Least Bluet

[Ken Childs]

Canon EOS REBEL T1i
Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro
Manual mode
1/400"
F13
ISO: 200
Canon 430EX with softbox: On, Fired
LR & CS3

Another tiny wildflower. This one's about 8mm across. I cloned at 50% over some of the brighter green areas in the BG and the leaves in the LR. The problem with these tiny wildflowers shot where they're growing is that the stuff in the BG isn't very far away. If I use a smaller aperture the get the entire flower in focus, the BG comes out too sharp so I gave the BG an extreme dose of NR to smooth it out.

[Allen Sparks]

Great job on the focus Ken and the background does not bother me especially since I know what you mean about photographing subjects low to the ground. I also like the bud next to your main subject.

[Julie Kenward]

It might just be me but I find the BG really distracting. I know it's really tough when these guys are so low to the ground. You might try putting a small piece of hard black or white cardboard in your bag and prop it up to get a cleaner BG. Another option would be to take a shallow DOF image and a stopped down image and combine the two in pp.

Very nice details on this one though. You're making me hunger for spring!

[Charles Wesley]

Ken,

I've dealth with these BG's many times over the years. Like your environmental portrait.
Thanks for sharing...
___________________
Charlie Wesley
St Augustine Beach, FL

[Ken Childs]

You might try putting a small piece of hard black or white cardboard in your bag and prop it up to get a cleaner BG.

I made up some small foam core BG's a few days ago for this purpose but so far I haven't been happy with the results but I haven't given up.

Yesterday it was sunny and 74 but it's raining again so it will be awhile before I can try for these again. :(

[Markus Jais]

I like the diagonal like between the out of focus flower and the sharp one.
Good light and colors.
The BG is a little distracting but I think the image still works very well. You could try to bluer it a little more in PS.

Markus

[Vida van der Walt]

Perfect focus on that little flower and great detail Ken. I like the comp as well. What I sometimes do when I'm lucky enough to find an insect that stays put, is to pick a large leaf from any other plant in the vicinity and try to place it behind the insect. That way you still have a natural looking and also a more uniform bg.:)

[Ken Childs]

Thanks, Vida. That's a great suggestion!