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#21
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"The Bill Mattocks" wrote in message
m... (MDCORE) wrote in message ... I would suggest spot metering the white petals of the flower and opening up a stop to keep them light with detail. Maybe take a second shot at 1 1\2 stops open to lighten it a little more. OK, I think I understand here. Spot metering the petals gives me the appropriate exposure for an 18% grey card, and the white petals ain't - so open up a stop. Is that correct? I wouldn't worry about the green foliage so much, as long as the flower isn't blown out. There's nothing worse than blown out highlights- blocked up shadow areas are much less objectionable. Fair enough, I guess since the foliage is not the subject of the photo? A third approach would be to diffuse the light on the flower- I some times use an umbrella to shade the flower and the background, sometimes a reflector. This will cut down on the difference in exposure between the sunlit white petals and the foliage. You can also use a second reflector to bounce a controlled amount of light back onto the flower- controlled by the distance of the reflector to the subject (closer for more light, further back for less). OK, this would be new to me, but I'm guessing that proper lighting techniques are something I am going to have to tackle at some point anyway. I understand your point about reducing the difference between the petals and the foliage. Excellent explanation, thanks! Coming late to this thread, these are exactly the three points I would have made if I hadn't been beaten to it. Just one thing to add: you can diffuse the light when it is contrasty, and or use a reflector to bounce light back into the shadows - but the other option is to use light that isn't contrasty to begin with. Macro flower shots are often particularly nice on days when the sky is cloudy and the whole sky then acts as one big diffuser/reflector. Flower pictures taken during light rain can be very good too. If you never get overcast weather and soft light while the flowers are out where you live, try shooting some at dawn just before the sun breaks the horizon - that can be a lovely light. If the very early morning light makes the flowers too pink in colour, use a pale blue filter from the 82 series - an 82A is usually enough. John Shaw's book called (something like) "Closeups in Nature" gets recommended a lot, with good reason. It's a very good introduction (more than you'll need in some areas). You can probably get it from the library. Peter |
#22
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The Bill Mattocks wrote:
(MDCORE) wrote in message ... I would suggest spot metering the white petals of the flower and opening up a stop to keep them light with detail. Maybe take a second shot at 1 1\2 stops open to lighten it a little more. OK, I think I understand here. Spot metering the petals gives me the appropriate exposure for an 18% grey card, and the white petals ain't - so open up a stop. Is that correct? Maybe I'm completely missing the point, but wouldn't it be far simpler to just take along a grey card? -- Angela M. Cable Paint Shop Pro 9 Private Beta Tester Neocognition, digital scrapbooking source: http://www.neocognition.com/ PSP Tutorial Links: http://www.psplinks.com/ 5th Street Studio, free graphics, websets and mo http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/alaia/354/ |
#23
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"Angela M. Cable" wrote in message
news The Bill Mattocks wrote: (MDCORE) wrote in message ... I would suggest spot metering the white petals of the flower and opening up a stop to keep them light with detail. Maybe take a second shot at 1 1\2 stops open to lighten it a little more. OK, I think I understand here. Spot metering the petals gives me the appropriate exposure for an 18% grey card, and the white petals ain't - so open up a stop. Is that correct? Maybe I'm completely missing the point, but wouldn't it be far simpler to just take along a grey card? That's what I said. I don't think you need a spot meter for macro flower shots but each to his own I guess. -- Angela M. Cable Paint Shop Pro 9 Private Beta Tester Neocognition, digital scrapbooking source: http://www.neocognition.com/ PSP Tutorial Links: http://www.psplinks.com/ 5th Street Studio, free graphics, websets and mo http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/alaia/354/ |
#24
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"Angela M. Cable" wrote in message
news The Bill Mattocks wrote: (MDCORE) wrote in message ... I would suggest spot metering the white petals of the flower and opening up a stop to keep them light with detail. Maybe take a second shot at 1 1\2 stops open to lighten it a little more. OK, I think I understand here. Spot metering the petals gives me the appropriate exposure for an 18% grey card, and the white petals ain't - so open up a stop. Is that correct? Maybe I'm completely missing the point, but wouldn't it be far simpler to just take along a grey card? That's what I said. I don't think you need a spot meter for macro flower shots but each to his own I guess. -- Angela M. Cable Paint Shop Pro 9 Private Beta Tester Neocognition, digital scrapbooking source: http://www.neocognition.com/ PSP Tutorial Links: http://www.psplinks.com/ 5th Street Studio, free graphics, websets and mo http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/alaia/354/ |
#25
