Macro flower in Barbados

[Rickster]

how do u guys like this please throw the whole bag at me i need to get better

thank you for the critic in advance
regards
Rick

[daft_biker]

Hi Rick, Flowers aren't exactly my speciality but it looks like you found a cracking subject to photograph. The exposure looks fine to me and I guess you got the focus where you wanted it....so far so good....

....however, compositionally I think there are some things I can suggest to think about. The biggest issue for me is the big area of out of focus purple in front of the point of focus. Try to avoid foreground objects being out of focus if you can....easier said than done I know but something worth considering hopefully.

The bright area to the right of centre also distracts from the point of focus - the fringing round the edge of the flower in particular. Is this a crop? The fringing appears to have been magnified which could be due to cropping.

I think the easiest way round these composition issues would be to get closer....which I think you may have tried to do by cropping? If so I think you're on the right track.....

"If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough," - Robert Capa

Not that I like cropping but if you physically can't focus any closer what else can you do

[Rickster]

THANK U SO MUCH
i respect your views they are much appreciated
As you said i need to get the fore ground in focus
will try how is this picture is this much better?

[daft_biker]

Originally Posted by Rickster

THANK U SO MUCH
i respect your views they are much appreciated
As you said i need to get the fore ground in focus
will try how is this picture is this much better?

Yes, that's pretty close to the traditional sharp subject against a blurry background

The focus is bang on the tip of the grass and concentrates our attention there.

One thing you might like to try is aligning the plane of focus with the subject so you can get it all sharp. If you had selected a slightly lower shooting angle you might have got the whole of the stalk in the foregound in focus. When selecting aperture I'd suggest aiming for the largest aperture you can that allows you to get the whole of the subject sharp - the larger the aperture the blurrier the background but the less DoF you have. I think that challenge of finding the right DoF is one of the joys of macro photography

Just out of curiosity, what camera/lens are you using?

Here's one of mine using the kind of differential focus technique described above:

[Rickster]

Now thats a wonderful pic i would like to get that great
i am still in AWW
WOW
The distance to the subject is ivery impoerant i see the closer u get the better i guess
but for your subject for example u would hav to use a zoom so u dont scare the subject away ?

Thanks for the comment
i am using a

Panasonic Lumix
DMC - FZ28
Used the Macro Setting and focused manually
lens is the standard camera lens which is the
Leica Dc- Vario- Elmarit

regards
Rickster

[Vash]

If I am not mistaken there are two ways to macro on your camera. The wide and the tele-macro. For moving subjects tele macro I guess will give you the best results. For flowers and the rest not so fast moving you can use the wide angle and go up close. In any case use a tripod. As daft_biker said go for the highest f-stop you can and shoot more than one pic lowering the aperture each time ( or bracket if you can). You will probably need much light. Don't use the flash as it comes. Try to diffuse it and rebounce it if you can. Croping will help a lot in most cases to get more of the subject and less of everything else. That's all I can think of for now. Keep trying and posting. Thankfully this board is very active and you will get all the help you want

[chintex]

daft_biker,

That's a beautiful shot. Quite inspiring to work more on macro

[Rickster]

I am workin on my pictures will post one soon just looking for the right subject
i am taking all your advice
thanks guys

[GilPhilbert]

I really like the first photo, but the inside of the flower (where your focus is) is a bit dark in comparison to the outside of the flower becuase of the shadow. A flash would help, but your flash will be too harsh, and will drown any detail. There are plenty of ways to diffuse a standard flash. This will help shots like this as they can eliminate shadows.

Keep at it; as everyone knows - practice makes perfect!