Ok, so maybe I am actually 'Macro Girl'... (c&c)

elven

It's been a fair while since I've done any pimping of my flickr, so here are a couple shots from the weekend that prove I just might deserve my Macro Girl title... and some others that prove I can do non-macro sometimes, too

Click the pictures for the flickr image page - any suggestions or comments are appreciated, as one would expect... especially tips for shooting blossom on trees because I found it to be bloody difficult!

thebaz

i have to say they are nice after all your ps help ..
anyway i really like the first one , the clarity/ blur effect really works and is striking !
did you use a polarised filter ?

Stephen

I really like that black and white one called "feathery" on your flickr.

kjt

Lovely shots, I just got me 30d and I'm loving macro's. I need to
get me a macro lense. I really like the third shot, of the slightls
blurry dazed blossoms. It give a nice summers comming feel to
the shot. My favourite has to be the last shot, really nice and
sharp, well focused

paudie

Almost time for those blossom pics again

I have an almost identical one to your first shot.

My only crit would be that the background in the last shot seems too dark I think, not a technical point just think the darkness takes away from the bright colours of the flower.

leinsterman

I'm sure there is some great quote along the lines of ... "to be able to see the beauty in the smallest things is ... " ...

As always your wee work is wonderful ... I really like the one on the white background ... very special ...

magicbastarder

Stephen wrote:

I really like that black and white one called "feathery" on your flickr.

what he said.

elven

Cheers guys

paudie wrote:

Almost time for those blossom pics again

I have an almost identical one to your first shot.

My only crit would be that the background in the last shot seems too dark I think, not a technical point just think the darkness takes away from the bright colours of the flower.

Hey, there's no almost, I think in a week or so it'll all have fallen off!

I know what you mean about the dark background, the reason it's like that is because I found there were too many distracting bits and that was the best way to make them less distracting - I also tend to work with a dark background quite often anyway like this one.

Does anyone know if there are trees with blossom in Phoenix park? I'd like to get some further away shots, if you know what I mean. Especially when the blossom starts to fall and does that pink carpet thing, oooh, it's soooo pretty!

paudie

elven wrote:

Cheers guys
Hey, there's no almost, I think in a week or so it'll all have fallen off!

Well there only starting to show in Limerick, maybe I'm looking at the wrong trees. :P

Abolsutely loving that linked pic, it's pretty much a perfect shot, nice one.

Dara Robinson

Love feathery and also love the detail in february sunshine. well done

JMcL

Lovely stuff Julie. +1 for feathery as well, I think it works really well.

I really like February sunshine as well, but I find the out of focus branch on the left a bit distracting, and I think the image would be stronger without it. Cropping it out will also decenter the bloom a bit which I think might strengthen the image even more

elven

I wasn't actually sure about whether that branch was distracting or not. But if I was to crop it out, the flower would be too close to the left of the frame and would have the same effect as a portrait when the person is looking straight out of the edge of the frame. I might try bringing the brightness of it down a smidgen instead....

PaulieC

Great Pics Julie. One question - in the 'oriental' pic, did you shoot against a white background or shoot against a blue sky and replace the background colour? It's definitely my favourite, whatever mathod you used

elven

Was a light grey sky - the sun wasn't far out of the shot. I used a fairly harsh blending mode (colour burn it may have been) to make the colours stronger and the grey bleached out, and then some levels with a layer mask to tidy up any patches that were left not completely white.

Hugh_C

"Feathery" is the dog's. Instant fave.

Borderfox

Very nice Julie, you can get a little arm with a clip on the end that holds on to the tripod and the object you want to take a picture of. Might make the macro end easier.

sineadw

Borderfox wrote:

Very nice Julie, you can get a little arm with a clip on the end that holds on to the tripod and the object you want to take a picture of. Might make the macro end easier.

Oooo link please???

Julie I love them. My instant fave would be backbone. I love simple designs. What was the original subject on that one?

I have two apple trees out my back garden that I've been willing into life for weeks now. I have a horrible feeling construction work last autumn killed them both off, but I'm out every morning checking the buds and planning my compositions

JMcL

sineadw wrote:

Oooo link please???

That'd be the Wimberley Plamp, linkee here (right at the bottom of that page). It might be cheaper elsewhere, I think you can buy direct from the manufacturer in the US, as Warehouse Express can be a bit pricey

elven

I thought they were a fabulous idea, but more for when you're in your back garden with a tripod. I shoot handheld when I'm out and about mostly, since the tripod is just too cumbersome - and I bet someone at the botanics would soon shoo me away if I was clipping their plants to stuff!