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Kenilworth Lily 2 Detail 7-17-14
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Kenilworth Lily 2 Detail 7-17-14



behind the lens badge
cameraNIKON D800

settings Aperture f/8.0 ISO 400 Shutter 1/500 

upload_dateDec, 2014

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4 Comments |
cmorisset PRO+
 
cmorisset December 25, 2014
Beautiful comp and colour. Bravo!
mparker
 
mparker December 25, 2014
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
rmr731 Platinum
 
rmr731 January 08, 2015
Lovely capture! Great color!
FredBlundell
 
FredBlundell May 04, 2017
Excellent artistry.

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Behind The Lens

Location

I am a self-taught photographer that likes to shoot an eclectic mix of subjects at a variety of venues so I travel rather frequently. Still, some local locations are tough to beat. This image was taken at the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens in Washington DC.

Time

I love the light at this water garden and get pumped up the night before I decide to go and shoot there. It opens at daylight so I try to be there when the gates open and catch all the various water lilies while their looking their best in the early morning light. This lily was taken a bit later than I might normally have wanted, probably due to lighting in the particular pool in which it was located. This image then was captured about 8:30AM.

Lighting

No, I don't think so really. I like subdued lighting for florals and while I do not remember the specifics of the weather for the day this was taken I did not use a ringlight or a reflector. I simply positioned myself to take advantage of the natural light I had at that moment.

Equipment

Nikon D800 and a Sigma EX 180mm f2.8 OS on a Gitzo GS5531S tripod and a Wimberley Gimbal. No flash, no reflectors, no filtration.

Inspiration

Every so often one turns a corner or takes an unexpected path and gets surprised by something of exceptional beauty. That's what happened to me. Kenilworth Gardens has a couple of water ponds where they keep rare and experimental water lilies and lotuses. The colors, light, condition of the bloom, and position in the pond all spoke volumes. It is one of my very favorite water lily images ever.

Editing

Sometimes florals need a lot of post-processing work. I process some RAW images twice. This one was the result of a lot of in-camera testing and I did not have to do much extra work to get the look you see here.

In my camera bag

I always make sure I have my two go to bodies, a Nikon D800 and a D800E. Then come the basics: Sigma 12-24/4-5.6 or Nikkor 14-24/2.8, Nikkor 24-70/2.8, Nikkor 70-200/2.8 VR II, and a Sigma 15/2.8 Fisheye. For florals and close work I have several macro lenses (70, 105, 150, 180), all from Sigma. For my money their current macro lineup sets the standard for macro/general purpose primes. Beyond these basic lenses, for wildlife and birds in flight, I pick long glass from a mix of Nikkor and Sigma super telephotos.

Feedback

When shooting water garden details I think you'll get the best success and the most keepers from good technique and lots of testing. Use a tripod unless you just can't. Check focus carefully and test some exposures with exposure compensation. Use base ISO if possible.

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