Luminous Landscape Forum

Equipment & Techniques => Landscape & Nature Photography => Topic started by: Bob_B on September 06, 2017, 03:35:38 pm

Title: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: Bob_B on September 06, 2017, 03:35:38 pm
For those who love big, showy flowers, here is Miltassia Shelob 'Tolkien', named after the giant spider in "The Lord of the Rings". It is the epitome of orchid hybridization gone crazy, in my opinion, with genes from 4 or 5 genera interspersed in this baby. Especially prominent are the characteristics of the spider orchid genus, Brassia, evident in the flower shape that resembles its spider namesake. Not only are the flowers showy, but they're also fragrant, with notes of spice and pepper that perfuse the area immediately around the plant in the morning until early afternoon. This spike has five flowers and a bud, but as the plant matures, I anticipate up to 15 flowers per spike, with two spikes blooming at a time. That would be a sight worth seeing.

Macro stack, with three studio LED lights plus modifiers.

Thank you for viewing, and please feel free to leave C&C.

Best wishes,

     Bob
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: thierrylegros396 on September 07, 2017, 12:52:59 pm
Prefer lighting of the Oncidium boothianum.

Have A Nice Day.

Thierry
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: sdwilsonsct on September 07, 2017, 02:57:20 pm
Lovely, Bob. I wonder if the pink areas are a little too bright... is there any detail in the white parts?
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: Bob_B on September 07, 2017, 06:28:30 pm
Prefer lighting of the Oncidium boothianum.

Have A Nice Day.

Thierry

Thanks for your thoughts, Thierry. Do you feel the lighting is too flat? (The other photo has more specular lighting, which is why I ask.)
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: Bob_B on September 07, 2017, 06:32:18 pm
Lovely, Bob. I wonder if the pink areas are a little too bright... is there any detail in the white parts?

Quite possibly, Scott. Nothing is blown out that's certain. I made a slight reduction to the highlights on the raw image, but only a small bit (something like -5 or -10. Maybe I should have reduced them further. Also, I both burnt and dodged those areas on the stacked tiff file subtly to enhance the differences in light quality. Perhaps I need to revisit that as well. Thanks for your ideas.
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: Leszek Piotrowski on September 07, 2017, 06:45:19 pm
Bob,  I am wishing to see more detail on the "pink" ,.. "white" areas on this lovely orchid.  The lighting adjustment ,... perhaps, ... might bring this out more emphatically?
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: Bob_B on September 08, 2017, 07:37:58 am
Bob,  I am wishing to see more detail on the "pink" ,.. "white" areas on this lovely orchid.  The lighting adjustment ,... perhaps, ... might bring this out more emphatically?

Thanks Leszek. I think that's the consensus: too much flat light on the orchid's lip. I might consider reprocessing the stack with that in mind. Otherwise, I'll just rephotograph on our next rainy day.
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: thierrylegros396 on September 09, 2017, 06:56:24 am
Yes, you're right, and perhaps just a tad more vibrance or saturation.

Thierry
Title: Re: Summer orchids: Mtssa Shelob 'Tolkien'
Post by: Bob_B on September 09, 2017, 09:30:37 am
Yes, you're right, and perhaps just a tad more vibrance or saturation.

Thierry

With the aforementioned advice, here is the same stack, with greater attention to enhancing the contrast/colors etc in the orchid's lip. I think it helped, and appreciate your advice. Thank you.