RobyRidge

SummerFlower

NIKON D7000

settings

Aperture 18/10 ISO 320 Shutter 10/1600 Focal Length 350/10

upload_date

Dec, 2019

Views

Likes

Awards

2020 Choice Award

Behind The Lens

Location

I took this in my yard last summer. It's one of the plant I moved from my prior home ten years ago.

Time

This is one of my favorite flower photos. The red lilies seem to pop more than any others (I have about 10 varieties). I took this photo on June 30th, last year. I regularly walk around my yard, especially when my flowers are blooming, to enjoy my endeavours and play with my dog. It was mid-day when this lily popped out at me and I grabbed my camera.

Lighting

Normally I photograph flowers in the evening or after a rain. however, this lily is in the shade so the mid-day sun didn't create any glare.

Equipment

With this photo I used my Nikon D7000 with 35mm prime lens. I had purchased this lens to aid with low light when I photograph performing bands. It worked great if I could move around but if it was a popular band, it was harder to get the photos I was so I now use this mainly for photos like this.

Inspiration

As I was strolling through my yard this lily stood out to me because it wasn't clustered with expired or upcoming buds. I don't remember, but I'm guessing it was one of the first of the season, which explains the lack of other buds. One thing I like about lilies are how the petals will lead the eye to other places, especially on the varieties with thinner petals. Add that with the red and it was like the flower was yelling at me to get my attention.

Editing

I try to keep my post-processing to a minimum. With this photo I enhanced the vibrancy and contrast to match what I see with my eyes.

In my camera bag

I have a variety of lenses I keep with me. It makes for a heavier bag but when I'm traveling, I'm not close to home. I have my Nikon D7000 and two kit lenses: 18-105mm and 70-300mm. I have been able to add the Nikon 35mm prime (mentioned above), Nikon 24-70mm f2.8 with a locking aperture, and a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle. If I feel I will have a chance to photograph the night sky, I will bring my tri-pod and remote. I find I use the 24-70mm and 10-20mm the most, but I do still pull the kit lenses out at times. Before this last fall when I photographed a football game, I didn't have much use for a longer lens. So, eventually, I will replace both kit lenses with better glass.

Feedback

I would recommend having a lens which has a low aperture so you can create the blur. I have two such lenses: a 35mm prime and a 24-70mm f2.8 which has an aperture lock. The aperture lock is not necessary, it's just helpful if you want to use the zoom but still achieve the blur or you deal with low light often, as I do when I photograph bands.

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RobyRidge

RobyRidge

SummerFlower

Behind The Lens

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