The 420 Fotographer Collective: Advanced Cannabis Photography

[Tony Urban]

i tried some different settings on this sssdh bud just playing around the first four are a little different settings the last one was taken on the auto macro setting!

Nice series ilikemsticky, do you happen to know which settings each shot were? I like the light and focus on this one. Well done.

 

[Skullman420]

I'll definitely do a smoke photo. Great idea

 

[Tony Urban]

I took this with an iPhone on Portrait Mode a while back but I set this up until I was happy. Took me 10 or 15 minutes. Looking for the right angle, getting the background cleaned up, little things. And its just a few pots lol.

 

[MackMcMacMac]

Thanks so much for the tip about how to set the custom white balance for photographing in the tent! I've long been interested in photography but haven't spent enough time learning my camera or how to take great shots. LOL (I'm better skilled in Photoshop than with the camera.)

These were taken today with a Canon Rebel T2i:

 

[ilikemsticky]

Nice series ilikemsticky, do you happen to know which settings each shot were? I like the light and focus on this one. Well done.

thanks urban I'm sorry don't have that info, from here on out when i post a pic i will include that info which is what i should have done already!

 

[The rooster]

I've been trying to improve I promise

 

[kelticBlue]

I dunno If I did this before but just for fun..

Here is a comparison of the in camera white balance correction.

The first shot is AWB the default white balance. The second is tungsten lighting setting, which is what I use under my 3500K COB lights.
I thought a quick compare would be nice. I am super lazy and this is easiest for me to correct for light color. I am just playing.
Under the bright light I shoot 100 ISO (Lowest it goez) under a preset macro mode with high saturation.


Here is is under the default setting

quick change of the camera setting a snap a second later

Pretty sure I did no post process.

The white pistils get blown out under the bright light at the top in both shots. I see it alot. I don't remember that much about this stuff, but it can be fixed.
You can look at the histogram (I dont recal the spell) and see the whites are oversaturated.
I dont really play with this anymore, I am sure some of you guys know this stuff off the top of your head. My memory is shot, teheheh.

Someone wanna chime in about the pistil white out fix?
shutter, apeture and such?
I just trial and error, re shoot, re focus, till I get what I like, tehehehehehe.....

Thanks you guys for all the info, I gotta do some reps, You Guys Rock


When I do break out the DSLR most what I shoot is Birds at the Beach ( dang I could be my next band name - J/k )

Here is one from a couple of years I just came across, Brown Pelican!

When I shoot wildlife, I like to get the eye of the animal in focus.

 

[ilikemsticky]

i like the eye thats cool that pic would crap if the eye was out of focus good one keltic,i have the sam problem its either white out or silhouette i think it could be from all the reflective thats going on I'm just learning some myself god luck!

 

[ilikemsticky]

that was good luck!

 

[kelticBlue]

With them wildlife shots I prolly get I dunno? one in 50 that I like. I Just keeps on shootin...My newest lens is a canon 75-300, does pretty good at the beach.

I dont use a tripod but I prolly should. I have an ole gorilla-pod, but I need a new one, it is super flexible and can help when you need a tri pod in a hard to put place.

I have slacked off, I should do some more piccys of me cat. . . . .Back to the canna photo.

I been working on some ideas to get more creative and artsy Photo Captures of the canna plants, just playing.

Like these 2 to bring out the purps contrast. Pretty sure I used the HDR setting from one of the camera's presets.

Triple Purple Rhino

Triple Purple Rhino
just fun really most of my canna shots are less than purrrfect because I have cat hair everywhere, aint life grand.

 

[Tony Urban]

Wow Rooster, some great stuff, those pistils are huge! Love that forested shot of all those pistil tops.

It’s nice to get the odd nice photo. Generally all we want to do is document our grows. Let’s be honest that’s the only reason for the photos. Every day doesn’t have to be a chore and an effort to get a national geographic quality image. Documentation is the real fun. Looking back and remembering that moment. Anything thats not too blurry or overexposed makes me happy.

Some more nice shots Keltic. Great pelican point of view. We are blessed having so many talented people in one spot. Both as growers and as photographers. You really are inspiring.

