I don't know if you're doing this on purpose in your processing, but there is serious posterization going on in these images. I've seen a bit of it in some of your other flower posts, but this time it really stands out. I'm certain this posterization is coming from heavy manipulation of the saturation and contrast controls. It gives the images a very gritty texture.
Interesting.
I don't see a bit of posterization in your posts. I wonder if anyone else here does.
Anyway, I like the intimate compositions and the lighting that you achieved here very much.
My favorite is #6 due to the uniqueness of the plant.
I never get tired of looking at your work. Thanks for sharing these and for the inspiration.
I very much like the posts. Your flower compositions are always very intimate and well done. I have a question about the lighting... Was a flash used for fill light? I especially like #6.
I fail to see the posterization either. Maybe a bit underexposed in #3, but nothing resembling posterization. I really like you macro shots too, keep em coming.
I don't see any posterization either. I think the dew adds some texture to the petals in #3, which might look like posterization, and variations in the background vegetation in #6 could also be mistaken for posterization, but I think these are part of the image, and not the result of over-processing. #6 is my favorite, and I'm not a big fan of the harsh light on #3.
Lovely photos, great work. I like them all.
Re the subject James... funnily enough Jackie the naturalist at Rocky Mtn Natl Park the other day (just happened to bump into her) invited me to smell the flowers, the alpine tundra flowers and after a few minutes when I was able to get down on the ground! I was astonished at what we found, incredible aromas and all wildly different from these tiny alpine flowers. Now if we could just get some of that into our pics, well the nice smells at least, wouldn't that be cool.
I'm not quite sure what posterization is so I'll just say the shots look a bit funky on my monitor - mostly in #1 and #2 but also a bit in #5 (which is my favorite color-wise) and #6 (which is my favorite composition-wise).
Let me say I appreciate every comment made so far on these images. I take to heart what you think of the work I'm doing.
I am always astounded by the wide variety of comments we seem to share here and the huge differences we seem to see on our Monitors. So with that thought , I figured I should try and answer any questions.
Ok. First within 20 min of posting these shots I went to work and pulled this post up on a 52" LCD Monitor in the TV Studio just to see how they would look and much to my delight they looked pretty much as they did on my Calibrated 22" LCD Monitor at home. As for processing. Here's what I did for all of them. I did some spotting and sizing for posting and that's it. No processing, color pushing, sharpening or any other little tricks.
As for on site lighting what you see is 100% natural light as it was hitting the subject at the time I shot it. No fill flash or reflected light at all.
My personal Fave is #2 and a few others I have yet to go through and post. I can't wait to share those soon.
James...I have to tell you...your macro flower shots are extremely well composed and executed.... I love the last one..... also like your favorite and the 5th one....keep it coming...regards, Rajeev.
I believe what could be happening is that the red channel is saturating in #3 and #4, and maybe dittos with the blue channel in #5. I often find the red channel over-saturates when photographing red flowers, such as the paintbrush above. You might also try using a diffusion screen to even out the contrastiness. Use of a diffuser could also help fix the tendency for certain color channels to over-saturate.
Discussion
18 repliesI don't know if you're doing this on purpose in your processing, but there is serious posterization going on in these images. I've seen a bit of it in some of your other flower posts, but this time it really stands out. I'm certain this posterization is coming from heavy manipulation of the saturation and contrast controls. It gives the images a very gritty texture.
http://www.dpreview.com/learn/?/key=posterization
Its certainly an artistic effect as used here, but it changes these fine images from photographs into digital art (IMO).
Anyways, the composition and contrast in these images is quite striking.
Mel-
I don't see a bit of posterization in your posts. I wonder if anyone else here does.
Anyway, I like the intimate compositions and the lighting that you achieved here very much.
My favorite is #6 due to the uniqueness of the plant.
I never get tired of looking at your work. Thanks for sharing these and for the inspiration.
Re the subject James... funnily enough Jackie the naturalist at Rocky Mtn Natl Park the other day (just happened to bump into her) invited me to smell the flowers, the alpine tundra flowers and after a few minutes when I was able to get down on the ground! I was astonished at what we found, incredible aromas and all wildly different from these tiny alpine flowers. Now if we could just get some of that into our pics, well the nice smells at least, wouldn't that be cool.
I am always astounded by the wide variety of comments we seem to share here and the huge differences we seem to see on our Monitors. So with that thought , I figured I should try and answer any questions.
Ok. First within 20 min of posting these shots I went to work and pulled this post up on a 52" LCD Monitor in the TV Studio just to see how they would look and much to my delight they looked pretty much as they did on my Calibrated 22" LCD Monitor at home. As for processing. Here's what I did for all of them. I did some spotting and sizing for posting and that's it. No processing, color pushing, sharpening or any other little tricks.
As for on site lighting what you see is 100% natural light as it was hitting the subject at the time I shot it. No fill flash or reflected light at all.
My personal Fave is #2 and a few others I have yet to go through and post. I can't wait to share those soon.
Thanks again for your feedback!
I believe what could be happening is that the red channel is saturating in #3 and #4, and maybe dittos with the blue channel in #5. I often find the red channel over-saturates when photographing red flowers, such as the paintbrush above. You might also try using a diffusion screen to even out the contrastiness. Use of a diffuser could also help fix the tendency for certain color channels to over-saturate.
Keep them coming!
Ken