Close up with wide angle lens

If you would like to post, you'll need to register. Note that if you have a BCG store account, you'll need a new, separate account here (we keep the two sites separate for security purposes).

B

Bob k.

Active member
Member's gallery
Recently I was up in the redwoods and I was challenged to try shooting in a way that is new to me. I typical use my wide 20 mm lens for milky way photos, so for a change I decided to use it for some closeup pictures of flowers. My goal was to show the flower in its environment. Here are a couple of images that I thought turned out OK. I would appreciate you feedback and suggestions. Sorry, I don't know the name of the flowers.

DSC_8281-2.JPG
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
1653964025479.jpeg
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Member's gallery
Very nice Bob and great use of a wider lens to include some environment which isn't always easy in macro shots.

I particularly like the second image for overall composition and less of the bright sky filtering between the background trees.

Great stuff!
 
Member's gallery
Thanks for the comments. Wink, I also like the deeper colors in the first shot. DR, I see the problem with the bright sky. If I cropped out a little more of the sky would it reduce that problem?
DSC_8281-2.JPG
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
 
Member's gallery
Wonderful idea.

I have a friend that shoots a lot of wide angle close ups. The idea is similar to your examples - to show some context for the subject. You might want to try some additional versions with more DOF. It will provide a little more context for the environment.
 
Member's gallery
I really like #2 and like the concept of showing the whole environment.

Have you tried focus stacking on your Z6II with this lens? Stacking on the Z6II is really easy to do, and it would put everything in focus which would be stunning!

The hardest part of the stack is figuring out what is really the "closest" element in the image! I switch the camera to focus peaking to make sure what I thought was the closest, actually was!

The closest point is pretty obvious with this image but you can be wrong with an insect.
 
I like the first one, the way it shows off the rise of land and the light between the trees. But I find the fern distracting, so I like your crop. I might be tempted to remove more of the fern, but that will involve some hand work with brushes. Maybe see what the patch tool or content aware fill can do, but I suspect it will involve either the clone tool or healing brushes.
 
Plantnet thinks it is an Oxalis of some kind. Maybe broadleaf woodsorrel or redwood sorrel or violet woodsorrel.
 
Member's gallery
Eric and Andrew,
I did think about focus stacking, when I started looking at the pictures on the computer. You are right, the Z6 makes the focus stacking process much easier. For these pictures I really like the shallow depth of field and the way it makes the flower stand out from the rest of the scene. I know that I said I wanted to show the flower in it's environment and I guess even with the back ground blurred out you still do get a sense of the plant's environment while the flower still remains the center of attention.

Thanks to all of you for the feedback, your comments have given me a lot to think about. It always surprises me the things I don't see when I am working on a picture until someone else points them out to me and then they are so obvious. Thanks again for the thoughts and comments.
 
Member's gallery
Bob k. said:
Thanks for the comments. Wink, I also like the deeper colors in the first shot. DR, I see the problem with the bright sky. If I cropped out a little more of the sky would it reduce that problem?View attachment 40035
Click to expand...

I am probably not the right guy to ask, frankly, I like the picture as is. I think you could do a Linear Gradient filter and keep the composition as is, while slightly darkening the top portion of the photo. I might like it even more if the brightness of the top left hand corner was subtly reduced.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top