Flower in my yard using a new technique (for me)

After a lot of Bryan Peterson and Joe McNally reading I tried a new method for me.
I metered the sky to be underexposed and used a flash to light the flowers. It makes for a neat contrast. I also went into nik viveza and boosted the whites.

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and here is using aperture mode at f8 and matrix metering and letting the camera make its own decision:
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Ditto.

 

That really looks great! ; Especially compared to the standard shot, which might have been nice on its own, but looks so dull and faded next to the first.

I love those contrast differences...in fact, one we here in Florida have seen many times, and I'm sure you are familiar with: ; When a huge thunderstorm is approaching, and the sky is broiling black/grey color, yet where you are is still sunlit - the contrast of the sunlit green trees against the storm black sky...it's one of my favorite moments. ; An attempt to capture one of those classic Florida sunny/stormy moments at my house:



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thanks all!

Justin, you're right. Afternoon storms while you are still bathed in sunlight are really great.

And Gary, dont forget, when those giant storms come at 4pm, there is usually about 5 minutes of "cooler" air before you get drenched!

 

Yes you do...going to college there didn't feel too different from back home here in Florida. ; Same heat, humidity, ; thunderstorms, mosquitos, alligators, and water water everywhere swamps. ; Except on the upside Nawlins had better food and music, and on the downside those nasty acid-blood stinging caterpillars that drop from the trees and splat all over the place. ;

 

Great shots, Craig. ; I just went out and tried the technique on my apple tree.

1/500 at f/22:

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I really like this Craig and all. ; Craig, I think that a write up about this is in store for you! ; You have done so well on them in the past.

 

Dennis, those are great. this is so easy to do isn't it!?
Now I really want to get a diffuser and some gels to really start playing!

 

Thanks Poly. This is my first attempt at this, and I am completely copying techniques that Joe MCnally talks about, so I don't think I am qualified for an article on this one!
Here is my thought process though, if it helps:

From Bryan Peterson's tips, I put the camera in manual mode and metered the sky. I chose f9.5 to be sure that as much as the flowers were in focus as possible, but I only went to 9.5 because my sensor is so dirty that I didn't want specks to appear. I would have gone up to f11 or f16 if I wasn't worried about specks.

But here the real story is from Joe Mcnally from this blog he did last year:
http://www.joemcnally.com/blog/2008/09/05/vegas-baby-vegas/
This post really clicked in my head. He underexposed the ambient light so he could put it back with his flash. That is a really cool idea and something I want to keep experimenting with.

I chose to do this closer to sunset knowing that the sky would easily go to a dark blue underexposed. I also assumed the white flowers would really pop.
I also put the white balance to sunny instead of auto because I am not sure what the camera would do with the flash on.

This method from these two guys also reminds me that the camera is a tool, no smarter than a hammer.

 

Interesting thought process. ; I will have to go check out the blog and put some of these ideas to the test for myself. ; Thanks.

 

OK, forget my first picture!
I get off early today and decide to go to the yard to try my luck at taking pictures underexposed with flash again. I want to make sure I am in control and actually understand what it is I am doing. This time I put on my 80-400 to really fill the frame. I am doing it the same as before and getting the same results which makes me happy.
All of a sudden the flower just starts glowing!! From the Heavens above God throws a huge light ray at this flower I am shooting! The sky is still underexposing just perfect, but the flower and leaves are just glowing. I quickly turned the flash off, opened up the aperture 2 stops, and this is what I got!

 

thanks Gary!

 

Craig that is brilliant! ; The sky almost looks fake against the flower.