Anita's Photoblog
Phlox
Posted by Anita (West Nottingham, United States) on 26 May 2008 in Plant & Nature and Portfolio.
Hand held and getting very close.
*****THANK YOU FOR VISITING ANITA'S PHOTOBLOG!*****
I welcome your honest critique, especially if they will improve my photography.
If I have made a mistake in a flower identification, please let me know!
A few words about the EXIF data, beginning in April when I began using Nikon D300 and the Sigma 105mm macro: My new camera and macro lens record the relative or effective f stop, not the one seen on the lens. For an explanation of this, go to the next to the last question at this site.
@Ekaputra Tupamahu: So glad you like it. Thanks for visiting!!
Betty from New Jersey, United States
Wow, excellent for handheld! Well done, Anita.
26 May 2008 10:22am
@Betty: Thanks, Betty. I was using a very shallow dof, with a wide open aperture f2.8, in an attempt to find interesting pictures. Another one of my experiments.
Ron from Saint Louis, United States
Anita, this is stunning! I love the soft focus in fore and background and the tack sharp focus in the center ... it has such an artful feel to it. The colors are magnificent, as well! So, is your new macro lens 150 mm f/2.8? I was just reading on Canon's website that macro lenses can be used quite effectively (with super sharp results) for portraiture and other general photography.
26 May 2008 11:17am
@Ron: Thank you for your comments, Ron. I was going for a softer feel.
To answer your questions. My new macro is 100mm f2.8 Minolta ($500)(my camera is a Konica-Minolta). The 50mm macro would require me to get too close to my subject. The 180mm macro was too expensive. I don't think Minolta/Sony (Sony purchased Konica-Minolta) makes a 150mm. I, too, have read that macro's (especially around 100mm) make excellent portrait lenses, though some consider them too sharp for portraits (people don't want all their blemishes to show). I don't do portraits, so I don't have any experience. I went with a macro lens because my photography has evolved toward close-ups of flowers, and I had outgrown the capabilities of a cheap macro lens I had purchased second hand.
Betsy Barron from United States
first off, this is handheld?? AMAZING! Your macros are getting better and better each time!
26 May 2008 11:54am
@Betsy Barron: Thank you so much, Betsy! Re. hand-held: there were lots of deleted photos to get one good one. :-)
Chris from South Jersey, United States
Wonderful (and all the more amazing that it is handheld). I still need to get a light tripod to start using more and so I appreciate your comment about the number of deleted photos! This one is really beautiful - definately a keeper....
26 May 2008 12:31pm
@Chris: Thanks, Chris! I use a tripod 90% of the time. When taking this photo, I'd taken quite a few with a tripod, and then, just to play around, shot a bunch hand-held.
@Stefan: Thank you, Stefan.
Koushiro~光子郎 from Singapore, Singapore
Wow! Great macro there! I must say that you really are getting very very good with that macro lens! Well done! The flower looks really picturesque, can hardly believe it's real!
26 May 2008 2:56pm
@Koushiro~光子郎: Thank you for your kind words, Koushiro. I am having a great time experimenting and learning with the new lens!
Namaki from Bordeaux, France
there's a nice movement in that picture and nice colours too !
26 May 2008 5:15pm
@Namaki: Thank you, Namaki, for visiting and commenting!
@Scotfot: Thanks, Scot!
Marcie from United States
It almost feels like a soft cushion you could easily sink yourself in to. Beautiful soft and selective focus.
26 May 2008 6:58pm
@Marcie: Thanks! I could have sunk into the soft cushion after bending over taking these photos!
Ronnie 2¢ from London, United Kingdom
I could see this as the entrance to some vast time-warp . . exceptional macro.
26 May 2008 7:54pm
@Ronnie 2¢: Thanks!
@Earnest: Thank you.
@Arash: Thanks, Arash.
David Ross from Bryn Mawr, United States
Namaki and Ronnie 2¢ spoke my mind: I see colorful sand or liquid rushing into an abyss! What a delightful experiment.
27 May 2008 4:58pm
Mary from Exton, United States
anita, i love this!!! what a great photo!!!! nicely done!
27 May 2008 5:32pm
Jeffster from Long Island, United States
Good use of dof. The colors work so well together.
28 May 2008 1:06am
@Jeffster: Thank you!
Sergei Z from Turi, Estonia
It is really interesting image. I like the angle of this picture. Beautiful!
28 May 2008 10:45am
@Sergei Z: Thank you.
Nataly from Santa Monica, United States
This is a great photo, Anita! Almost abstract. The out of focus petals was a very good choice.
3 Jun 2008 4:35am
@Nataly: Thank you, Natalie. I'm glad you like it!
Konica Minolta MAXXUM 5D
1/250 second
F/2.8
ISO 200
150 mm (35mm equiv.)