georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

I found these small seedlings or whatever, I am still not sure what they are, but they caught my eye, and they were all over the ground for about one day at several sites during a bikeride when the supershort blooming period occurs for many kinds of plantforms. I collected some and took them home. I could not get a good close up of them without the flash creating some kind of shadow. It was a pop up flash, (the indoor lighting was insufficient and it was not convenient for a tripod for a slow exposure)and I had thought this was as close to straight on which would eliminate shadows, but no matter how I turned the camera or whatever angle I used I couldn't get rid of them. I know there is probably an answer familiar to those who do macro shots regularly? (This photo was actually taken upside down originally to get the shadows in a more pleasing position)

Seedlings (?)

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Yes

http://bkloflin.wordpress.com/2012/09/14/create-shadowless-backgrounds/

crimesc324 Loc: West Palm Beach, Florida

it is all about the angle the light hits the subject. The pop-up flash is only coming from one angle, hence the shadow. If you could use an off camera flash to add light from the opposite direction or move the subject away from the background, the shadows would not be there.

coolhoosier Loc: Dover, NH, USA

You get the shadow because the pop-up flash is not co-axial with the lens. You can also use a ring flash (very expensive) or a ring light to surround the lens; these are, by design, co-axial with the optical path. I got my ring light on e-Bay for a very reasonable price (under $100).

jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

Go to the 'true macro photography' thread here on UHH and look at the camera set-up page. Macro style is what you were attempting. You will see how to avoid the shadows with either store bought options or homemade diffusers.
Caution once you start looking at the macro images you may become hooked.

wilsondl2 Loc: Lincoln, Nebraska

Why not get the seedlings away from the back ground. YOu could stick their stems in something to hold them up and then have the background far enough back sso that you don't get shadows. If you don't want the holder in the picture you can crop it out or photoshop it out. - Dave

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

The seedlings, if that is what they are, were very fragile after a day sitting inside and starting to fall apart, I tried to put them in a small cap of water and prop them up but they lost that 'pristine' look. Even though they are getting water, little pieces are falling off...they were so cute I want to try to grow them for a while.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

Good link! I just happen to have a lot of scrap white foam core from my framing room. Next time I can use the white box idea. But, he has a Lastolite square flash diffuser that fits perfectly onto the top of the lightbox. I would bet that someone knows of a common white material (some kind of cloth maybe...tracing paper perhaps?) that could form the top of the box permanently and I could just hold the flash above it using my off camera flash cord.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

I have a cord that allows the flash to be moved, but that is the new angle then, producing a new shadow. I don't know if my Nikon D3200 has the capability to have the pop up flash and the external flash go off at the same time. This is all very complex and am hoping for some quick answers, I looked at the True Macro Photo threads but did not see anything on the basic setup as suggested, but I did subscribe.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

I subscribed to the 'true macro' thread but couldn't find the camera set up page?

jrb1213 Loc: McDonough GEorgia

Try here
http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-32754-1.html

Harvey Loc: Pioneer, CA

One of your best answers!!
Darn good site.

georgevedwards Loc: Essex, Maryland.

Thanks for the link, I learned a lot and will save for future reference. The problem of eliminating shadows was directly addressed, and is similar to the link I found below, and does look better. link:http://petapixel.com/2013/04/22/how-to-make-a-cheap-diy-flash-diffuser-for-macro-photography/
It does not look fancy but then realized the photo you take does not care what your flash system looks like, and the viewer has no way of knowing, the only thing that matters are aesthetic results. I do notice that the ring flashes always seem to have gap, not a full circle, and wonder if that could generate a shadow. A wide angle overhead diffuser box like that in the link above would seem to give full 360 degree illumination as its field of light generated is much larger than the small object being photographed. I would like to see some sample shots of ringlite flashes used to eliminate shadows. Sometimes that is what the shot calls for, a small object lying on a surface. The Lastolite costs near $100, but I have the materials on hand to build the homemade version.