Sunny 16, Arizona Barrel Cactus

[Gus Hallgren]

Hi Folks: Fun nproject, It was a nice sunny day 3:20 PM at 3000' in Southern Arizona. Cactus was under a large Ash tree that provided some shade, however, flower part was highlighted by the sun:

Comments always welcome & appreciated

Olymus E-3, Zuiko, ED 50-200 2.8-3.5 SWD @ 400 mm
Manual, F/16, 1/400s ISO 400, 0.00eV AWB

[John Chardine]

Looks pretty nicely exposed Gus. The highlights look a little bright but overall I think the rule worked here. What a fantastic flower. Nice detail and enough depth of field to render everything in focus. The fly is a nice touch! Would it have been possible to give a bit more room at the top so that the one petal isn't clipped?

[Gus Hallgren]

Hi John

I redid it with more room around the complete flower, and no vibrance this time. sorta like this effect a bit more, as it is more natural?

Best regards

Gus

[Lance Peters]

Like the repost Gus!!
Exposure looks good and nice detail in that flower.
Good one!

[John Chardine]

That is sweet Gus. Love the repost and it illustrates nicely to my mind at least, how important some room is sometimes. It acts like a frame around the subject. A tighter crop would be great but then maybe I would really go in and try for the inner flower detail. I hope the flower lasts a long time and you can have another try. This one would look great in soft light. If that's a rare commodity in AZ, you could photograph in shade with a diffused flash (use kleenex or a proper diffuser) or I sometimes diffuse the sunlight with a white, shoot-through umbrella.

[James Shadle]

This is a great example of Sunny 16 - 1/3 because of the flowers tonality.

"With a white subject you need to reduce the exposure (stop down 1/2 to a full stop- F19 to F22) and for a black subject you will add to the exposure (open up 1/2 to a full stop- F13 to F11)."

[John Chardine]

Good point James.