I copied my response on another thread to hear. I decided I was getting way off topic from seedling blooms.

First, I did a amazon search "white photography umbrella" and found many white umbrellas. Next, I'm very interested in the one that has a light stand and the umbrella for $29. I read the reviews and some say cheap but then I found some folks that say it lasted for years and the price is amazing. I will not have any help in taking pictures, so i figured I could use the light stand, minus the bulb, outside in the daylilies. I know wind will be a huge issue with this, but that aside, I think I can make it work. With it they have a light reflector that can be bought at the same time for $16.75. It's like a big hoop with cloth in different colors. Would this be useful. Ok, with all this, I'll provide a link and you can tell me what you think.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000GX484U/

I don't know about setting that up all the time if you take a lot of photos daily in different areas of your garden. Perhaps you take only a small number of photos at a time then it might very well work for you. The costs is low get it and see how it works for you and let us know how you like it.

I use a golf umbrella that is white of course it is large with a straight handle that can just slip up against your elbow bring the elbow close to your body giving you both hands for the camera. Works pretty well for me unless it is very windy. When I get going taking pictures I can take well over a hundred and to me it would be time comsuming moving the umbrella stand.

Hi Betty, I just noticed their is another thread like this one. I'm a dunce!!! Oh well, I guess we'lll have two. I should have looked before doing this one.

Yes, I too take alot of photos each day. Usually I'll hit the 300 mark really quick in one day. Especially if Im trying to get the color on a daylily and having problems. I would only use the umbrella on the difficult shots, not all. I'd be totally crazy if I had to set it up for all.

You're right, I'll order it. This is what one of the reviewers said about it. The cost is so low, so what if it doesn't work but for a year, buy another one and you still spend way less than the name brand of professional stands.

Thanks and again, I apologize for starting the second thread with the same thing.

Mona

Mona, I didn't know there was another thread, either. This one suits me fine.

We just need to get this thread renamed to "photography equipment"


Another handy gadget is a monopod. Less hassle than a tripod, easy to move around with you, and gives additional stability to the camera, which would be especially useful when also trying to keep an umbrella steady. They telescope, so they can be tall or short, AND they usually have a quick-release lever so it's easy to take the camera completely off for those photos closer to the ground.

If you have the time and patience to keep moving the umbrella stand, then it would be good. I guess it depends on how many photos you plan to take in a day. There are times I wish I had a stand because I need to get in an awkward position to take the photo and having the umbrella in one hand or held with my elbow just doesn't work.

The white one I have is a 33" photography umbrella. It works but I want a larger one with a handle like my black one. I'm assuming it is what is considered the golf umbrellas; you can fit 3 people under it.

I do try and make sure that the area around/behind the daylilies don't have a lot of stuff in it like old mushy blooms or someone's feet or what have you. In the hybridizing area it can get tricky not having the plant markers in the photos since they are the PVC pipes.

If I didn't have all the other daylily chores to do I could spend more time on the photos, but I mainly take the photos so I can have one for my files and of course now so I can add them to the database on here. Never enough hours in a day.

One thing that is helpful is to take several photos of the same bloom just in case one is blurry. Sometimes in my screen on the camera it looks in focus and my in focus green box is there, but it may not be when I put it on the computer. I used to only take one then have to run back out to take another if it wasn't too late

Mary is right can we get this thread renamed. Mary how long is a monopod before telescoping out? We travel and that might be nice for keeping a steadier hand when taking pictures if it could fit into the vest I wear when hiking. I could also put it to use in the garden.

Mona I am so glad you started this tread maybe we can all get ideas form it.

Betty, you could hook it to the vest, or sling it across your back. I think it's at least 12" fully compressed, and up to 3ft extended, but dont' quote me. I've not used mine in years (don't remember where I put it when I moved in 2007 - I assume it's in the garage somewhere with everything else).

Check amazon, or any camera store website

Thanks Mary I will take a look. I don't like to carry around heavy or bulky things when we go hiking it gets to cumbersom.

It never really felt bulky to me, and I'd say it weighs less than a pound.

One of the best things I ever done for taking photos of daylilies was buy a camera small enough to fit in a shirt pocket. Mine is about the size of a pack of cigarettes. When I went to get this camera I took some daylily blooms with me and ask the salesman to go outside in the sun and take photos of those blooms with several cameras before choosing this one. It's really nice when your not using it to be able to put it in your pocket, apron or purse and have both hands free. I have always used Fuji cameras and this one has 12 million pixels and all the bells and whistles of the larger cameras. It's several years old and has never gave me any problem, I'm sure it's not even available anymore, like all electronics it became obsolete when I left the camera shop.

