In the Shadow of a Flower

Just a try ;)

Added to Flickr Explore (Interestingness) of the day 5 June 2006

I couldn't see the LCD or finder koz the flower was about 10cm tall (1/3 foot), and I'd put my cam close to the ground. So just tried to adjust the lens inside the shadow of the flower first center of it, to lock the AF, and then by the rule of the thirds to catch a good cadre. All exposure adjustments are automatic.

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Comments

← prev 1 2 next →

(124 comments)

gwilmore says:

A successful try, if you ask me! :-)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

nothing special says:

this is cool!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

strangemagee says:

perfect glow
1-2-3n
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

majeczka_majeczka says:

Interesting macro!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Olivka says:

Ah! How beautiful!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

stephen_pix says:

Very unique. Very cool!
From the Flower macroism group.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

29cm says:

So lovely!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Renata Diem says:

Wonderful angle!

(123 Nature)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

AlexYoung says:

Great photo.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Danton pix says:

It looks like the flower itself could be the sun! Terrific job! (1-2-3 Nature)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

The Naked Artisan says:

I love how it glows.

(1-2-3 Nature)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

ALLIZ in Wonderland [deleted] says:

Superb photography
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

J Gilbert says:

That's a good idea. Well done.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

CurveTo says:

oh! this's so great!.. the flower seems like the sun!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

S n o R k e l says:

Hey Hamed!
It seems like we have so much in common...

Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Harold Davis says:

Great backlighting!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

pigoritm says:

Beautiful composition! Great work...
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Nazanin Banani says:

Vaghean Mesle Khorshid Shode ... !! Wonderfull !!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

xenonb. (in Christmas stress) says:

Superb light and great angle, love it!
1-2-3 Nature
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

girloblique says:

so very pretty.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

catmadogma [deleted] says:

I had one very similar today but without this fabulous lighting. Beautiful shot!! Macro 1-2-3
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Atry says:

WOW
Great idea and good job Hamed!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Merly Sunflower On and Off says:

Great job Hamed! I like how it transmit the iight into the flower!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

Thanks everybody
@gwilmore Of course I ask you ;)
@Olvika Welcome to my photostream :)
@Flirtsalut Welcome back, sorry if I injured your heart...
@Snorkel It seems I should traverse your photostream before making any shot decision, koz with a probability of more than 50%, I could find what in my mind in your stream ;)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Aidin mahmoodi says:

vaghean fogholade ast
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

boshra says:

Well done...it's so crispy
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

giddy_lyn says:

Absolutely beautiful!! I love the angle you chose for this.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Dricota © says:

Wow!!!!
Wonderful shot!
The colors are beauty!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

S n o R k e l says:

:)
...Add to the line of our common interests, my passion for the sea, and diving (although I had only the chance to snorkel from time to time)

Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Sharon Taylor Photography of Kettering says:

wow another fav.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Tahereh! says:

very cool
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

@Aidin, giddy, Dricota, ddam, baamieh: Thank you all for your nice comments.

@Boshra تو به اين قرار فليكر تهران مي‌رسي؟
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Cajie says:

Superb work done here. And your explanation of how you took the shot only makes it that more interesting.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

James "Busdriver" Scott says:

****************************
Technical 2/5

Impact 3/5

Achieved Aim 3/5

Opinion 2/5

TOTAL 10/20

(from the Critical Masses group)
****************************

Technically, it's somewhat overexposed, and marginally out of focus. The leaves and stems in the foreground are distracting to me. If you want to capture these sorts of shots, it's usually better to wait for late afternoon when the sun is at a lower angle and not so harsh. Your photos will come out less glaring and garish if you wait for the warmer evening light. If you insist on taking the shot during the day as you have, I would suggest changing to TV and setting your shutter speed much faster so that the sun isn't so blinding.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

ugii says:

beautiful!!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

@theXenon: Thank you for your totally revenge scores. BTW, your comments are constructive, even I'm not agree with you in most of them. But a question: What is "TV"?
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Serge Marx says:

tv = time value

we used to called shutter priorty until the people who know better than us changed it.

essentially, you select the shutter speed - the camera selects the aperture. Commonly used to capture fast moving objects.

I don't actually agree with the xenon here. i think the way you've composed the sun behind the flower is pretty cool - although the darker areas of the shot are distracting. Maybe some very softly diffused fill flash could have given us some highlights up front while retaining the glow around the flower. Maybe try the same thing again, but with a single flower, and no other distracting elements. this way you might demonstrate the concept you were going for better.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

@21st fotojux! ;)
Thank you for your complete description.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

James "Busdriver" Scott says:

Just for the record Hamed, I don't revenge score. The criterion I base my scoring on can be found on the front page of the Critical Masses group which I help to administer just because I LIKE constructive criticism, and I LIKE tough scoring. I am not part of the group to have my ego stroked and my hand held. I am here to learn, participate and socialize with my photographic peers.

