HSS shot on A700

[sury]

This was taken with HVL58 in HSS mode. Hand held, Shutter 1/1600 sec. f/11 with Vivitar 90 on A700. Though I could have posted on Macros thread, I am quite excited about learning to take macros at high shutter speed. I was using HVL20 on A900 for convenience instead of using HVL58 in HSS mode. My macro keepers have gone up quite nicely. This was taken today around 6pm, sunny outside, using flash in HS to cut off the ambient light. No post processing, straight from the camera. As always, any C&C is always appreciated.

With best regards,
Sury

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigsu ... .jpg[/img]
DSC14550 by BigSury, on Flickr[/url]

The light you see is the evening sunlight on the flower. I used 1/1600 sec flash just to illuminate the center of the flower.

[url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/bigsu ... .jpg[/img]
DSC14546 by BigSury, on Flickr[/url]

[mvanrheenen]

They look a bit underexposed there sury. And I don't know about how the colors of the first flower are in real life, but they look a bit bland. Don't know about the dark backgound in these, but that's personal taste I think

As expected using higher shutter speeds with the flash in HHS mode negates motion blur, which increased sharpness. As I said before, you control the harsh shadows otherwise ceated by using flash very nicely.

Mark

[sury]

Mark,
Thank you for your comments. I do need to spend some time post processing the images since I err
on the side of underexposing rather than other way. I am learning now getting the right combination
of shutter/flash/aperture combo and even iso. I was bothered by the lack of sharpness in images
of my past. One down, few more to go.
Your point is well taken. They do lack that pop one sees in flowers at such close range.
By the way, the colors on my monitor look very close to the colors of the flowers I see outside.
Quite often I see a color shift on blues becoming purplish and reds shifting to magenta but it
could be due to lack of proper exposure (pilot error).

With best regards,
Sury

[mvanrheenen]

Hi sury, in my experience the color shift you describe can be due to WB issues as well. Especially when you make an error in post processing. With close-ups I try to use Aperture priority mode, center weight exposure and EV overexposure fron +1/3 up to +1 with my a580. All my butterfly close-ups where they fill the frame were made like that, as my camera underexposed every shot, except when backing off the subject. If I where you, I'd try to find the way your camera exposes at close-ups so you'll have another thing down in no time!

[sury]

Mark,
Great tips. Let me experiment as you suggested. Thank you.

Sury

[mvanrheenen]

I hope it helps you a bit sury!