Doug Wolters  


Mature Tulip by Doug Wolters

May 2022 - Mature Tulip

About the Image(s)


Shot with a Canon 5D Mark III, Sigma 105mm macro lens, 1.0 sec at f / 10, stack of 62 shot on a rail, processed in Helicon. (I have no idea if a bit fewer images would have yielded the same result. I just turned the rail one turn until the back was in focus.) My wife thinks that this tulip is not ideal to shoot. She thinks it should be more pristine, or more degenerate, not in between. What do you think?


This round’s discussion is now closed!
8 comments posted




Rich Krebs   Rich Krebs
Nice tulip even if it is on its last legs. The colors with the orange and green are perfect. What would this have looked like without a stack of 62?   Posted: 05/18/2022 15:55:59



Donna Sturla   Donna Sturla
I love the colors and textures. I wish the extra leaves were not there, or maybe were more spread out. But I like it.
I'm wondering the same as Rich, what would happen if you just took one image at maybe F 22? Do you really need to put in all that work. I thought focus stacking was used mostly for macro images, but if this is fun for you, great.   Posted: 05/18/2022 18:17:41
Doug Wolters   Doug Wolters
There really would be a huge difference between stacking &
F 22. Now, whether I needed 62 in the stack is another question. Probably not much difference had I shot every other turn, rather than every turn of the rail. In fine detail, I think every turn makes some differnce.   Posted: 05/18/2022 20:43:40



Robert Cordivari   Robert Cordivari
(Group 47)
The photo is really well balanced and I like the color variations with the yellows and golds in the dying petals. The black background makes the entire photo stand out very nicely.   Posted: 05/20/2022 08:36:58



Diana Duffey   Diana Duffey
Doug , another impressive flower. Your focus stacking works. Great composition, color and detail. I really like this tulip... I would clone the three little dried spots on the right petal. Just a suggestions... Very nice!   Posted: 05/24/2022 13:49:44



Mark Aksoy   Mark Aksoy
The condition of the tulip does not bother me one bit! The image has a pleasing color palette and thanks to stacking, detailed texture throughout. It is startling in its overall sharpness, especially to the viewer unacquainted with stacking who would expect some falloff in DOF for a flower this size. You might consider cloning out the leaves around the stem at bottom which distract a bit from the flower above. Overall, well-done!   Posted: 05/24/2022 15:49:59
Doug Wolters   Doug Wolters
I did not want all the leaves gone; however, it works much better with the leaf that was pointing down gone.   Posted: 05/29/2022 15:13:01
Comment Image



 
Love this tulip! I always cringe when photographing pristine tulips because they look like every other tulip photo, whether it's mine or someone else's photo. (I often prefer photographing the dying tulips because their petals all differently.) I can see all the work you put into taking the photo, and it pays off. It's very interesting to look at and follow all the petal curves.   Posted: 05/26/2022 14:37:46