Flower from Butchart Gardens...

[Rhuarc]

My wife and I went up to Victoria on Vancouver Island in Canada over Labor Day to visit family, and while we were there we swung by Butchart Gardens for a couple of hours. Here is one of the better close ups I got while I was there. It's pretty tough getting that close to bees with a P&S camera!! Let me know what you think, and what I can improve on!!

This was taken with my Dimage G600. EXIF (http://wendell.smugmug.com/photos/newexif.mg?ImageID=93712620)

http://wendell.smugmug.com/photos/93712620-L.jpg (http://wendell.smugmug.com/gallery/1864990/3/93712620/Large)

[SloYerRoll]

It looks like you need to play w/ the exposure some.
I like how the sun (or light source) comes from the top. It must have been around noon but the sun was diffused by the greenhouse? The light needs to cover the entire subject though.
Looks like a bee on a flower to me.
It also doesn't have that macro feel I like.
I can definaltely see what your eye saw though when you lined up for this shot.

-Slo

[Rhuarc]

When you say it doesn't have that macro feel that you like, what do you mean? I know what you mean about the light. I think on this one I may have actually used a little flash because it was actually in deep shadow outside underneath trees. This may be why there is a lot more light in the center than at the edges. Do you live in Seattle itself? My wife and I live just to the north in Everett. Thanks for the thoughts!

[SloYerRoll]

In reference to the Macro thing.
The AF looks like it decided that the bee was the place to be. So the majority of the picture (flower) is slightly out of focus.
I'm new to macro, but I am finding out that some tolerances for DOF on macro shots are mere millimeters.

I live in Columbia Way right now, so yes. But I am buying my first home soon (fingers crossed) and moving down south of Seattle and join the rest of the rat race that gets stuck in traffic every day.
Nice to meet you.
A link (http://www.seattle.gov/parks/parkspaces/Viewpts.htm) you might not know about for cool shots around here.

-Jon

[Rhuarc]

I see what you mean about the DOF being too tight for a shot like this. I'll have to see if there is anything I can fool around with on my camera to get it a little wider so that more of the flower would be in focus.

Thanks for the link! I'll defenitely check out some of thsoe spots. Any idea where the classic Seattle skyline can be shot from? I'm always seeing pictures of the Space Needle with the Seattle skyline behind it, but I have no idea where to try to shoot it!

[AnInfiniteJourney]

Howdy,
Nice shot - lighting is nice - your exif shows that your flash fired - did you use a ring light?
now the whipping hahahahah....
IMHO - I personally would like a tighter crop - take out some of the distracting background and really concentrate on what you want the focus to be... e.g. the pink flowers in the lower right are distracting/draws my eye down there - ok if that is your intention... or post process with a blur tool to create more focus.

Again - the above suggestion is just the way I shoot - you have your own style - hope I didn't step too hard...

[SloYerRoll]

Howdy,
Nice shot - lighting is nice - your exif shows that your flash fired - did you use a ring light?
now the whipping hahahahah....
IMHO - I personally would like a tighter crop - take out some of the distracting background and really concentrate on what you want the focus to be... e.g. the pink flowers in the lower right are distracting/draws my eye down there - ok if that is your intention... or post process with a blur tool to create more focus.

Again - the above suggestion is just the way I shoot - you have your own style - hope I didn't step too hard...
Journey, This is the whipping post. As long as you are honest and provide information that will help the shooter take a better shot, no one will get hurt feelings here.
The object of these threads is for constructive critisism so we can learn from others.
Even a pro might learn something from the insight of a rookie if the rook has a different point of view (not likely, but could definaltly happen).

-Slo