In my Tiny Garden
May, 2015Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in my backyard under my Jacaranda tree which, produces beautiful purple flowers.Time
I'd been planning for this image for weeks waiting for my tree to bloom, so I was out first thing in the morning as soon as the blooms were ready. It was a tricky shot because I had to glue the marble to a stick and then line it up perfectly so the stick would "disappear" seamlessly in post production and give the marble the illusion of floating in mid-air.Lighting
The sun rises in my backyard and sets in the front, so I was able to use the light that naturally filtered through the delicate leaves of the tree. The leaves are fine and lacy so dappling isn't a big issue, but just under the one tree. It was a beautiful, cloudless day, so no other lighting or filters were necessary.Equipment
This was shot with a Canon 5D mark III with a 100mm 2.8 macro lens that I rented. (I always rent a lens before I buy one, and I did buy this one because it's a great lens!) I definitely used a tripod and a light stand with a clamp to hold the marble on the stick in place.Inspiration
I get a lot of inspiration from other photogs here on ViewBug. There are so many talented artists here so I challenge myself by trying to recreate an image and adding my own twist.Editing
I post process all of my images. I this case, I took one image, then flipped the marble to the other side making sure I lined it up perfectly and took the second image. I then blended them together and masked out the stick the marble was glued to. Then I enhanced the color and luminance with Topaz.In my camera bag
I usually pack way more than I need, but I don't mind, remembering the old adage; It's better to have it and not need it... Plus my camera bag is a backpack but converts easily to a wheeled pull-along. It's perfect for carry-on at the airport. My camera is a Canon 5DMarkIII, which is as fool-proof as one can get. My go-to lens is my 85mm 1.2 because my subjects, more often than not, are people and I love to fill the frame with faces. My other favorite is my 24-105mm 4.0 which is great for larger groups as well as portraits. Then I switch between my 100mm and my 70-200mm 2.8 depending on my subjects for the day. (And because they both won't fit in my bag.) I definitely carry a tripod and a ring flash, various batteries, cards, lens cloths and my laptop because I like to upload my images as soon as I can.Feedback
When capturing and image through a marble, you have to make sure you have a good, clear marble. Air bubbles look really funky in the completed image. Glue it to something and definitely use a stand and a clamp to get it in the perfect position and keep it there. Previsualization (my teacher taught me that word) is key; see the finished image in your mind first. Get everything ready and in place before you're ready to shoot, because lighting changes very quickly. Shoot lots of images, it's digital, so you're not wasting anything. Set your camera to single image shooting so you can refocus before every shot. And don't set your DOF too shallow, you want everything inside the marble to be in focus. Have FUN!!
