How to improve flower macros?

I always liked to look at macro shots, but didn't like using extension tubes. When I was in New York I bought a wide-angle converter so I could actually get whole buildings in, but it also performs (after removing the front optic) as a macro lens. So I had the unexpected chance and just took a few of flowers in the parks as an experiment.

These were taken with a very cheap, bottom-of-the-range Sigma 28-70mm with the macro lens attached. I now have the Canon 18-55mm and a Canon 50mm F1.4 I can use instead, so any future images will be clearer. However does anyone have any suggestions for other ways of improving my shots of flowers?

I particularly like the surreal look or the corruption of the shrivelling one. The blue one looks to me rather too pure and simple - pretty but dull. Any way I can use the shape of the flower better? Maybe do something with the colours, which for flowers are of course key?













Oh - and any ID for the flowers appreciated. They were taken in the elevated park on the old rail track except the last which was Central Park.

Sorry - posted in error to the wrong forum - twice! Oooops

I can't see how to delete it myself. Could a moderator please delete the other copy and move this one to the macro forum?

Thank you! Apologies for troubling you.

I really like the second one! I kind of go cross-eyed looking at it!


No trouble at all!!!!!

Will move it for you!!

A couple of my favorite tutorials......

www.lightstalking.com/flower-photography-tutorial
www.tonyhowell.co.uk/flowerphototips.htm

and maybe inspiration.....

photo.net/monthly-project/2011/may-flowers

Thanks Dori, that's my favourite too!

Cheers for the links effron.

2nd shot is my favorite

As art they would look good on a wall, but, isnt their always a but, photographicaly I cant see any focal point in any of them, they are all very soft.

If you have acess to adobe light room 3 you can use the contrast and sharpness features to help improve the detail some to help compensate from the blurryness the other thing (speaking as one amature flower photographer to another) CHECK YOU LIGHTING its easy for us to get so cuaght up in takeing the pic of the flower we forget about shadow casting and sometimes for nature photos when dealing with flowers time of day makes all the diffrence. Also play with the settings on your camera I find shooting manual is alot better then trying to use the presets. My d70 literaly has a preset for floral photos but it only really works maybe half the time. With manual you can compensate for the lack of light by just pushing the shudder speed diffrence by 1 higher or lower or adjusting the apature up or down 1 more then what the sensors recommend. A good thing to have to is a lens with which you can choose the apature manualy on it sometimes with them you can cheat just a lil by putting it up half an apature (thoe thats really more a cheat for film based cameras like my old school canon AE-1.) O and watch your frameing look at the whole area of the photo make sure you try to keep good lines and not cut off things in half like leaves or other flowers of the same type. Its tricky no tot sometimes and that is a rule that is breakable in some casees its more a guideline then a rule really and even thoe your doing macro dont be affaird to use the rule of thirds in some of the pictures your takeing.

Cheers guys, that's very helpful.

Certainly I understand more how I was thinking from Photobod's comment; I was looking to the art, and really left the photography to the camera (EOS10D in these shots). Which then leads on to Arkangel's suggestions!