I've got a quick question for you...I've just bought some decent flowers and want to do some indoor macros...and was curious to hear what others do for lighting subjects such as this...
Posted by Ned Fenimore on April 14, 2006 at 9:24 PM
Rick - one thing I like to do, (if the sun is cooperative), is to photograph near a window - trying to use as much natural lighting as possible. I think it is the best all around - I've had more frustration trying to use flash to a degree, than I like.
Posted by Ned Fenimore on April 14, 2006 at 9:25 PM
Oh - that is not to say I like direct light either - just even diffused lighting is good...
I use a Canon 550EX as the master/on-camera and a Canon 420EX as a remote slave via the infrared trigger. Fiddlin with the power levels and working the composition is a ton O fun!!
Posted by Rick Lundh on April 14, 2006 at 10:50 PM
Dang Rick...I REALLY llove the lighting on those irises! I'm gonna go online right now and buy some diffusers...I keep forgetting to...
Posted by Ned Fenimore on April 15, 2006 at 10:59 AM
Rick I sent you an important email....check it!!
Posted by Mike Jordan on April 15, 2006 at 11:16 AM
Almost all of my flower shots were taken indoors with my monolights. Natural light is good, but the good light is only around for a few hours each day and it comes with rain and mud a lot of times.
I use softboxes on my lights, but I've also used diffusers and reflectors to soften the light. I also like using pinpoint light to light up just the flowers themselves and not the background and surrounding area. I've been waiting all year for the Easter Lilys come to come back around, I love shooting those flowers. Here are a few Lily shots I've posted in the past:
You don't really need strobes or monolights. Some of my flowers I've used just the modling lights or other incadesent lighting. If you use incondesent lighting, you can use several layers of white cloth to diffuse it. It doesn't matter your shutter speed since you are shooting a static object with your camera on a tripod (another advantage of indoors, no wind). Just be sure to color balance your light or shoot a black/white or McBeth card with one of the shots so you can adjust your color balance easily during post processing. I just picked up a WhiBal White Balance reference card that I've started using. It's small but gives me black/white/gray reference points. Other wise I use my 14" Digital Calibration Target or a McBeth chart and sometimes a gray card.
Richard, I've seen your Iris before and thought it was great then. It's still a great shot.
Mike
Posted by Ned Fenimore on April 15, 2006 at 12:00 PM
Discussion
7 repliesThe Octopus!
Here is an example of what I've created with the above:
Irises
I use a Canon 550EX as the master/on-camera and a Canon 420EX as a remote slave via the infrared trigger. Fiddlin with the power levels and working the composition is a ton O fun!!
I use softboxes on my lights, but I've also used diffusers and reflectors to soften the light. I also like using pinpoint light to light up just the flowers themselves and not the background and surrounding area. I've been waiting all year for the Easter Lilys come to come back around, I love shooting those flowers. Here are a few Lily shots I've posted in the past:
http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/lily6598x5.jpg
http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/lilyyel6500.jpg
http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/lily6231bwa.jpg
http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/lily6242bw.jpg
http://www.sitnprettyphoto.com/display/lily6305.jpg
You don't really need strobes or monolights. Some of my flowers I've used just the modling lights or other incadesent lighting. If you use incondesent lighting, you can use several layers of white cloth to diffuse it. It doesn't matter your shutter speed since you are shooting a static object with your camera on a tripod (another advantage of indoors, no wind). Just be sure to color balance your light or shoot a black/white or McBeth card with one of the shots so you can adjust your color balance easily during post processing. I just picked up a WhiBal White Balance reference card that I've started using. It's small but gives me black/white/gray reference points. Other wise I use my 14" Digital Calibration Target or a McBeth chart and sometimes a gray card.
Richard, I've seen your Iris before and thought it was great then. It's still a great shot.
Mike