What’s Your Preference?

Preacherman · #1 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 07:56 PM

I saw a similar pic and wanted to try. Found this in my daughters garden. Got what I wanted with the fuzzy perimeter. Should focal point have been better offset? Tried to get flash to work but must have been doing something wrong. Would it have improved it?(?impossible to answer). DOF Comments. I know. Pity about gap at bottom?

Exif: Tv 1/125; Av 2.8: ISO 160; Lens Sigma 105mm Macro; Flash off; manual focus.

canyongirl28 · #2 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 08:25 PM

I like it. It looks like lacey and like a spiderweb, sort of spooky.

Preacherman · #3 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by canyongirl28

I like it. It looks like lacey and like a spiderweb, sort of spooky.

Thanks Trudi. I appreciate your comments and need the motivation. Take care. PAUL

Artdrea · #4 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 09:55 PM

i like it a lot maybe zoomed out just a bit so you know it's a dandelion but great job it's really hard to get shots of dandelions (i know from experience)

Preacherman · #5 (**permalink**) 10-24-2009, 06:12 PM

Thank you for your kind comments artdrea. I'll do that next time. Keep on clicking. God bless for now. PAUL

kencaleno · #6 (**permalink**) 10-24-2009, 10:57 PM

I got a dandelion:

photog1107 · #7 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 12:51 AM

Please don't consider me an expert on composition, but with a pattern like this, and the fuzziness around the perimeter you were going for, i think the focal point in the center is the right approach. Also, the exposure is great, so I don't think flash would have helped..it probably would have blown out those beautiful delicate highlights and introduced more contrast. I think it's a great shot. Am looking at getting that same lens myself, so work like this is good to see!:

Preacherman · #8 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kencaleno

I got a dandelion:

With a great deal more expertise than me. Thanks Ken. Your pic looks great. I'll get there one day. God bless. PAUL

Quote:

Originally Posted by photog1107

Please don't consider me an expert on composition, but with a pattern like this, and the fuzziness around the perimeter you were going for, i think the focal point in the center is the right approach. Also, the exposure is great, so I don't think flash would have helped..it probably would have blown out those beautiful delicate highlights and introduced more contrast. I think it's a great shot. Am looking at getting that same lens myself, so work like this is good to see!:

Hi Photog and thanks for your comments. I did not get on with the lens to start with, but gradually realised it was macro per-se I was not getting on with. The lens had nothing to do with it. Have a look at Chewys Dad's posts. He has some expertly taken shots with the same lens. You can really get an idea of whats possible then. God bless. PAUL

kencaleno · #9 (**permalink**) 10-25-2009, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Preacherman

With a great deal more expertise than me. Thanks Ken. Your pic looks great. I'll get there one day. God bless. PAUL

How it was done:

1. I used the pen tool to select the front half of the dandelion, (work path)

2. Ctrl+J Then I hid the selection

3. I used the rectangular marquee tool to create a box for the image frame. Select free transform-Holding down Ctrl key , I pulled the corner boxes to where I wanted them I placed frame outline where I wanted it .

4. I created a new layer and filled it with white-make white foreground color and press alt-backspace

5. Then I used seletc> modify> contract 30 pixels - I hit backspace to make the frame

6. Then: layer> styles> stroke 3 pixels, making it black

7. Then image > hue/saturation - I slid lightness slider all the way to the left

8. I unhid the selection layer and applied the original layer-Flattened then saved

Regards, Ken