I spent some time in the garden yesterday experimenting with taking pictures of flowers.
My intent was to capture the essence of flowers, and perhaps motion as they danced in the breeze. These are my favorite results.
The first two were shot with image stabilization off and in manual focus mode, with the focus deliberately outside of the minimal focal length (6') of the lens.
Both were shot handheld at 1/30th sec.
The second image is the result of stronger breeze, thus showing a greater sense of movement.
As a reference the third (shot at 1/50th sec) is an image shot withing the focal range of the lens and with IS turned on.
I prefer these images over others taken as they hold enough detail to maintain a sense of the character of the flower whilst creating a more impressionistic outcome.
I'm sure there will be mixed opinions on these images but would love to know your preference (I fully expect many to levitate toward the sharper image) and any thoughts you may have on the technique itself.
There are NO wrong answers on this - anyone with a set of eyes has a qualified and respected opinion.
