In the Garden of Alice
Oct, 2014Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in the garden of Frank Kershaw, noted Canadian Horticulturalist in Toronto, Ontario in 2011.Time
Around 4:00pm mid-May.Lighting
It was a perfect hazy light day - that perfect light with no shadows to detract from the delicate pattern and structure of this small flower, Fritillaria.Equipment
This was not complicated - a 100mm macro lens on a Canon 40D body.Inspiration
The surrealness of this flower reminds me of an Alice in Wonderland world. I wanted to bring this alive for the viewer. Most plants up close are far more interesting and structurally complex than from a standing distance. My series Marvelling the Mushroom does this for the underside of various types of mushrooms.Editing
The original image background was a bland brown. The texture was added so that the world around this flower seemed 'created' just as the flower seems to be 'created' and has landed from somewhere other than this world. With such a strong shape, colour and pattern, this flower could take a patterned background.In my camera bag
Ii have a simple approach - one camera body, 24 - 105mm lens, 100mm lens and a polarizer filter in case I find a pond with Koi. I don't carry them all around at the same times. When I am in a garden, especially a botanic garden, I take the landscape shots, then the macros, and then the pond with the Koi. I find that each of these lenses and their subjects call for a different approach and presence in the garden. For me, taking lenses on and off breaks the focus and concentration of the emotional experience of the garden and its elements being captured.Feedback
Tripod or not tripod seems to be an essential garden photographer question - my own experience is that I generally don't use a tripod while in gardens. I spend a lot of time bending over, crouching down, etc and the tripod would require triple to quadruple the time to take the same pictures. I am usually on a time budget in a garden. In relation to textures, I seek to complement and enhance the colours already present so I carefully colour match with textures.
