PHOTO: Blue Irises

From: "Sterling Okase" <sterling_o@hotmail.com>

Hi Talkers,

I met Mike and Ann Lowe during the '94 Convention in Portland and Mike 
and I had a discussion about the problems of photographing blue irises. 
Mike mentioned seeing an article in an old AIS bulletin regarding using 
filters to correct the redness in blue irises. When Mike returned home, 
he sent me a copy of that article which I have saved.

The article is on page 30 of the Winter 1977 (#224) issue of the AIS 
bulletin. It was written by Ron Thoman of Delaware and speaks of 
different grades of cyan filters used alone and in combinations to 
photograph blue irises. The test subject Ron used was Babbling Brook. 
The filters that achieved the best results in Ron's test were CC20C in 
combination with 82A.The article is a little long to post on the Talk 
list but I would be happy to type it up and send it to anyone interested 
in reading it.

When I first read this article in '94, I went out and bought several 
filters to use with my SLR. After years  wasting much time, film and 
money....I have discovered many, many factors influence the blue-ness  
of irises in photographs. Factors such as whether you shoot in morning 
light, afternoon light, filtered light or with flash. Different brands 
of film will also give varying degrees of blueness. And my most 
surprising discovery....all blue irises do not react the same to the 
filters. 

Now, whenever I am out shooting irises and come across any with even a 
remote hint of blue, I shoot several frames, without filter, with 
filter, with combinations of filters and with flash if need be.......and 
when the photos come back from the shop I pray there will be one in the 
bunch that is close to being the blue that my mind and eye perceived.

Iris Maniac,
Sterling (not Innerst)
Seattle, WA. Zone 8
AIS, KCIS, HIPS and MIS
And Friday Night Chat-o-phile
sterling_o@hotmail.com


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