Yellow Tiger Lily

[Discus-n00b]

Nothing to exciting here. These have been blooming like crazy right now and they were to good to pass up the opportunity. All with available natural light. I need to get a focus rail so I can do proper focus stacking.

Yellow Lilly by Matt, on Flickr
Yellow Lilly by Matt, on Flickr
Yellow Lilly by Matt, on Flickr
Yellow Lilly by Matt, on Flickr
Yellow Lilly by Matt, on Flickr

[Discus-n00b]

Here is a yellow/orange version I never posted.
Orangeyellowflower by Matt, on Flickr

[two utes]

Lovely Matt.
How do you black out the background? and I'm also interested to know what 'focus rail' is.

[Discus-n00b]

Thanks Joe, I select everything around the flower in photoshop and just turn it black. Really after I select everything, I select the inverse which is the flower and create a new layer with it so that I can add in a full black background layer behind it and can blend it easier. I use the Magic Wand tool and Quick Selection tool depending on the photo. Some are tougher than others if they have busy backgrounds or the same colors the flower has in it. Harder to isolate that way. The best way I've found is to shoot the photo a little darker overall so your shadows will be naturally dark and then it's easier to select/black out the area in post and you can bump up the exposure on the subject. I should do some tutorials on it sometime.

A focus rail is just a rail that would sit on top of a tripod like a normal plate that you can make micro adjustments or movements to with knobs. Turn the knobs and it will guide the plate/camera along the rail. So you can shoot an image, make a micro adjustment take another shot, and so on until you have a shot of every part of the subject in focus then you can stack these photos in post for a single image where everything is in focus. It's used a lot for macro work where you are so close that you can't usually get the whole subject in focus in one shot.

[two utes]

Thanks Joe, I select everything around the flower in photoshop and just turn it black. Really after I select everything, I select the inverse which is the flower and create a new layer with it so that I can add in a full black background layer behind it and can blend it easier. I use the Magic Wand tool and Quick Selection tool depending on the photo. Some are tougher than others if they have busy backgrounds or the same colors the flower has in it. Harder to isolate that way. The best way I've found is to shoot the photo a little darker overall so your shadows will be naturally dark and then it's easier to select/black out the area in post and you can bump up the exposure on the subject. I should do some tutorials on it sometime.

A focus rail is just a rail that would sit on top of a tripod like a normal plate that you can make micro adjustments or movements to with knobs. Turn the knobs and it will guide the plate/camera along the rail. So you can shoot an image, make a micro adjustment take another shot, and so on until you have a shot of every part of the subject in focus then you can stack these photos in post for a single image where everything is in focus. It's used a lot for macro work where you are so close that you can't usually get the whole subject in focus in one shot.

Thanks for your detailed response Matt. I found that very interesting. And yes please, a tutorial on the subject would be great, whenever time permits.
Thanks again

[SMB2]

Nice shots Matt.
Just starting with Helicon Focus. Not ready to show the results!

As for the black BG you can do the same with a brush to create a black BG.

[Second Hand Pat]

Nice Matt, these are gorgeous. I will admit to shooting flowers a little darker for the darker shadows/background.

Stan, this Helicon Focus http://www.heliconsoft.com/heliconso...helicon-focus/?

Pat

[Discus-n00b]

Thanks both of you!