I took this self portrait by balancing my camera in a tree and setting a timer!
I took this self portrait by balancing my camera in a tree and setting a timer!
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Behind The Lens
Location
This self portrait was taken in my backyard in Connecticut. I absolutely love fall in New England, so I took my camera and balanced it in a tree. I set the self-timer and ..... SNAP!Time
I ventured outside around noon on November 20, 2013. Most of the leaves in New England had fallen from the trees at this point. There was a huge leaf pile at the bottom of a hill, so I jumped right in!Lighting
Although noon would normally not be the ideal lighting for portraits, I wanted bright light so the leaves would really pop. Fall leaves in New England are so vibrant, and I wanted to capture the beautiful colors in this photograph.Equipment
I used my DMC-TZ1 Panasonic Lumix camera with a Leica Lens. I purposely took this photo at noon so I did not have to use a flash in order to make the colors really pop. I also did not use a tripod. Instead, I balanced the camera in the branches of a tree and set the self timer to 10 seconds.Inspiration
Autumn has always been my absolute favorite time of year. After I graduated from Penn State (with a degree in Broadcast Journalism and a degree in Photography), I moved to Connecticut. Fall in New England is absolutely spectacular. The trees almost look fake because they are so bright and beautiful. I love capturing the awesome New England colors through my photography.Editing
This photograph was actually not taken as a RAW file. Being fresh out of college, I did not have my Canon EOS 6D at the time. So, I had to make due with my little Panasonic DMZ-TZ1. I purposely set the ISO to 100 in order to get the best quality possible. With that said, besides a very slight vignette, I did very little post editing to this photo.In my camera bag
Since this photograph was taken, I have graduated from my Panasonic. My Canon EOS 6D is now my absolute favorite. The image quality of this camera is amazing, and it is very easy to shoot completely in manual mode. My favorite lens would have to be my Canon 50mm. The depth of field that this lens produces is beautiful. I also carry a Sigma 28-70mm, a Sigma Macro Super 70-300mm and a Tokina 19-35mm. I have a flash attachment as well, but I rarely use it-- as I love working with natural light. I also have a Canon EOS ELAN Film camera and a Canon AE-1 Film Camera with various lenses. Although I do not carry those around, I do enjoy processing film from those cameras in a dark room every once in a while! It really makes you appreciate today's technology.Feedback
I love being creative and being different. Don't be afraid to go against the 'norm' and try your own techniques. You don't always need a tripod to capture neat photos. Sometimes exploring your creativity and using nature to your advantage can create vantage points that a tripod could not recreate.