Lilly 1
One of those images which you think would never turn out. It was overcast and raining. Terrible weather (yep ... tripod, raincoat and umbrella)but can be very s...
Read more
One of those images which you think would never turn out. It was overcast and raining. Terrible weather (yep ... tripod, raincoat and umbrella)but can be very surprising if you keep trying.
Read less
Read less
Aug, 2014Views
906
Likes
Awards
Winner in Lilies Photo Challenge
Staff Favorite
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Superior Skill
All Star
Jaw Dropping
Magnificent Capture
Top Ranks
Top 20 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo at our local botanic garden in Brisbane Australia. They have a large lake surrounded by walkways. Great vantage spot for capturing the water plants and wildlife.Time
It was a little after lunchLighting
The sky was overcast and it was raining lightly but steadily. The light was very dark.Equipment
I shoot this with a Sony A580. The lens was an old minolta but beautiful 80-200G. It was set up on a tripod, as low as it would go and sat on the path beside the lake. Beside the camera gear, I was wearing a rain coat and had an umbrella to cover me a little bit but mostly my cameraInspiration
I was having cabin fever and had to get out of the house. There was a little break in the weather so I drove the 20 minutes to the gardens. In the meantime, the it looked to be getting worse, the closer I drove. I got there, and dragged all the gear out and started to seriously doubt leaving home. I was going to go crazy if I didn't take some shots, so I got dressed for the weather and grabbed my gear and walked down to the deserted lake. Its usually awash with people .. not in the rain though. This and a couple of other flowers were opened and close to the path. I set up and took some shots. This was one of the best. A little strange thing, if you look at the background above the flower and squint really hard, trust me it's there, you will see a wood duck that swam into frame. I thought it added a little "difference" to the other images from the dayEditing
Not really much post processing. Te blurry water was done by the rain from mother nature as was the darkness of the image. Just a little boost in saturation and a very slight vignetteIn my camera bag
I have been shooting Sony and have way to many bodies and a truck load of lenses and a darling understanding wife. Usually my normal kit is 2 bodies now a A77 and A57, a Samyang 8mm Fisheye, a Tokina 11-16 Ultrawide, a Minolta 28-70G, a Minolta 80-200G and an old Tokina 300 2.8 if I feel like carrying a load. Most of the time the 300 stays in the car.Feedback
One thing, from this image and many of the other images I have captured, is get out, try and enjoy. This was taken on a really miserable day and that, I think, has added to the image. I have gone back and done exactly the same image in good light and they look OK, but this and the other images from this day look better. The gear which we use can handle a little water in the form of rain drops without any trouble (I have a cheap dry box to help after). Gear wont melt and sometimes you can have the whole place to yourself.
