Wow! Now this is an awesome macro of a dew drop! I love the stacking you've done to bring the drop and flower into sharp focus. The details are so stunning!

I'm not even sure there is much I can say about this photo. It just looks fantastic to me. The purples and greens really compliment each other nicely too, both in the background and foreground.

Excellent job on this!

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I think the light and the refraction are both beautiful! But, when you have total control over the scene, why did you center the drop? IMHO this image would be one of the best DDR shots I've ever seen if the drop was in the lower right hand corner of the frame (in the rule of thirds hot spot there), or in the upper left hand corner. It's a really beautiful shot Alistair but I think you have the talent and the skill to take this type of photography to the next level and to set your DDR images well above what everyone else is doing -and I'm nitpicking this shot because I know you can do better...

P.S. I rarely get the opportunity for this type of image, but the one time that I did shoot a DDR I nailed both the background composition and the foreground drop -and if I can do it then I know you can...

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No Cropping Zone -macro photography explained

My goodness... fantastic composition, enough said!
Just wondering, what equipment was used?

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_{☆ Evan Ludes ☆
Nature Photographer}

_{*Photo--Assignment*TreesWithCharacter*PhotographersClub}

Thank you very much Nyssi, appreciate the comment

Thanks Billy, i used canons MPE-65, 30D, and a 430ex sppedlite witha homemade diffuser for the lighting.

John thank you very much for your very kind comments and critique i really appreciate it. I went through a phase of always centering shots last year, i think it was because it helped me line each shot up when stacking and i then ended up cropping the shot for a better composition, which isnt ideal.

I'm only picking on you because I know you've got more talent in your right index finger than most people have in their entire body...

Have you tried to get the refraction and the drop in a single frame -no stacking. I came very close in my first and only DDR session [link] and I think that if I were shooting at a higher Fstop it would be possible (maybe add a 1.4TC to the MPE-65 so I can shoot at F22). Diffraction should be a non issue for this type of shooting -not enough fine detail to worry about...

IMHO focus stacking seems to be more of a crutch than a cure due to the compositional limitations of the technique. Your problem with centered stacked images isn't unique -even LordV struggles with his focus stacked compositions...

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No Cropping Zone -macro photography explained

Just realised ive already posted this one...Doh sorry folks.

You have DD on this not?

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<sub>^dexter13-sk
Director of freehugs and daily hugnation
deviantart@main.sk
unique glitterdrops - [link]

"The photographer is not a master, he is only a good interpreter of beauty around"</sub>

Hi John,

I have tried shooting some at a higher fstop, albiet not with flowers behind them but the natural backgrounds and i found that it brought to much of the backgraound into focus, which are usually a bit messy as i dont have a garden and have to shoot these in what is essiently a field with knee high grass lol This wouldnt be a problem with the flowers as backgrounds i think. Although i love focus stacking and the ability to completley lose the background while still maintaining a very small DOF i think it can give images a very flat look.

I will try what you have suggested next time we have a good dew over here, sort of overdosed myself on them over the winter and am having a little break

I really appreciate the critique John, its something you rarley get on POTN.