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That's what I said. I don't think you need a spot meter for macro flower
shots but each to his own I guess. Yes, of course a gray card would work. I do just about all of my metering in spot mode- I just adjust for the tonality of what is in the spot circle and shoot. After 19 years of shooting this way, it's just habit- and you get pretty good at judging tones. As mentioned in another response- even a gray card reading might have to be adjusted for a sunlit white subject. By spot metering the flower and then bringing the reading up to keep the flower white, I don't have to worry about the difference between the subject and the gray card- having to meter both, check the EV difference between the two to make sure it is within the film's latitude, and then adjust if necessary. As you said- to each his (or her) own....... Dukephoto |
#26
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That's what I said. I don't think you need a spot meter for macro flower
shots but each to his own I guess. Yes, of course a gray card would work. I do just about all of my metering in spot mode- I just adjust for the tonality of what is in the spot circle and shoot. After 19 years of shooting this way, it's just habit- and you get pretty good at judging tones. As mentioned in another response- even a gray card reading might have to be adjusted for a sunlit white subject. By spot metering the flower and then bringing the reading up to keep the flower white, I don't have to worry about the difference between the subject and the gray card- having to meter both, check the EV difference between the two to make sure it is within the film's latitude, and then adjust if necessary. As you said- to each his (or her) own....... Dukephoto |
#27
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but if you don't have one
then use something nearby that is in the same light as the subject and reflects the same amount of light as middle gray. Examples of this are green grass, green bushes, even medium gray pavement. You can always meter the palm of your hand in the same light as your subject and open up 1 stop. An instant gray card! Dukephoto |
#28
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"MDCORE" wrote in message
... Yes, of course a gray card would work. I do just about all of my metering in spot mode- I just adjust for the tonality of what is in the spot circle and shoot. After 19 years of shooting this way, it's just habit- and you get pretty good at judging tones. After 26 years in photography I find that many people have difficulty judging tones. A gray card is a cheap fix for this problem and an invaluable teaching aid for a beginner like the OP. As mentioned in another response- even a gray card reading might have to be adjusted for a sunlit white subject. By spot metering the flower and then bringing the reading up to keep the flower white, I don't have to worry about the difference between the subject and the gray card- having to meter both, check the EV difference between the two to make sure it is within the film's latitude, and then adjust if necessary. Yes a gray card is not always the perfect solution and it does have it's limitations but should be acceptable considering the situation, equipment and experience level of the OP. I'm writing a pamphlet/book on the subject of light measurement right now. Many of the photography books I have read get this subject wrong to some extent. I hope to improve this situation. As you said- to each his (or her) own....... Dukephoto |
#29
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"MDCORE" wrote in message
... Yes, of course a gray card would work. I do just about all of my metering in spot mode- I just adjust for the tonality of what is in the spot circle and shoot. After 19 years of shooting this way, it's just habit- and you get pretty good at judging tones. After 26 years in photography I find that many people have difficulty judging tones. A gray card is a cheap fix for this problem and an invaluable teaching aid for a beginner like the OP. As mentioned in another response- even a gray card reading might have to be adjusted for a sunlit white subject. By spot metering the flower and then bringing the reading up to keep the flower white, I don't have to worry about the difference between the subject and the gray card- having to meter both, check the EV difference between the two to make sure it is within the film's latitude, and then adjust if necessary. Yes a gray card is not always the perfect solution and it does have it's limitations but should be acceptable considering the situation, equipment and experience level of the OP. I'm writing a pamphlet/book on the subject of light measurement right now. Many of the photography books I have read get this subject wrong to some extent. I hope to improve this situation. As you said- to each his (or her) own....... Dukephoto |
#30
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"MDCORE" wrote in message
... but if you don't have one then use something nearby that is in the same light as the subject and reflects the same amount of light as middle gray. Examples of this are green grass, green bushes, even medium gray pavement. You can always meter the palm of your hand in the same light as your subject and open up 1 stop. Indeed. Provided the OP doesn't forget to open up 1 stop. The examples of middle gray I cited above make such a mistake impossible. An instant gray card! Pink card? Dukephoto |
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