First Orchid for CC: This the first flower/orchid that I have shot with this lens and the first time to use LR4. Please tell me what you think and what I can do to improve. Hit me with...

skipper45 Loc: Out side of Austin, Texas

This the first flower/orchid that I have shot with this lens and the first time to use LR4. Please tell me what you think and what I can do to improve. Hit me with your best shot you will not hurt my feelings :lol: I use a T3i. Used a Tamron 18-270mm on these. The focus seems soft and something is just not popping.

18-270 1/13 400 6.3 almost no PP

18-270 1/13 400 6.3 used LR4

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I like the photographs, except for the gray background. I suggest a more botanic color, like light green, or medium blue.

skipper45 Loc: Out side of Austin, Texas

Nikonian72 wrote:

I like the photograph, except for the gray background. I suggest a more botanic color, like light green, or medium blue.

Good thought. I will add to the collection soon. Thanks

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

I did notice that the focus seemed soft on it. Did you use lighting for flash with this? To me it seems like there is some kind of light hitting it or the way that the light is hitting it that is keeping it from popping. It's good though for your first attempt with this lens and LR.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Tea8 wrote:

I did notice that the focus seemed soft on it. Did you use lighting for flash with this? To me it seems like there is some kind of light hitting it or the way that the light is hitting it that is keeping it from popping. It's good though for your first attempt with this lens and LR.

I also notice that the first image exceeds the DoF, so that the center of flower is soft (OoF). The second image is better focus, but the noise outweighs the sharpness.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Your background can most likely be changed via layering in PhotoShop.

ShutterbugM

What is PP?

skipper45 Loc: Out side of Austin, Texas

Tea8 wrote:

I did notice that the focus seemed soft on it. Did you use lighting for flash with this? To me it seems like there is some kind of light hitting it or the way that the light is hitting it that is keeping it from popping. It's good though for your first attempt with this lens and LR.

Off camera bounce. Almost seems the sync is off or something. I may set up again and try tomorrow. Thanks.

skipper45 Loc: Out side of Austin, Texas

Nikonian72 wrote:

I also notice that the first image exceeds the DoF, so that the center of flower is soft (OoF). The second image is better focus, but the noise outweighs the sharpness.

Went with manual focus and live view. I really think that I was the cause of this. Bad eyes!

Tea8 Loc: Where the wind comes sweeping down the plain.

skipper45 wrote:

Off camera bounce. Almost seems the sync is off or something. I may set up again and try tomorrow. Thanks.

That could be it. The lighting almost seems a little harsh in some spots and then not enough in others. I'm not an expert at flash so I'll let you conclude what may be wrong there.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

ShutterbugM wrote:

What is PP?

Post Processing programs, such as PhotoShop, Picasa, PS Elements, Lightroom, Aperture, Paint Shop Pro, etc.

donrosshill Loc: Delaware & Florida

It looks as if the zone of focus is more the question.
If you enlarge the area to the right of the flower to the green leaf it appears sharper than the flower. Also, the depth of the focus should be increased to bring sharpness to the front and through to the flower leafs. Suggest using a tripod if possible.
Easy for me to say, eh.

skipper45 Loc: Out side of Austin, Texas

donrosshill wrote:

It looks as if the zone of focus is more the question.
If you enlarge the area to the right of the flower to the green leaf it appears sharper than the flower. Also, the depth of the focus should be increased to bring sharpness to the front and through to the flower leafs. Suggest using a tripod if possible.
Easy for me to say, eh.

Thanks for looking. I did use a tripod. And I think I found out what is going on (some of it anyway). Regarding focus, I used a cable release and just stood back and shot after I focused. What happened is my lens was creeping I think. I had the tripod and a height that put the camera/lens on an angle of about 60 degrees. (This morning the lens was fully extended after being left in position over night).

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

skipper45 wrote:

What happened is my lens was creeping I think. I had the tripod and a height that put the camera/lens on an angle of about 60 degrees. (This morning the lens was fully extended after being left in position over night).

A wide rubberband overlapping one end of focusing collar will keep focus from creeping.

skipper45 Loc: Out side of Austin, Texas

Nikonian72 wrote:

A wide rubberband overlapping one end of focusing collar will keep focus from creeping.

10-4. Already put one on. Did not have the problem normally. This time I was doing some other things and was leaving the lens pointed down for an extended period of time. I have a 70-300 that does not creep (tested this) so the Tamron is the only one it have that does this (but I have used this lens the most)