Here are the guidelines I use:

1 - bad
2 - amateur
3 - average
4 - almost there
5 - perfect

I consider your shot amatuer, and I don't think you achieved your aim, or at least what I understood your aim to be. Sorry that you don't like my score. If you want a better score, go back, follow my suggestions and/or 21st's suggestions and re-post the photo. I'm sure you'll get a better score the second time around if you follow the constructive criticism rather than accusing me of revenge scoring.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

@theXenon:
Thank you for your explanation. However I thought your score (not your comments) is some kind of revenge. If you claim that it is not, okay, i'll accept!
FYI, I accept the focus problem, but I think there is no lighting or exposure mistake. The sun light and the colors are exactly what I wanted to be. About the bushes, I think it's about opinion and may change people to people. You know, in my opinion, I like them, I have another shot in my computer without them, but I don't like it and prefer this one.
Anyway thank oyu for coming back with smile ;)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

James "Busdriver" Scott says:

No problem Hamed.

I appreciate harder scoring on my own pictures because it challenges me to be better. I realize not everyone is like this, and yes, even in this group many people come so that they can have a bunch of strangers tell them how wonderful their shots are.

Criticism can be hard to take, especially if you feel it's unjustly deserved. However, once you accept that even the most "unfair" criticism holds some truth, then you can apply what you've learned and create better images. At least, that's my own opinion. :)

I think one thing people forget is that while there is a definite technical side and technical scoring to this group, there is an equal amount of subjective scoring as well (impact and opinion). By necessity, no matter how objective you can be on the technical side of things, at least half of everyone's score is going to be the scorer's personal opinion.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

jocieposse (aka skid ho) says:

I like the composition and the idea of using the sun in this way. I have to agree with some of Xenon's comments. The brightness doesn't so much bother me - I like the effect around the head of the flower and the the colors are nice. But there's just no focus to this at all. If you set it on shutter priority (I still call it that =P) at a rapid speed, it should still give you a nice big aperture so that you keep the DOF (if you reshoot)...I would think...someone correct me if I'm wrong. You might lose some of your color, though. Personally, I like it the way it is with the exception of the lack of focus...which ruins it, unfortunately. Sorry! Great idea and a hard shot to do, I'm sure.

****************************
Technical 2/5
Impact 3/5
Achieved Aim 3/5
Opinion 2/5

TOTAL 10/20

(from the Critical Masses group)
****************************
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hengam says:

Great great shot!

* Curious, the word "Saber", your last name, in spanish means knowlege !
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Serge Marx says:

Technical 3/5
Impact 3/5
Achieved Aim 3/5
Opinion 3/5

TOTAL 12/20

Firstly - great title! Secondly - great idea!

Next... well, I made some comments above which I stand by. If your foreground is to be a part of the picture, it should hold our interest a bit more. Understand you intentions with the focus - not sure if it worked here though. I also understand why you lioek the shot - I would too.

I'd love to see this theme explored as a series - a whole range of different flowers backlit by the sun. how cool would that be!

(from the Critical Masses group)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

@Hengam: Knowledge?! I didn't know! Thanks a lot :)
FYI, Saber means some kind of fence in English (also Sabre). But the original meaning of my family is "Who has patience".

@theXenon: I didn't understand yet that how the Shutter Priority (S Mode) can help this shot. As you can see in the EXIF, the shutter speed was 1000, I think it's a fast shutter speed! (At least the fastes of my camera). How it could help the shot if I increase the shutter speed, I don't know!

@jocie: You know, if the problem was DOF, I should choose the Aperture Priority, not the Shutter Priority mode, koz the shutter speed does not affect the DOF, but the aperture will affect it! I know this, and as you can see again in EXIF, I choosed F/4 for aperture, the largest one I could select because of shutter speed limit (my camera has F/2.8 to F/8). I didn't choose a thighter aperture because I wanted to blur the foreground bushes. If I tried more on the focus, the shot should have less problems of course. But if due to theXenon's suggestion, I increase the shutter speed, the DOF would be shallower and shallower, so the focus should be harder and harder, exactly the reverse of what you said.
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Serge Marx says:

what was suggested was that you can select a super high shutter speed and a super wide aperture. But since you only go to 1/1000 - maybe drop your iso as low as it can go... which it may have been. I should probably read your exif before making comments like that! ;-)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

jocieposse (aka skid ho) says:

right, that's what i was saying - you want that large aperture for a good shallow DOF. i like the DOF you have here, so my concern was with using the shutter priority, would you lose your DOF if the aperture is set automatically. I would think with a really high shutter speed the camera would give you the large aperture you want. when i say large aperture i mean the size of the hole, not the number. is that where you're confused?
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Sniper Adams [deleted] says:

