A wee unofficial challenge - for the flower macro heads

elven · 16-03-2007 12:39pm #1

Just something I've been thinking about recently.

I thought daffodils were difficult to shoot, because they are a) an awkward shape and b) so unique that they are instantly recognisable and so any good pictures usually still look like a big fat cliché.

Then a friend posted this which got me thinking about trying really hard to come up with something a bit different, and after a trip to the florist yesterday (no, I didn't go and pick them from someone's garden!) I came home, set up with a single 60watt spotlamp and let loose with my extension tubes...

I plan to have another go at it, possibly using flash (diffused) and maybe even trying for some black & white shots.

Anyone else fancy taking up the challenge for an original daffodil picture?

sineadw · 16-03-2007 12:49pm

I saw the shots you've put up in the last day or so. Every one of them is gorgeous - I didn't have the time or the extended vocabulary to comment on each without repeating my enthusiasm over and over :rolleyes: Oh for some sleep!

I've wanted to have a serious go at flowers for a while now, and my folks' back garden is bursting with stuff at the moment, daffs included (and my apple tree is finally waking up!

). This is the prod I need - I'll see what time and light and EU-film-mountain leave me with

bovril · 16-03-2007 1:11pm

I'll give it a shot. I can guarantee I won't be much of a challenge to anybody but God loves a trier.

latchiko · 16-03-2007 2:24pm

I tried to do something a bit different with a daffodil last week, well at least different for me! Here's what I was happiest with..

However, it turned out to be a bit soft when I printed it so I must try a reshoot.
Elven, I really like your first shot. Very nice.

bovril · 16-03-2007 2:35pm

great shots.. both of you.. beginning to wish I hadnt agreed to try it out..

minikin · 16-03-2007 3:19pm

Hi Elven,

Your second shot is fantastic - brilliant for a layout, would make a really nice greeting card!
The brown petal is a bit too dominant in the first shot, have youany shots of the background petals that exclude it.. there's a really nice composition going on with them.

CraggyIslander · 16-03-2007 4:11pm

My first attempt, still can see it's a daffodil tho (less so in 2 and 3):

Muineach · 16-03-2007 6:58pm

I've also tried working with daffodils, what I've done is fill a jar with water and red food dye, then wait for the change, the problem is it seems to have a short life with the difference between a healthy plant and a dying plant being only about a few hours

It's worth trying out

kjt · 19-03-2007 11:54pm

I like the 1st shot Fred.

Here's my try at it. This one isn't a macro but meh :P.

latchiko · 20-03-2007 8:55am

Here are two more attempts. It's still obvious that it's a daffodil, but a little more abstract than the "typical" daffodil shots (I hope!)

daffodil%20017.jpg