Murphy Hektner, APSA
July 2025 - Bleeding Hearts
About the Image(s)
Nikon D850 - Nikon 200mm macro lens on tripod - ISO 1600 - 1/160 @ f/11 - one image - cloudy and calm - photographed at home.
A hybrid Bleeding Heart purchased at a local plant nursery that lives in a ceramic container on our back deck. Had been watching the plant develop flower clusters looking for an artistic composition and settled on this arrangement. I then moved the plant and container to a good location with a green out of focus background in the distance. Added a green border to frame the composition.
5 comments posted
Hi Murphy, Also a fn of bleeding heart plants. Their bloom is for such a short space of time and are fascinating! Typically also difficult to get all in focus since every heart is at a different spot relative to focal length, so I see why you went with f/11, good call. Colors are super, and all in low light with is great.
Nothing major to add and not a big thing. If you use Lightroom I find it super useful using the newly updaetd distortion toolfor leaves that flatten off in shots. Lovely plants lovely shot. Posted: 07/13/2025 22:30:08
Nothing major to add and not a big thing. If you use Lightroom I find it super useful using the newly updaetd distortion toolfor leaves that flatten off in shots. Lovely plants lovely shot. Posted: 07/13/2025 22:30:08
Hi Alison: Thanks for your kind critique. Bleeding Hearts are a challenge to shoot well; when I think about it most all flowers are a challenge if you want the finished post processed image to be special.
With Bleeding Hearts you need most of the wide side of the flowers facing you as in this version. Posted: 07/14/2025 00:37:03
With Bleeding Hearts you need most of the wide side of the flowers facing you as in this version. Posted: 07/14/2025 00:37:03
Well shot Murphy! I like the contrasting fuchsia colour against the blurry green background. And the leaves are well defined. Posted: 07/19/2025 05:13:23
Really appreciate the composition (flowers ans petals, the stems and their direction) and the colors (red/ fuchsia and green), and especially the story (work) of the realization of this picture. Good and beautiful job.
With macro lens we should maybe use high f number to increase the DoF.
Good idea the color of the frame.
Posted: 07/21/2025 18:41:58
With macro lens we should maybe use high f number to increase the DoF.
Good idea the color of the frame.
Posted: 07/21/2025 18:41:58
Hi Vincent: Pleased you liked the Bleeding Hearts picture. You mention using a high f number to increase depth of field.
I would like to comment on this if I may. The f number used depends A LOT on the subject you are photographing; for instance using f/16 will usually cover your flower with good sharpness front to back, also using f/16 will bring the background more into focus. If you have distractions in the background they will become quite distracting and will compete for interest with your flower subject.
My recommendation is to shoot your subject at a lower f stop like f/4, and then a medium f stop like f/8 and then using f/16. All 3 images will look completely different from each other.
The photographer can have the most beautiful flower to photograph and it can be completely ruined by distractions in the background by using f/16. That being said the photographer in post processing can diffuse many distractions in a background and have a successful image.
For the most part I simply do not photography a flower with a terrible background, this mostly eliminates the problem.
However an alternative is to totally black out the background
Let me just say photographing flowers successfully takes a lot of study and practice to do well.
Hope all of this makes sense !! cheers.
Posted: 07/23/2025 19:55:16
I would like to comment on this if I may. The f number used depends A LOT on the subject you are photographing; for instance using f/16 will usually cover your flower with good sharpness front to back, also using f/16 will bring the background more into focus. If you have distractions in the background they will become quite distracting and will compete for interest with your flower subject.
My recommendation is to shoot your subject at a lower f stop like f/4, and then a medium f stop like f/8 and then using f/16. All 3 images will look completely different from each other.
The photographer can have the most beautiful flower to photograph and it can be completely ruined by distractions in the background by using f/16. That being said the photographer in post processing can diffuse many distractions in a background and have a successful image.
For the most part I simply do not photography a flower with a terrible background, this mostly eliminates the problem.
However an alternative is to totally black out the background
Let me just say photographing flowers successfully takes a lot of study and practice to do well.
Hope all of this makes sense !! cheers.
Posted: 07/23/2025 19:55:16