More depth of field experimentation, trying to determine what captures the breadth of the rose but leaves sufficient background bokeh. Slightly cropped.
Thanks Deb - I guess that it makes sense to keep bracketing exposures even when using RAW, although intuitively I would have thought that there was less information in the highlights, i.e. it seems easier to fix underexposure vs. overexposure.
Given that my camera seems to deliver some inconsistencies when it comes to exposure, I have decided to step backwards somewhat and have ordered a light meter. I am hoping that this will allow me to get closer to the image I imagine that I am taking vs. the image I end up with. I certainly think that I would have ended up with a different setting here, but then the desired aperture was always going to provide a problem. At least digital allows cheaper experimentation and the exif data means you don't have to manually record everything and then worry about losing your notes :)
Huw, I like the quality of light too. :) As for what B would think (lol), well, my husband is already convinced I'm nuts when it comes to photography.
An alternative suggestion would be to play with the exposure compensation of the camera. If you expose for the highlights, the rest would be dark, but you could fix that in PS. (I have read that digital cameras actually store more data in the highlight range than the shadows, and it's "better" to overexpose. If this is true, it's not going to come natural to me after years of shooting slide film.)
Deb, it was bad enough that I held up breakfast to take the shots when the sun shone, breaking up a very miserable morning. I just thought that it created a nice effect, but you are right in that it was perhaps too much.
I am not sure that I know how I could get a diffuser or screen to work here. The sunlight was shining directly through a the window, I could have pulled the net curtains, which would have acted as a diffuser, but I shot as was as I liked the contrast created by the sunlight. You are right though, I think it was overplayed and I need to think about how I could retain sufficient light without it being overblown. *scratches head and thinks how B will react if I start building screens and "borrowing" tea cloths*
Pretty good experiment, Huw. :) I love the wispy strands.
The light is a bit harsh on the rose; you might consider either a diffuser or a reflector to even it out. Some of the best ones are homemade (paper, cloth). (In my case, at least, they take practice too. Another excuse to play.)
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