Well what can i say. Very original. Great photo. But of course you need as the above comments stated. Shallow DOF. Super-wide aperture. Very small ISO. And of course super-fast shutter. If I were you I would take a film camera with 50iso velvia transparency. Film would work very well here in these extreme conditions. Also, Hamed, if you use a telephoto lens with an extension tube for macro you will get a really shallow DOF and you don't have to close in on the flower. But you may find the DOF a bit too shallow. The other way is to use a telephoto lens woth a macro setting. Telephoto's would give you a shallower DOF and a flatter background. Also, I don't think theXenon gave you a revenge score. We all love our photos but we have to understand sometimes that they may be not as good technically as we'd like them to be. I think this photo still works as a very small one. This way you can't see that its overexposed and out of focus. Might be a good postcard. Oh yes, almost forgot. Although a polarising filter may kill a stop it works real good in sunny weather -)

****************************
Technical 3/5
Impact 4/5
Achieved Aim 4/5
Opinion 3.5/5

TOTAL 14.5/20

(from the Critical Masses group)
****************************
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Jake Lowe says:

Technical 3/5
I'm assuming you wanted the focus on the petals however it doesn't quite get there (really only a fraction out). I think you could have used a slightly smaller aperture so that the yellow part of the flower was also in focus as well as the petals. I do like the exposure however, I think the glare works quite well.

Impact 3/5
I think that the busy foreground detracts from this piece and diverts the viewers attention from where it should be (the flower)

Achieved Aim 3/5
See the comments for technical and impact.

Opinion 3/5
This shot does have alot of potential and at first glance. Before I full viewed it, it really did look great. However when the finer details came into place there were a few things that just weren't quite 'there'

TOTAL 12/20

(from the Critical Masses group)
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

T O K T A M says:

this is amazing.......... so beautiful!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

martellobrasile says:

so nice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Ehsan Khoshsirat says:

zibast...
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Corgiflore says:

Beautiful !
(looking like one of my pic, but yours is better)

Thank you to make me laught, Hamed ! ;0))
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

Brunna Peretti says:

Gorgeous!!!!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

PhotoLab XL says:

Great shot!!
Posted 43 months ago. ( permalink )

mirkazemian says:

You are professional photographer.
very very nice!
Posted 42 months ago. ( permalink )

Esmaeil Äzhdahak says:

Beautiful. Gaze to the Sun
Posted 41 months ago. ( permalink )

sarradana says:

It is amazing! great shot!
Posted 40 months ago. ( permalink )

nascity says:

Owww the strong light looks great...fantastic shot...
Posted 40 months ago. ( permalink )

Damgaard, (TheObsessivePhotographer.com) says:

Great shot, wonderful composition!

The World Through My Eyes
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

KC, says:

nice shot
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

Amy Eileen says:

Oh wow, the lighting here is amazing and what fantastic color!
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

saldous says:

Wow..!! Turned out great, should be hanging on a wall somewhere. =-) 1-2-3
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

kajo55 says:

Well, I'm not a photgraphy expert or anything. I only know what I like when I see it. I love this shot. You have a different perspective and composition than I've seen and it works for my eyes. :-) I also like the lighting of the petals... nice work!

The World Through My Eyes

This photograph became an

Please post it to the InstantFave group!
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

Thanks a lot for all your comments

@kajo55: And thanks for your invitation

@saldous: Due to the copyright statement I selected, you can print it and use it for any non-commercial purpose. I posted the original size just for this reason ;)
Posted 34 months ago. ( permalink )

California Grandma K says:

Interesting effect. looks like viewing thru thick glass.
Posted 33 months ago. ( permalink )

Sabspecks says:

this is wonderful!! an instant fave..

The World Through My Eyes
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

randyand23 [deleted] says:

magic light...instant fave !

The World Through My Eyes
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

urish says:

great angle
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

Rafał S says:

Interesting angle and nice use of strong backlight. A little blury though.
--
Seen in 1-2-3 (?)
Posted 32 months ago. ( permalink )

broadcasterTR says:

Excellent use of light, very good job.
Congratulations.
Posted 31 months ago. ( permalink )

Yeganeh Khoie says:

Like a sun on the earth. Similar to the suns drawn in the childhood....
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

@Yeganeh Khoie: Thanks Yegi jan :)
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Coren@ says:

Great composition. I love the simplicity.

>>>seen on
1-2-3 group
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Sasaki Makoto says:

beautiful colors!
>>>seen on
1-2-3 group
Posted 30 months ago. ( permalink )

Nuno R. says:

This is great! You got lucky with this one, but it is absolutely fantastic!

