RoseCrafted
RoseCrafted
Av: F/8.0; Tv: 1/500; f: 6mm (35mm-equiv: 38mm); Super-macro with Flash.
Post-processed using Picasa
This photo is of a decorative piece which was placed above a wall mirror. The rose itself is smaller than one inch in diameter. When I took this snap, I closed the aperture fully and also had a very fast shutter. The flash however still had its effect. The top portion of the snap was obscenely overexposed.
The first thing I did during processing this image was of course to set right the lighting. However, since only the top portion was overexposed, it was difficult to adjust the lighting – too much darkening would make the bottom portion totally dark.
After much trial and error, I settled finally for Picasa’s “Focal B&W” effect. Other than that, I have applied the usual sharpening, contrast and color adjustments.
Improvements?
- Well, the obvious drawback is the intense difference in exposure between the various areas in the snap. This is a classic candidate for using the exposure bracketing feature. I should have taken the snap using 2-step difference in exposure bracket.
- Having done that, I suppose using a more advanced tool like GIMP/Photoshop would have done wonders. For example, i could have created 2 layers one each for the moderately exposed halves of the photo – and merged them together to get a perfectly exposed snap.
Subhanjan Sengupta said,
January 13, 2009 at 12:21 am
Photoshop was indeed required for post processing. As I had said you previously, digital photography is incomplete without Photoshop. Another important thing that you must remember that table top picture will never be good if you use only flash. You need to have a skilfully planned out light arrangement around the subject. And this arrangement of the light source and reflector is the most important part for any indoor photography. I believe you had a lot of work to do before taking the picture. I can not explain to you what you had to do. if you think for sometime, you may be able to realise.