photo sharing and upload picture albums photo forums search pictures popular photos photography help login
Robin Reid | all galleries >> Picture A Day (Year One) >> June 2004 PaD > June 17: Blue Agapanthus
previous | next
June 16, 2004 Robin Reid

June 17: Blue Agapanthus

Rancho Bernardo, CA

This is my first foray into using a “soft box.” I don’t have one, and trimming close-ups out of their background has been hard work and often dissatisfying.

This shot was taken using a makeshift soft box until the one I ordered comes into North County Camera.

The flower is the first one out of my front garden which I reported on last week.

Pentax Optio 550
f/2.8 @ 1/45th. 7.8 mm focal length full exif

other sizes: small medium large original auto
share
brother_mark22-Jun-2004 20:01
Beautiful and sharp.
Guest 20-Jun-2004 08:19
Very nicely done - and I love that vase!
Elizabeth Glass20-Jun-2004 02:46
I love this shot. It's such a fun perspective. The background gradient is just gorgeous. Very nice.
Guest 20-Jun-2004 01:50
the background gradient is very nice and i like the angle, with the big vase and small flower. overall a very nice shot! i really need to get a softbox as well... maybe for the next gift requiring occasion.
Cindy19-Jun-2004 20:03
This looks darn good to me, love it. May I ask what a soft box is and how much they are?? Still learning!!
Steve Pepple19-Jun-2004 02:06
Very well done.
Guest 18-Jun-2004 11:05
i like this - works well with the vase and the reflection is great too.
Guest 18-Jun-2004 06:27
This looks great! I love those flowers, they remind me of fireworks!
Guest 18-Jun-2004 06:12
Very well done Robin,this gives me a few ideas.Thx for the explanation.
Jude Marion18-Jun-2004 05:14
Very nice photo, Robin. Great graduated background/forground.
Guest 18-Jun-2004 05:07
Robin this is really nice! What a beautiful flower, I love the color!
RodTO18-Jun-2004 05:01
Very nice! Lovely delicate flowers
Anna Yu18-Jun-2004 05:01
Robin that sounds like a really fun thing to build. Now let me see where I can find a large plastic box like that... hmmm...
Thanks for the explanation. The result is really very very nice!
Guest 18-Jun-2004 04:49
this is really cool! I like the blue to white gradient you were able to acheive... oh yeah the flower is nice too!
Robin Reid18-Jun-2004 04:49
There has been a groundswell of requests about my homemade soft box. It really isn’t anything to write home about (oh that’s right, I am already home!)

I have two pictures of it in my In Box. Seehttp://www.pbase.com/rtwo/inbox . One is a “far” shot showing it in context with other every day household objects. (Pretty cool how I’m able to show off my fabulous kitchen counter this way ;-). )
The other image is a close up with some detail on dimension

My makeshift light box is a large clear plastic box from Lowe’s. I bought some white shelf paper to line the bottom and two sides to get a smooth background. I left the other sides open-- I think I can adjust the light coming in using tissue etc. Hope this helps. Total cost about $15.00

The Agapanthus image was taken in late afternoon with light coming in only from an outside window (thus the reflections). Using Photoshop I trimmed the flower and vase out from the background (easy since the background was all white).

I replaced the background with the blue to white gradient (picking up the colors from the vase and the flower.) I used a grayscale gradient to soften the image highlights, did some sharpening, and burned the strong reflection near the middle left of the vase to reduce the glare.

Cropped to fit, and used an action I have created to frame it.


Cliff18-Jun-2004 03:47
Lovely shot. I think we'd all like to see your homemade light box !
Guest 18-Jun-2004 03:08
Good one...like this one
Guest 18-Jun-2004 02:49
Excellent, Robin.
Anne Young18-Jun-2004 02:43
Cool! I think I might try to make one of these this weekend -- excellent shot!
Robin Reid18-Jun-2004 01:21
Yes, Joeseph, I shot up at the vase from just a bit below.
Guest 18-Jun-2004 00:16
Nice, Robin! I am impressed with your growing versatility!
Joseph Brennskag18-Jun-2004 00:05
Beautiful Robin! Is this taken from underneath? Nice color.
Larry Ahern17-Jun-2004 23:35
Nicely done!
Karen Leaf17-Jun-2004 22:23
Turned out great. I thought Agapanthus was some obscure grass that you had planted and needed help tending (slapping forehead). Like how you're reflected in the window.
Jill17-Jun-2004 20:50
I like this and I feel the fun you are having Robin.
Robin Reid17-Jun-2004 20:29
Thanks Ray. It fact it is Angela who inspired me.
Ray :)17-Jun-2004 20:08
Beautiful. Reminds me of Angela's work:)
Pedro Libório17-Jun-2004 20:04
beautiful work my friend!!!
P.S. the idea of showing so beautiful places it is to bring all people that see them to Portugal...it deserves a visit indeed!!! :-)
regards.
penny roots17-Jun-2004 19:46
Lovely shot , wonderful colours .
Gayle P. Clement17-Jun-2004 18:44
Congratulations on that first agapanthus and the light box. It sounds like is was a lot of fun to set up. The blues are wonderful; the shading on the jug and the shading of the background are a visual feast.
Robin Reid17-Jun-2004 18:34
Anna my makeshift light box is a large clear plastic box. I bought some white shelf paper to line the bottom and two sides to get a smooth backgound. I left the other sides open-- I think I can adjust the light coming in using tissue etc. Hope this helps.
Total cost about $15.00
Anna Yu17-Jun-2004 18:28
That's a very nice shot! Can you take a shot of your makeshift lightbox too? Thx.
Herb 17-Jun-2004 18:22
Congrats to your composition and your first own flower from your new frontyard.
Guest 17-Jun-2004 18:21
Pretty shot!!! I really like the combination of cool blues, purples, and that smidgen of green.
Faye White17-Jun-2004 18:18
Lovely!
Guest 17-Jun-2004 18:09
Great abstract! I really like this one.
Guest 17-Jun-2004 18:08
I like the perspective. Colors are great. Nice still life.
The soft box is a great idea. I think I need one.