--
Seen in The World Through My Eyes - Post 1 / Comment Any 1 (?)
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

Southcoasting says:

Lovely shot (1-2-3)
Posted 28 months ago. ( permalink )

fdecomite says:

nicely done !
twtme
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

strawman* says:

Beautiful lighting. Very nice capture.

1-2-3
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Mahboop says:

great, fantastic colours
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

Just...Sierra. [deleted] says:

i love this picture!
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

miranda4flicker says:

perfect
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

[bastian.] says:

That´s very cool! Excellent composition.

--
Seen in 1-2-3 (?)
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

sverrelerre says:

that's amazing man - cant wait for spring to try that out here in Norway as well!
>>>seen on
1-2-3 group
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

den_dijk says:

Nice catch.

Seen in TWTME
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

Puur says:

a Spectaculair view !

>>>seen on
1-2-3 group
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

elbud says:

very nice
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

Britta's world of photos says:

A fantastic picture with a wonderful play of light and shadow. I have to try that, too, as soon as spring brings flowers and sunshine.
Marvellous!

--
Seen in 1-2-3 (?)
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

hazeleyesx14 says:

thats a good photo. i took a picture like that too!
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

The crazy Colombian says:

Just wanted to drop in a quick 'Thank You' for making this beautiful photograph available under Creative Commons; I have used it as an introduction into my blog post entitled Wise advice from Dan Millman: “Just fit in until you find out where you stand out”

-The crazy colombian
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

Hamed Saber says:

You are welcome diegovv
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

The Challenge says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Flower in the sky (1 post = 1 comment), and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 22 months ago. ( permalink )

Chloe Clay says:

Wonderful dof here and the lighting is just perfect...
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

cipria7 says:

complimentiii...bellissima foto
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

ⓙasminⓕlower has been blessed! says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called The UnderSide of Flowers, and we'd love to have your photo added to the group.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

allr1 says:

Beautiful beautiful beautiful. Wonderful perspective,
Wonderful light. Unique shot of your camera.
Posted 21 months ago. ( permalink )

Dead Air says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Weekly Theme Photography, and we'd love to have this added to the group!

This Week's Theme is Shadows!
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Thøger says:

Very nice composition!

--
Seen in 1-2-3 (?)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

viajvia says:

Wow, this transparent flower looks almost magical!

--
Seen in 1-2-3 (?)
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

Lauren Elizabeth07 says:

Hi, I'm an admin for a group called Every Natural Wonder, and we'd love to have this added to the group!
flickr.com/groups/nature101/
Posted 20 months ago. ( permalink )

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Taken in Waliabad, Mazandaran (map)
Taken with a Sony DSC-H1.
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Taken on May 26, 2006
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In the Shadow of a Flower

Comments

gwilmore says:

nothing special says:

strangemagee says:

majeczka_majeczka says:

Olivka says:

stephen_pix says:

29cm says:

Renata Diem says:

AlexYoung says:

Danton pix says:

The Naked Artisan says:

ALLIZ in Wonderland [deleted] says:

J Gilbert says:

CurveTo says:

S n o R k e l says:

Harold Davis says:

pigoritm says:

Nazanin Banani says:

xenonb. (in Christmas stress) says:

girloblique says:

catmadogma [deleted] says:

Atry says:

Merly *Sunflower* On and Off says:

Hamed Saber says:

Aidin mahmoodi says:

boshra says:

giddy_lyn says:

Dricota © says:

S n o R k e l says:

Sharon Taylor Photography of Kettering says:

Tahereh! says:

Hamed Saber says:

Cajie says:

James "Busdriver" Scott says:

ugii says:

Hamed Saber says:

Serge Marx says:

Hamed Saber says:

James "Busdriver" Scott says:

Hamed Saber says:

James "Busdriver" Scott says:

jocieposse (aka skid ho) says:

Hengam says:

Serge Marx says:

Hamed Saber says:

Serge Marx says:

jocieposse (aka skid ho) says:

Sniper Adams [deleted] says:

Jake Lowe says:

T O K T A M says:

martellobrasile says:

Ehsan Khoshsirat says:

Corgiflore says:

*Brunna Peretti* says:

PhotoLab XL says:

mirkazemian says:

Esmaeil Äzhdahak says:

sarradana says:

nascity says:

Damgaard, (TheObsessivePhotographer.com) says:

KC, says:

Amy Eileen says:

saldous says:

kajo55 says:

Hamed Saber says:

California Grandma K says:

Sabspecks says:

randyand23 [deleted] says:

urish says:

Rafał S says:

broadcasterTR says:

Yeganeh Khoie says:

Hamed Saber says:

Coren@ says:

Sasaki Makoto says:

Nuno R. says:

Southcoasting says:

fdecomite says:

Merly Sunflower On and Off says:

Brunna Peretti says: