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dandelion
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dandelion

by Holly Morris

Gallery: FloraPosted October 19, 201257 views4 comments
I was having trouble finding subjects to photograph this day, looked down and say this dandelion. I had never photographed a dandelion before... getting the fluff in focus, was my goal...

f/5.6
exposure 1/60 sec
iso 400
focal length 50mm
no flash

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by Bob&Charly Nelson on October 19, 2012 at 4:24 PM
A couple of suggestions here Holly, and I am no pro. The composition needs more room on the left, I don't know what the pinkish subject is below the dandelion, but it really distracts from the subject . I think you are trying to shoot this where it grows, which isn't always the best option. Since it is presumed to be a weed, I would pluck it. Put, clamp, tape it to something where you have a great distance between it and a BG, and then shoot it where you can use greater depth of focus (like F18). I'm not nit-piken this at all, but it is what works for me.
Bob :wavey:
Registered on October 27, 2005, 289 Posts, 4202 Comments
Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on October 20, 2012 at 11:51 AM
Holly : Robert has made some helpful suggestions. I would add that, while the exposure is good, you have got the central parts of the dandelion sharp but not the outer areas. It all depends, of course, on what you want to achieve, but maybe shooting at a number of different apertures would allow you to see the varying results, especially if you thought it might be best to get the whole dandelion head sharp.
Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments
Comment posted by Karen Kane on October 21, 2012 at 2:08 PM
Hi Holly,

Robert and Ian have given some good comments already. I would add that, another alternative to plucking the flower/seed-head is to change your own perspective. I've had success with some dandelion images by lying on the ground and finding an angle where the nearest object is some distance away, so the background blurs out nicely and becomes less distracting.

Registered on August 4, 2012, 66 Posts, 726 Comments
Comment posted by Mark Stahlke on October 23, 2012 at 6:36 PM
I like the pinkish stuff at the bottom. It feels like it's connected to the dandelion. I agree it could use a little more room on the left.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 97 Posts, 782 Comments