Don't give up Marilyn!
Thanks again William--I just can't tell you how much I appreciate
all of the links, inspiration, and encouragement that you provide!
My head is swimming with so many ideas now it is about to burst--about all I know is that there are so many (possibly infinite) possibilities to try--like now I know that I can do things, but I just don't quite know what all I can do or how to do it just yet
wish that I could fast-forward thru the hard part (like reading and comprehending the operating manual for this super cool flash that I actually have and have never used
) but I'll slog thru it when I get to it...
Meanwhile, we did some beginner experiments last night with a hibiscus flower (just to wrap my head around some basic concepts).
Interestingly, just the simple method of bouncing a daylight CFL bulb from a bendy desklamp (perched on a cat-tree) off of the ceiling produced a very pleasant result
We also did some off-camera, directional, focused with a cardboard snoot and diffused with tissue-paper, flash experiments. It was neat to see how some shadows are really horrendous and some are kinda compelling. The texture that showed up in the petals on some of them was cool though.
William said:
... it is so important to know the look you are after, before discussing what gear you need to get there.
How true!
And the other thing, apparently there is no single, right answer to the 'look'--
I must say that I love the whole spectrum.
If it was me, I'd go for a bunch of dramatic, artsy-fartsy orchid shots too, just because orchids are so very dramatic
But it is not me, and I recall that Melissa specified the parameters as being good/accurate focus and color, and I'm getting the impression that the aim is for rather 'clinical' images of the plants and their parts--yes?
Still, I'd have to vote for the goal of what I refer to as 'magical, soft-light' if I had to choose and could set it up--I think that would yield some really fantastic photos that could also serve the purpose of documenting the exhibition orchids.
