Hand Holding the 100 Macro with Active AF

[Arthur Morris]

This lily center image was created at the Willem Alexander Pavilion at Keukenhof Gardens on last April’s Holland Tulip IPT with the hand held Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS macro lens (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/647011-USA/Canon_3554B002_EF_100mm_f_2_8L_Macro.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CA10028LMIS/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCA10028LMIS) and the Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital camera body (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/847545-REG/Canon_5260B002_EOS_5D_Mark_III.html/BI/6633/KBID/7226/kw/CAE5D3/DFF/d10-v2-t1-xCAE5D3). ISO 800. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/250 sec. at f/2.8 in Av mode.

Five sensors down from the Central Sensor/AI Servo-Surround/Rear Focus AF squarely on the tip of the right-most of the two prominent anthers as framed was active at the moment of exposure. Click here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2013/10/31/if-this-doesnt-get-the-point-across-nothing-will/) to see the latest version of the Rear Focus Tutorial.

Learn about hand-holding with either manual focus or active AF in the "Hand Holding the 100 Macro: Two Ways to Go" blog post here (http://www.birdsasart-blog.com/2014/05/17/hand-holding-the-100-macro-two-ways-to-go/).

As for the image, don't be shy; all comments are welcome.

[Jonathan Ashton]

Gorgeous colours and I love the differential focus. If I was to be very critical I would like the front left stigma to have been in slightly better focus, I presume it was at a slight angle as part is in focus part not. Just maybe consider colouring or toning down the nearly white area towards upper left corner. I think the slightly off centre composition works very well.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Jon. Is what I called an anther actually a stigma???

[Jonathan Ashton]

Artie, I attach a diagram illustrating the flower parts, I think it was me who got mixed up over anthers and stigmas!

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Jon. I see the six anthers along with their filaments and I see the stigma. But what are the two large, tall green things in the original image?

[Jonathan Ashton]

Not sure I would need a shot from further back to see properly. I presume they are inside this flower head? At first I wondered if they were ovaries??

[Arthur Morris]

Yes to inside the flower head.

[John Robinson]

Nice shot Artie and love the selective focussing.
Can't think of anything like the green objects coming from inside the flower-or petals. They look like unopened buds otherwise.
Cheers
JohnR

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Johnny. Unopened buds they are as per Denise Ippolito, the flower queen.

[Steve Maxson]

Hi Artie. Beautiful colors and I love the selective focus (your eye can't help but be immediately drawn to the three anthers in the front) - and where you placed it in terms of the comp (and I'm usually a "more DOF is better" kind of guy). :S3:

[Ron Conlon]

The out-of-focus unopened flowers add some color contrast.

[Arthur Morris]

Thanks Steve and Ron. The funny thing is that I am usually a focus on the eye--f/5.6 or wide open kind of guy. Lot of f/13s and even smaller with the flowers.

[BenBotha]

I agree with the comments. I like the soft "water colour painting" appearance.
Ben