inspired by Gartmore

I like Gartmore's image in the other thread.
I'm not much of a gardener. but I used what I had in my garden.
but I think Gerri migh be happy if I buy her some flowers and reshoot.
I opened photoshop elements today....first time in a while.
thanx for the inspiration Gartmore!


(ps...I think yours is nicer....but it did keep me busy for bit tonite, got some great ideas for when I do get some better flowers!).

here's another macro for c&c:

I think the first one would have been better without the frame to be honest, it's a bit busy and detracts from the main picture which is actually quite nice.

I love the second one though! The colours are fantastic and the focus is absolutely perfect - one of the best "bee on flower" portraits I think I've seen on here, excellent!

I like the lighting, Don, how did you do it?

Ken

I'm guessing you are asking about the top flower?

So here goes:
tripod mounted camera, 100mm macro, f16, bulb mode, 3200 deg color balance, locking cable release.

2 rechargable flashlights (12 volt halogen).
one flashlight set up with inside a large translucent (white) spaggetti plastic storrage container. sort of set up like a strip light and used at 45 deg camera right for fill (that gave me my base exposure times).

the ohter flashlight was used to backlight, edge and main light by painting.

selective focus done with layers in photoshop.

the background was done in photoshop by manipulating a copy layer from the original layer, and in fact I was practicing a technique (that is better suited for mounting 3 or more images to one background) for making color matching mattes/backgrounds.

the bee was natural light with fill from a ringflash, I bee-lieve .

ps thanx Hefty1 javascript:emoticon('')

Brilliant, it sounds like it took ages to do. I'm doing some stuff just now for printing on acrylic and mounted off the wall on those little metal posts. I was toying with the idea of having a feint soft echo of the image on the 'frame' part so thanks for the pointer.

Ken

actually, it didn't take very long at all.....
I set up on my kitchen table (studio would've been better, but I needed to keep an eye on my little one while he got his last cartoon in,and prepped for bed).

start to finish about one hour.

the actual shot took about 45 sec.