macro lens

Well I have had my 2nd and 3rd shoot in the studio now and after the second shoot and trialling the use of 2 extenders on the camera - I certainly had a better result than using one, but upon reviewing the images I've still decided that it wasn't quite as good as I want. The focus is so hit and miss and vitally impossible to identify on the small camera screen upon review. Shots I thought I had nailed at the time were actually soft upon review on the bigger computer screen. So disappointing! As seen below:

It's not all a waste however. With each session I am really refining my ideas for the project now and feeling quite competent with using the lighting. With each plant I am experimenting with a different set of lighting positions, but trying to make sure I use the same/similar ones for each plant to achieve a consistent appearance across the series. I'm preferring to under-light each plant which helps it to look the opposite of being outside and over lit by the sun. Much more moody and dramatic. It's quite difficult to do - as I have to balance the plant up high on a stool with access all around the base to move the low light into different positions. I then also use the combination of a lowish warm side light when I want to play with shadows on the wall or have a lighter softer overall exposure. I then move my angel of view through the whole range on either sides to see what I can capture.

I've also been playing around with the effect of positives and negatives which can be achieved by turning off the under light and creating an outline with the side light. Or the positive by turning on the under light and the side light off, creating a brighter plant and darker background. I'm hoping to use this contrast to my advantage in my groupings of the final images. So I'm making sure to shoot most angles in both lighting scenarios so I have the best choice at editing time.

Negative Lighting

Positive Lighting

After this second shoot though -  I have decided to bite the bullet and order a macro lens which I am sure to use over the rest of the degree and within my work after this. One hitch however was that the lens was not in stock, so it had to be express ordered and of course didn't turn up in time! But luckily the lovely Jen from my class lent me her 100mm macro lens (the exact one I ordered!) and I will be able to finish the project on the remaining studio day booked.

So I used it on the 3rd shoot and it is absolutely fantastic! Such a difference to have the right tools for the job. The quality of the imagery is supreme I think. And not just down to luck now but rather technique instead which I much rather prefer. I found a real rhythm too as I didn't have to stop and start taking on and off the extenders, so made for a much more harmonious and productive shoot.

Pride of Madeira

Pride of Madiera. Demonstrating the supremeness of the macro lens. 

As I'm moving through each shoot day, I am really trying to spend a lot of time reflecting on the images after each shoot and refining the concept as I go. I also decided to do a practice print of a few earlier plants to see how it translates onto the paper. It was quite interesting actually. I originally aimed to print on A3 but now I've seen it - it was underwhelming and needs to be much bigger - at least A2. I'm also going to choose a different Ilford paper with a clay based surface, hopefully giving a more earthy connection to the prints and not so much shine and reflection.

At the start of the project I had the idea to shoot each plant wide and then a mid close up and then a very close up shot for each and display them in a triptych. The idea being that you identify the plant in the wider shot, look at it's structure in the closer shot and then be wowed by a really close up view of something you could only really see with a macro lens, to draw the viewer into the hidden world of each weed and appreciate it's beauty and start to look at them in a different way.

Since getting the macro lens however I find all the wider shots quite literally boring and predictable and I'm much more interested in the close up shots which have far more intrigue and mystery to them.

Occasionally though I have taken a wider shot that I do want to use, such as the one below of Pampas grass. When I reviewed these shots it appears as though the wind was blowing through the studio and the grass was alive again. So much movement. Just love it!

So my main direction I'm heading in now is much for a much more abstract approach using the macro viewpoint to drag the viewer inwards and hopefully hold them in a study of stunning form and pattern. If I can achieve half of that I'll be really happy.