Fred, I have two cameras, for that very reason. One is compact and fits in my jeans pocket, the other looks and feels more like a "real" camera. Both of them have been replaced with newer models, but they work fine and I see no reason to change. They're both upgrades to my 2 previous digital cameras.

For me, it's Panasonic all the way, although when it's time to replace these 2 I might have to open the field, because I'm not liking the newer Panasonics that I've seen. But my original Panasonics are still going strong (in someone else's home) seven years after purchase. My current ones are 3+ years old now, and still do everything I want/need.

Someday I might invest in a dSLR, but for now, these fit the bill for me, and I don't have to worry about extra lenses/addiitonal weight, etc.

I'm still using my Nikkon Cool Pix 3200. It's about 9 years old and still going strong. Only way I will replace it is if it dies on me. No need for umbrellas here. We get enough overcast days that I just wait to take pictures then.

Believe me, If I could resurrect my old Canon A540, I would. I loved that camera and Ipromptly drowned it last spring. I've got a new Canon SX150 and I'm having problems with it. I'll learn but I knew every angle that worked on the old one but the new one doesn't seem to care what I angle I use, it's still the same as the last angle. Oh well, it's there. I'm getting an umbrella and I'll go from there.

I think a basic camera class would help and I'm going t watch the local Community College for one. They do them several times a year at night.

I love my cannon A540 too, I must remember not to drown mine. I don't wanna hafta learn something new. I'm loving all these tips on here lately, mucho help

Grab a ziploc(TM) bag, put your camera in it, and poke a hole in it for the lens to stick out. That will keep it from drowning when it rains (but won't help at all if you drop it in a puddle or river).

Smallish beanbags are great for when you want to rest the camera on a fence or something but want it to be more stable, as well as giving it some protection from whatever rough surface you're resting it on.

Last year whern I ruined my A540, I left my camera in a plactic tote,square type bucket, that I had gone out early in March to make pictures and do some cleaning. Beautiful day it was so I wasn't worried about the camera getting wet. I got busy , doing whatever and just forgot to take my tote in. I don't know what happened but it was 3 days before I was back out and I like to have had aheart attack when I walked out and saw the tote. I immediately(always to late) remembered my camera and the 3" of rain we had in the previous 2 days. My camera was setting about 6" of water in bottom of the tote. I was so upset. Did no good to be upset because it was ruined. It would never even try to come on. I did salvage the memory card and got most of the pictures off.

I have thought about putting my camera in a plastic bag when I go out, just as you said. I wondered if it would take photos through the plastic or if I'd have to cut a small slit for the lenses to go through.

My best advise to anyone is to purchase a tripod. I shake so bad that I bought one the day I bought the ruined Canon many years ago and I used it so much. I'm in the market for a new tripod because I nearly fell last year in the garden while taking a picture at one of my realll;l;;;ly akward positions that I can get in and I grabbed the tripod and it bent one of the legs. It cost $20 5 years ago and I looked at Walmart and they are now $25. It was the best $20 I ever spent when I comes to making close-up photos of daylilies are anything. It will nearly eliminate fuzzy photos because of movement. Plus it's a good thing to hold the camera when not using it. I never had it turn over, it was well balanced before I bent the one leg.

Gotta go back out and clean out garden beds. I've gotten 2 completed and one over half done in the front yard. I might get finished this week if I'lll just keep at it. The front yard, not all of them.

Sending out blessing to all, Mona

I had to get a new camera last year and went back to the Canon A620 (or something close to that. LOL). I had to get an used one as they're not making them any more but easily found one on Ebay. It has a flip out viewer like old video cameras. If a bloom is facing away from you, you can turn the camera 180 degrees and still see the viewer! I love to take pics of flowers but only ever point and shoot. I've found this one to be perfect for that.

I love how powerful the P&S cameras have become with the advent of digital.

Been just using the phone camera since I don't take that many photos, they do a decent enough job for casual pictures. But a change in my job duties has me using a Kodak Easyshare Z5010. Brought it home once to take some rose photos and got hooked. Its on my watch list for eBay.