it just feels right. I particularly like the the way the petal texture comes through.

Good job. :)

[velvet4269]

Agreed - I found the bottom petal in the first photo to be a touch washed-out, but your second attempt is simply stunning! Good job! (and now I'm going to have to go and try changing aperture with my own flower photos ;) ).

[peeperita]

beautiful re-edit.....it's a keeper

peeper

[curtiswheat]

The great this is that it was with the kit lens, and in my simple garage setup.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2049/2272732841_715b737da0.jpg