Bluebell

by WaypointCharlie

This is really what I went out for yesterday, armed with the macro lens. Unfortunately, the bluebells were about a week past their best.

It's all very well having a sturdy tripod, how do you keep the subject still? I can see including a wind break in my camera kit.

Pity the background isn't as dark and blurred out as I'd have liked. Perhaps I could have done with a reflector to increase the illumination on the subject. I'm going to need a larger camera bag.

Pentax K-5 II s
Tamron 90mm F2.8 Macro @ f/6.3
3 shot focus stack (the most I could manage with the thing moving)
Uploaded11/05/2015 - 08:19
CategoryFlowers & plants
Shutter Speed1/6
Aperturef/6.3
LensN/A
ISO80
Focal Length90mm
Views/Likes36/0
TagsN/A

alfpics
Posted 11/05/2015 - 10:15 Link
Quote:
how do you keep the subject still?

a Wimberley Plamp. I think you can only get them in this country from WEX in Norwich - very useful!
Still a nice attempt!
Andy
Edited by alfpics: 11/05/2015 - 10:15
WaypointCharlie
Posted 11/05/2015 - 10:30 Link
Quote:
a Wimberley Plamp. I think you can only get them in this country from WEX in Norwich - very useful!
Still a nice attempt!

Thanks. At first I thought you meant the plant was a Wimberley Plamp!

Another thing I realise would be useful is a set of gels for my newly acquired speedlite. How do you set about selecting the right gel to match the temperature of the ambient light, or is anything in the right direction better than nothing?
Edited by WaypointCharlie: 11/05/2015 - 11:00
alfpics
Posted 11/05/2015 - 11:09 Link
Flash is a good idea as well if you can balance its output with ambient light and not get the stark 'burnt-out'/ harsh look. My guess is if you shoot RAW you could simply do the colour correction later on the PC, thus doing away with the gels
Andy
WaypointCharlie
Posted 11/05/2015 - 11:35 Link
The trouble is, unless the flash is uniform, you cannot simply colour correct from raw because areas that receive less flash will require a different colour balance to those that receive a lot of flash. My understanding is that you overcome this by using gels to match the colour from the flash to that of the ambient light. I've had some terrible results with infill flash in gloomy woods and trying to colour balance PP.

You could take a focus stack using bright flash and balance to flash and a separate focus stack using ambient light. You then selectively blend PP with a mask. It's what I did with the honey fungus a few months ago, but that wasn't moving!
Edited by WaypointCharlie: 11/05/2015 - 11:38
alfpics
Posted 11/05/2015 - 11:56 Link
That's true re getting uniform colour balance - so gels would seem to be an answer. I only ever tried it once years ago with film when I had a colour filter on the camera lens, and its complementary on the flash to deliberately get the main subject 'correct' with a tinted background.
The other possible way to do it on PC is to use a programme that I have which is very little know yet is very powerful; Picture Window Pro. You can do very selective colour adjustments using its 'Selective Correction' tool. I don't tend to use its RAW converter as its not as easy to use say Lightroom. However having got a TIFF file - full 16bit etc, - the selective colour tool will allow you to tweak any colour and effectively 'anchor' others. You can download a 30-day fully working trial. It does take a bit of getting used to as it doesn't work in the same way as, LR or PS etc.
I have taken the liberty of copying your image and done a quick adjust to the green out of focus area top right-ish which I then 'pulled' out toward a deeper green. I also clicked a point on the stem to anchor that colour. Hope it shows in this re-posted image. (I think you might be able to buy this tool separately as a plug-in for PS).

Having just said what I have done with the image, I have just realised I can't attach an image in this reply. Not sure how to show you!
Andy
WaypointCharlie
Posted 11/05/2015 - 13:01 Link
Wow, thanks Andy. I'll look into Picture Window Pro.
Teaka53
Posted 11/05/2015 - 21:23 Link
Thanks to you both great information, not a bad shot either reminds me of a shepherds crock
Malc
actech12
Posted 14/05/2015 - 18:31 Link
alfpics wrote:
Flash is a good idea as well if you can balance its output with ambient light and not get the stark 'burnt-out'/ harsh look. My guess is if you shoot RAW you could simply do the colour correction later on the PC, thus doing away with the gels

How about firing it off-camera through a small reflecter/diffuser? They can be quite cheap (mine was free with a monthly mag a few years ago) + a lead for the flash or some cheapo Yongnuo wireless triggers (they actually work well and are plenty good enough for occasional use).

Regards,
Dave
Always blame the equipment!!!!

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