I just got a call. My 70-200mm is back from Canon and ready to pick up. $200 repair bill to fix internal gears. Good thing too because I have dropped my new camera with the 100mm lens on it a few times this month. Any more and I will be needing to send another lens away for repair.

I also got a batch of meds in too. So you should see a photo here later of the best one of the day. The rest of the ugly ducklings will be on my journals.

Well done folks

 

[Agemon]

I dunno If I did this before but just for fun..

Here is a comparison of the in camera white balance correction.

The first shot is AWB the default white balance. The second is tungsten lighting setting, which is what I use under my 3500K COB lights.
I thought a quick compare would be nice. I am super lazy and this is easiest for me to correct for light color. I am just playing.
Under the bright light I shoot 100 ISO (Lowest it goez) under a preset macro mode with high saturation.


Here is is under the default setting

quick change of the camera setting a snap a second later

Pretty sure I did no post process.

The white pistils get blown out under the bright light at the top in both shots. I see it alot. I don't remember that much about this stuff, but it can be fixed.
You can look at the histogram (I dont recal the spell) and see the whites are oversaturated.
I dont really play with this anymore, I am sure some of you guys know this stuff off the top of your head. My memory is shot, teheheh.

Someone wanna chime in about the pistil white out fix?
shutter, apeture and such?

i like the eye thats cool that pic would crap if the eye was out of focus good one keltic,i have the sam problem its either white out or silhouette i think it could be from all the reflective thats going on I'm just learning some myself god luck!

Both of you guys should try some bracketing (if possible). If your highlights are blown out then under expose to get your highlights sharp. If you want good shadow exposure then over expose.

This rule only works if you know exactly what you're metering. Some cameras let you choose where to meter as well.

And like somebody else mentioned you can set up auto bracketing if your camera is capable, just remember 3 shots per composition.

 

[Tony Urban]

Both of you guys should try some bracketing (if possible). If your highlights are blown out then under expose to get your highlights sharp. If you want good shadow exposure then over expose.

This rule only works if you know exactly what you’re metering. Some cameras let you choose where to meter as well.

And like somebody else mentioned you can set up auto bracketing if your camera is capable, just remember 3 shots per composition.

I remember messing around with layers in photoshop. You can actually blend the best parts of those three bracketed images into one clear one too. Keeping the best parts of the three images. Dont ask me how lol, I had to google or you tube video that stuff, which is a great way to learn techniques. Like making a watermark paint brush. So you can one click on your images and put your copyright on it. But I digress lol.

 

[nivek]

pistol white out

if you look close, the pistols on the top of the plant are not the only part that is whited out,, look at the ends of the bigger leaves as well,, more white out

the reason for this 'overexposure' is this

the light intensity on the outer edges of the plant is much greater than down under the canopy, close to the stalk. possibly two or three times as intense

that down under area is where you are focusing and metering your light from,, so you have decent exposure in the down under areas

a camera is not able to absolutely capture all the depth of light that exists in the world, so a camera 'compresses' the actual intensity, but still can not capture all of it,,

so,, you can get the down under intensity correct,, but the brightest areas in the frame will be overexposed,,

or

you can expose for the outer edges correctly,, but then the down under darker areas will be underexposed, ie, lack detail

this is where editing can come into play,, by bracketing and editing,, that detail in the shadows can be preserved, and manipulated , while the brightest areas of the shot are more correctly exposed as well

sorta

 

[kelticBlue]

Both of you guys should try some bracketing (if possible). If your highlights are blown out then under expose to get your highlights sharp. If you want good shadow exposure then over expose.

This rule only works if you know exactly what you’re metering. Some cameras let you choose where to meter as well.

