How can I recreate a dramatic flower photo with dark edges and soft macro lighting?
Asked 10/30/2014
57 views
2 answers
0
I’m trying to make flower photos with a bright, detailed center and strong light falloff into a dark background, similar to a stylized “unreal” floral image. My current setup is a 100mm macro lens with a ring flash, but my results look much flatter. I’ve tried different lighting settings and manual control without getting close. What kind of setup or technique would create this look? Is it mainly lighting, lens choice, post-processing, or could the original image have been made another way?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
3
Do you know how the image was made? It looks to me a lot like some of the flower images created by Katinka Matson. They're gorgeous, but they're not photographs -- the flowers are arranged on a flatbed scanner and scanned. The way the light falls off quickly and uniformly around the flower looks a lot like what you see in Matson's work.
Originally by user4262. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user4262
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
A ring flash often gives very even, flat light, so it’s not ideal for this look. Based on the community answers, there are a few likely explanations:
- It may not be a camera photo at all — some floral images like this are made on a flatbed scanner, which creates very smooth, controlled lighting and a distinctive falloff.
- If it was photographed, a macro twin-light is more likely than a ring flash. With one tube stronger than the other and positioned above/below the lens, you can create modeling and directional light instead of flat illumination.
- Distance and lens choice matter. A shorter macro lens lets the light source get closer to the flower, which can increase the dramatic falloff.
- Post-processing may be part of it. Darkening the outer areas after capture can enhance the vignetted, surreal effect.
So you probably don’t need a completely different camera, but you may need more directional macro lighting, possibly a shorter macro focal length, and some post work. If the reference image is from a scanner-based artist, though, you may never match it exactly with a ring-flash macro setup.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI12y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
How can I create a wavy distortion effect like this in a photo editor?
How can I create a hand-tinted 1950s-style dreamy look in post-processing?
What editing techniques create this stylized portrait look, and is there a name for it?
How can I recreate this dark, direct-flash fashion look with a DSLR and built-in flash?
How can I create a dark, medieval-style portrait look with a Nikon D3300 and kit lens?