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white tulip
A field trip to the Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG) in Burlington is always welcome as the grey of winter passes. The indoor garden displays provide a suggestion of the colour that is about to bloom in the gardens of local neighbourhoods.
A presentation by a expert on macro photography given at this month's meeting of the Guelph Photographers Guild and a follow up outing to RBG was planned for members to practice their macro tricks and techniques. I missed the presentation but having taken a workshop previously led by the same photographer, I decided to tag along for some of the fun.
Macro Photography (actually it's regularly close-up photography and not true Macro Photography but that's a discussion for a different day) can involve expensive gear, specialty lenses and lighting but it can also be done on a limited budget with inexpensive additions to the equipment that most photographers already have. This week's image is an example of the latter. I did go to RBG with my specialty macro lens, sturdy tripod and ball head and I did use that gear to captured a number of decent images. However, it was a standard 50mm f/1.4 lens and an inexpensive extension tube that I used to capture this image. Holding the camera by hand while hovering over a waist level bench of tulips I positioned myself to look down into one in particular.
The depth of focus (DoF) for close up photography can be very shallow and require stopping down the aperture and using long shutter speeds with supplemental lighting if you want to create an image that is entirely in focus. I particularly like the look of narrow DoF when it's used in a manner that directs attention to specific elements of a photograph or creates an abstract feeling. The DoF in this image is extremely shallow and focusing to get a specific element sharp required some effort. In order to get the focus on the very end of the pistil I set the focus to manual, adjusted it and left it fixed. As I composed the image, wavering slightly, the pistil would be in focus and then out of focus as the camera to subject distance varied minutely. Holding the composition as best I could, I intentionally moved slightly in and out and kept my breathing smooth. Just when the element came in focus I gently released the shutter to make an exposure. It's much easier to do this rather than try to stay perfectly still which actually causes you to tense up and possibly tremble slightly making a it near impossible to get the focus as intended.
A bit of inexpensive kit and a use of technique can make for a strong macro image.
DJE
view from the orchard
Out for a little "rurex" a couple of weekends ago, we found this abandoned house with barn and some out-buildings to explore and photograph. There was something about the house that struck me as I worked around the property trying to find a composition that would capture the feel of abandonment and neglect.
I headed out in the orchard to see if I could use the barren apple trees as a frame to surround the brick structure. Lighting was flat and uninteresting due to heavy coloud cover, so I've used some software to bring out the texture and colour in postprocessing.
It wasn't until I got home and showed my wife the finished image that I realized what it was about the scene. A number of years ago we purchased a limited edition print by an artist named Brent Townsend, called King's Farmhouse. Upon seeing this print for the first time, I immediately had a feeling like I had been there before. I met the artist at a gallery open house when we purchased the print and Brent was nice enough to sign and personalize the back for me. The similarities in the scenes are obvious ... no wonder "there was something about the house" I was trying to capture that day.
DJE
winter sun
I am pleased to have my photo, winter sun published in the latest edition of PhotoNews. I entered the image in their reader Challenge - Winter Wonderland. The image was blogged as my Photo of the Week for 2011-01-17,I've not submitted many photos to magazines or contests because they generally require the photographer to sign away the rights to the image quite extensvely. PhotoNews has very photographer friendly terms for the use of the image in their publication, in fact they do it they way I think it sould be done so I give them KUDOS.
I intend to submit more to PhotoNews and a select few other publications ... we'll see where this leads.
Cheers,
DJE
The Fences of Scotsdale
A return trip to Scotsdale Farm during some recent severe weather provided great opportunities for images.
This time I dragged Alan, another photographer, along to hike some of the trails and fields. The wind was gusting like I haven't seen in years. It sounded like thunder as it ripped through the barren forest trees whipping them around, bending them to the point of breaking branches on many and trunks for some . We needed to lean into the wind as we made our way off the Bruce Trail, across an open field. In the middle of the field I turned to look back and saw this scene. I stopped to make several compositions, some capturing the fences, some the blowing dormant field grass.
Near the end of the outing, I was called away to deal other matters and I just dropped the camera at home, forgetting leaving the images on the card. Several days later I formatted the card thinking they had been downloaded to my Lightroom library. When I eventually went looking for them to evaluate what I had captured I was surprised not to find them. My usual routine of removing the memory card, importing the images and reformatting the card for next use had given way to urgent personal matters. I learned a bit of an important lesson hear.
Thanks to a bit of recovery software I was able to retrieve all but a couple of files from the formatted card. There are a few keepers in the bunch.
DJE
forest mist - forest light
I'm not sure how many times I have mentioned that if you are into photography, you should always be sure that you have a camera with you. Cell phone cameras may be very handy and there are some great images made with these and low end point and shoot cameras. I prefer to have a very capable P&S like my G12 of better yet a DSLR with me when I come across something worth photographing. The "better" the camera the more I am inclined to stop what I'm doing and take a few minutes to work with a scene to capture something special.
Stopping and taking the time to shoot ... that's the second thing you need to do if you are into photography. There are countless times in the past when I have said "look at that", I should stop and make a photograph. There are a very small number of images from those times in my library, because I seldom stopped, unless I was specifically out for photography.
This past Friday, I got a later start than I had intended and had skipped my morning walk, something I have recently started as part of a "get active" program, to make up for lost time. As I headed to my first stop of the day, I passed an urban forest park and was struck by the mist enveloping the bare hardwood trunks as they reached upward. I said to myself, "look at that", I've been waiting for just these conditions to make some images here ...
That was all I needed. I pulled into a parking area, grabbed the DSLR that I had stowed in the vehicle and headed out into the fog and forest clicking away as I paid no attention to established trails. I know this section of forest well enough so I just wandered from scene to scene, composing, capturing and clicking the shutter. Eventually I had worked through the hardwoods and found some fir trees with a beech still holding it's brown leaves. The beech was in a small clearing and I could see gentle shafts of sunlight beginning to break through overhead. If only the fog would linger a little longer and the sunlight would just ... CLICK !
Ahhh, that is why I need to stop when something catches my eye. That is why I need to be sure to keep a capable camera will me all the time. Now where the heck am I and how do I get back to the car ... ?
It all took 45 minutes. By the time I was back at the car the fog had lifted, it was still early and I had managed to get my morning walk in.
This one looks great printed. It's resting on my layout table just wating to be framed.
DJE