And like somebody else mentioned you can set up auto bracketing if your camera is capable, just remember 3 shots per composition.

pistol white out

if you look close, the pistols on the top of the plant are not the only part that is whited out,, look at the ends of the bigger leaves as well,, more white out

the reason for this 'overexposure' is this

the light intensity on the outer edges of the plant is much greater than down under the canopy, close to the stalk. possibly two or three times as intense

that down under area is where you are focusing and metering your light from,, so you have decent exposure in the down under areas

a camera is not able to absolutely capture all the depth of light that exists in the world, so a camera 'compresses' the actual intensity, but still can not capture all of it,,

so,, you can get the down under intensity correct,, but the brightest areas in the frame will be overexposed,,

or

you can expose for the outer edges correctly,, but then the down under darker areas will be underexposed, ie, lack detail

this is where editing can come into play,, by bracketing and editing,, that detail in the shadows can be preserved, and manipulated , while the brightest areas of the shot are more correctly exposed as well

sorta

I knew you guys would know what it is called, bracketing. I forget, I do play with exposure and/or point the light meter on the camera sensor at the exposure point I need to set the exposure (half press shutter) then shoot at the subject.

I have to repeat learn this stuff all the time. . .
You guys are making me think of breaking out the DSLR again. {{I think the sensor needs cleaned}} Yikes!

Cheers All!

 

[nivek]

Might be worth noting that even with bracketing (normal bracketing is one stop under, normal and one stop over) and editing, under most, even normal, lighting situations, a camera can and will not be able to capture the contrast between light and dark parts of the picture frame

One must make a choice, do I want the brightest parts exposed properly or the darkest parts exposed properly?

Which is why one might want to use additional lighting or reflective cards or more expensive equiment Or way more editing or many other tools and tricks that are the reason for the world having professional photographers

There really can be so much to it if one wants there to be

 

[Tony Urban]

Alright folks, I am going to re-post my product review, because I don't feel I did it justice the first time. I also feel it was a good time during the discussion of blown out pistols or other white areas.

The reflector I use is small and collapsible. Cheap. $15. Spring loaded light if you will.

It will unfold itself.

I leave it with the silver reflective surface on.

But it unzips and has other surfaces on the inside. Like a reversible jacket.

The inside is a light diffuser. You can use drapes or white sheets if the light is harsh or too bright. This softens the light and gently hugs the subject.

But again, you don't need expensive gear to get the the results you want.

 

[Agemon]

I love reflectors, I used them all the time when doing head shots or close up portrait work. They are available in a number of sizes as well as finishes (colors / textures). Gold, Silver, and White are the 3 colors I've seen most. When I shot some tight close up work, of glass, reflectors were very handy. In fact I've made very small ones for using behind bottles and such.

Here's a picture I did for my portfolio. This picture has two reflectors behind the bottle and another off camera. This picture was hours of work.

 

[Agemon]

I remember messing around with layers in photoshop. You can actually blend the best parts of those three bracketed images into one clear one too. Keeping the best parts of the three images. Dont ask me how lol, I had to google or you tube video that stuff, which is a great way to learn techniques. Like making a watermark paint brush. So you can one click on your images and put your copyright on it. But I digress lol.

The great thing about PS is the number of things it can do. AND... the number of ways you can do the same thing. If you take your bracketing into PS you can run the HDR Photomerge and it does on the complicated work for you. The key is the processing after the HDR images are married. Adjustment Layers is where I go after an HDR merge, although I must admit, I haven't used that feature for any of my bud pics. Maybe I'll give it whirl on one of my fav's!

 

[Tony Urban]

Fabulous work Agemon. Love that blue sunrise effect. Definitely see the effort and work put into that.

I just finished touching up some shots of the lemon meringue dispensary buds. Here is one.
I shot this with my Canon D80, on a tripod with my 70-200mm F4L. The ISO was 1600, jacked up due to poor light, and the aperture was F7.1. I have to be a few feet away to get the focus. I also used the reflector to get more light on it, maybe the roght side. The shutter speed was a slow 1/20. The original was horizontal but I rotated it slightly just because I thought it made it a bit more pleasant.could even offset the buds to one side more.

All my ideas dont work. Normally you would never see this. This just didnt work for me for a number of reasons. The background and the big centre cattail or whatever that is mainly. But I was more energetic, this would be the start of an idea, and I still think its got potential. lol cute little forest scene of bud. It would need a saskquatch. The buds on rhe kedt and centre are lemon meringue a sativa, and the buds on the right are harlequin, mostly sativa.