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Post by WillyCKH on Feb 28, 2017 19:50:27 GMT -5
Hello everyone, I know that I'm a newbie when it comes to photography but since many people have asked me how to make the Black-Background plant-Portraits, I'd like to share with you here. I'm no expert in photography, I have only studied photo-11 in high school and learned this & that on my own. So please forgive and correct me if I am using some terms or concept wrong. D. capensis 'Red'
VFT
A flower of a D. spatulata 'Tamlin'
I've learned One Light Photography method from my photography class, we have done it with people instead of plants. The method itself is simple and the setup is relatively low cost. The black background helps the colors and details jump out - it is not good for dark or dull objects. The most challenging thing in this method is constructing an image in your mind before taking the photos. As you have more experiences with taking photos, you will be able to spot the perfect angle and have the clear idea of how you want the photo to be. Like a cooking recipe, you will need to prepare the ingredients and follow the steps, but nothing is absolute, you can adjust and create your own way once you have understood the basics. Ingredients:1 x camera (smart phone might work, or not) 1 x black foam-board, or equivalent 1 x LED spotlight, or equivalent 1 x reflector (optional) Steps:1. Setup the plant 2. Set the exposure to lower than 0, accordingly; Usually -1.3 to -1.7 would be good; it depends on how bright your light, and how far it is away from your plant. 3. Take some photos! 4. Enjoy. D. adelaeBehind the scene:
I hope that's helpful! Best, Willy
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Post by ep31 on Mar 1, 2017 9:52:01 GMT -5
Thanks for doing a tutorial on this! Your pictures of your plants are always so beautiful. I'm going to experiment with this as soon as I can find something black for the background....
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Post by vraev on Mar 2, 2017 1:23:36 GMT -5
Beautiful shots Willy.
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Post by WillyCKH on Mar 2, 2017 2:56:22 GMT -5
Thank you
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Post by chamelea on Mar 2, 2017 19:27:27 GMT -5
This is so helpful! And seems surprisingly easy! I'm ready for some picture-taking. 😎
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Post by nimbulan on Mar 5, 2017 11:14:06 GMT -5
Nice technique! I might have to try this, though I often have difficulty extracting specific plants from my grow area since I really pack them in there.
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Post by kawarthapine on Mar 10, 2017 23:13:11 GMT -5
Willy:
Great thread.
If I understand correctly, you are pushing your f stops.
Can you offer any suggestions as far as your experience with film speed (eg. 100, 200, 400, 1000 asa)?
I usually use higher asa of 400-600 for low light shots, so I can use higher shutter speeds, but as our plants are still models I presume this is less of an issue.
Are you using shutter speeds below 1/60th of a sec?
Thx!
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Post by WillyCKH on Mar 11, 2017 0:07:08 GMT -5
One great advantage of lowering the exposure is that you can get faster shuttle speed. Usually I shoot with 1/125 or faster, when I am not using tripod.
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Post by kawarthapine on Mar 11, 2017 8:40:49 GMT -5
One great advantage of lowering the exposure is that you can get faster shuttle speed. Usually I shoot with 1/125 or faster, when I am not using tripod. Thanks Willy: Going to experiment this weekend as I will hibernating ... our balmy March break temps in Ontario are between -15 & -30 w wind chill! Yikes. Please send us some warm bc weather.
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Post by WillyCKH on Mar 11, 2017 11:30:59 GMT -5
The weather is rather weird in here, it is still cold, raining and snowing... Let me know how it goes! Willy
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