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RE: [OM] TOPE 6 updates

Subject: RE: [OM] TOPE 6 updates
From: "John A. Lind" <jlind@xxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Thu, 28 Jun 2001 00:26:47 +0000
I promised Olafo I would post more details about how I made this image after the names were revealed (this would have given too many clues to Acer). Following is how I shot this image (also posted on the TOPE):

As previously posted (anonymously) I used an 18mm f/3.5 with 7mm extension tube. Longer tubes will not work with this lens; the focus point even at infinity focus (on the lens) ends up behind the front element. Also used the metal screw-on combination lens hood and 72mm filter threaded filter holder. Envisioned this image by thinking about how people see the outside of tulips but do not often see the inside. Looked into the top of the tulips and found the internal colors very interesting and structure quite geometric. The red ones are more dramatic than our white ones. Also noted on a sunny day, even in the shade, the petals are sufficiently translucent to reveal some of their structure and allow illumination of the interior.

Waited until the tuilps were as fully open as they would be in mid-afternoon. Then selected a likely one of the half-dozen red ones that were fully mature just outside my front door. The location and other flowers precluded using the tripod, so it would have to be done hand-held limiting shutter speed to no slower than 1/30th; a definite limiter on gettting as narrow an aperture as possible. I knew DOF would be very shallow and wanted to maximize it. Started with the lens focused at infinity and very carefully moved closer to the top of the tulip until the lens hood came into contact with the tips of the petals. This helped reduce motion of the tulip in the ever present slight breeze. The view through the 18mm super-wide lens was even better than envisioned!

Started wide open (f/3.5) and looked at exposure in the viewfinder and stopped down until the shutter speed showed 1/30th in the viewfinder (this ended up at f/5.6). Then carefully set critical focus on the stamen. Didn't have to move the focus ring much from infinity focus! After setting focus, I found myself unable to stay very steady. I very slowly depressed the shutter release when the lens was in the correct position (focus and composition). If it started to drift, I would stop pressing the shutter release any further until it drifted back. This is much like pistol and revolver shooters will do in shooting competitions as their sights drift. After each shot (made about a dozen) I took a breather for a minute or so to let my muscles recover before making the next one. This and one other were the best of the lot. There are a few clearly terrible ones with some combination of focus out, composition off and obvious camera shake.

Hope this helps with others doing macros hand held. Persistence and patience paid off in getting an image I had visualized for the TOPE.

Thanks,
-- John


At 11:41 6/27/01, Olafo wrote:
Hi,

> Very clever leaving 3rd person comments on your own photo!  As long as it
> confuses Acer... <G>

I guess most of the list members are left a bit clueless here, as to the
jokes concerning Acer. Sooo, here's a short bit of insight: Acer is always
very keen (off-list!) to try to determine just who shot which shot, but more
so, he's "beyond desperate" (o.k., o.k., that's a bit exaggerated ;) ) to
figure out which one was taken by John Lind and which one by me. My TOPE 5
and 6 entries were dead giveaways, but John has gradually grown more clever
in cloaking his image. TOPE 6 is a masterpiece in this respect: not
mentioning the 18/3.5 (well, not right away, at least), using Provia 100F
rather than K64, indicating distances in metres, and the final touch: the
comment about his own picture :) John and I definitely had a few off-list
chuckles about that one :)))

Cheers!
Olafo


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