The Flower Thread - Page 6

**Dori1960** · 08-13-2011, 11:18 AM

Wonderful flower shots!!! Beautiful colors on all!

**WereBo** · 08-13-2011, 12:53 PM

Beautifully vivid pics sjb, very rich and vibrant.

yustr · 08-13-2011, 06:58 PM

Rose of Sharon bud - will have all phases tomorrow.

**WereBo** · 08-14-2011, 04:38 AM

A beautifully detailed pic yustr, the maroon contrasts wonderfully with the greenery

**Done_Fishin** · 08-14-2011, 05:24 AM

and a beautifully out of focus background

DonaldG · 08-16-2011, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Done_Fishin

and a beautifully out of focus background

The out of focus background (and foreground) is known as 'bokeh'.

Where bokeh is required, so to enhance the subject matter, it is desirable to have a narrow depth of field. One way of getting a goodly amount of bokeh is by using the widest aperture that you can. Another way is to use a telephoto lens and shoot from a distance, again with a wide aperture.

Focusing on the subject matter must also be precise for the effect to become absolute. Note the point of focus on yustr's photo. On the tip of the foreground bud. That is where the main interest of the image is. The rest, in bokeh, is supplementary to and in support of that.

I nice capture.

**Done_Fishin** · 08-16-2011, 07:09 AM

Thanks for reminding me of the terminology Donald .. I had forgotten it .. I seem to remember reading that the perfect bokeh is when the background blurs into small circles of colour ..

**Acuta73** · 08-16-2011, 09:44 PM

Not sure if this is a flower or boat or landscape image (I wanted the flower pastels to fit with the boats, but I think I over did it). It fits into all. I should have had more sky, less blacktop, and put the flowers more to center of field. But the color saturation is sure nice, even though I'm still getting noise/aberration in the background trees.

Port of Garibaldi, Oregon

The garbage can just ain't helping any, but what can you do?

**WereBo** · 08-17-2011, 01:58 AM

WOW!!! That's some 'Sea of Masts'

It sorta works though, with the masts highlighted against the dark trees backdrop, it gives a wonderful jumbled look to the harbour.

As a suggestion, if you get a lot closer to the flower-planter (traffic permitting) and kneel/squat down so you're either parallel or slightly below the plants themselves, a wide-angle setting and a shallow DoF should give you what I think you're after

**Done_Fishin** · 08-17-2011, 03:07 AM

I agree and you'd also lose the garbage can, wooden pole and the overhead cable .. I would probably have gone in close to get the flowers up close with out of focus boats plus a second one with boats in focus through out of focus flowers .. just to see how it looked. Altering the background behind the flowers & masts if possible to get a good contrast. Requires time though to do that and if with company they need to be patient with you .. or let them walk on

**Dori1960** · 08-17-2011, 06:26 AM

I agree with what has been said. A lot of times changing your position will give you a better shot. Over all this shot is well done! The colors of the flowers are well balanced!

**Acuta73** · 08-17-2011, 03:04 PM

Traffic was kinda the issue, the port road is one-way and rather busy. I probably could have made it a bit closer for better composition, but the "best" woulda been kneeling in the middle of the road (probably not a good plan...lol).

To my left was cars, trees, and a building so I couldn't get far that way, either.

I may try a crop and clone out that wire and see what happens? (I'd lose the blue boat in the crop, but still worth a go)

**Dori1960** · 08-17-2011, 03:24 PM

No shot is worth getting run over! I would like to see what you can come up with your crop!

**Acuta73** · 08-17-2011, 03:53 PM

Well, I gave it a try, not the best at correcting photos (I usually only use these programs for image mapping for CGI), but....here's my attempt:

**WereBo** · 08-17-2011, 04:38 PM

Mmmmm.... That's lots better

Not only have you got the subject you were after, you've lost all the unwanted 'street-furniture' too.

You've now salvaged a great photo, nice one

**Done_Fishin** · 08-18-2011, 03:02 AM

Nicely done ...

**Acuta73** · 08-18-2011, 04:28 AM

Thank you both.

And special thanks to Done_Fishin for an easy "push" in the direction I needed to go!

**Done_Fishin** · 08-18-2011, 04:36 AM

They scratch my back, I scratch someone elses ...

That's what this forum is all about .. helping each other .. with the idea of improvement ..

**Dori1960** · 08-18-2011, 05:55 AM

With the crop you nailed this shot!!!

**Acuta73** · 08-27-2011, 04:09 PM

Got stuck in Spokane, Wa this week for an extra day (long story), thankfully I was prepared for boredom and brought my camera with me. Spent an hour in the parking lot at the hotel wandering around looking for things to shoot. Amazing what you can find in August in a Super 8 parking lot!

Flowers past:

Live ones:

So close...SOOOO CLOSE!!

I tried for a bit to get this shot right, but had to give up and go to bed.