Blue Lotus Of Egypt
Nympaea caerulea - Adelaide Botanic Gardens, 2015
Nympaea caerulea - Adelaide Botanic Gardens, 2015
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Oct, 2015Views
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Awards
Staff Winter Selection 2015
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
All Star
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
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bkjoanne
October 12, 2015
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Prankster
October 10, 2016
wow this picture is AMAZING! I own a Coolpix L840 too and I have been trying to figure out how to make the background appear black for ages! how did you do it???great job again on the picture,Prankster :)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Adelaide Botanic Gardens in South Australia. I had been inspired by another local photographer to visit the gardens, and when I saw this beautiful Egyptian Lotus I just had to take a shot of it. The colours were just amazing.Time
I'm pretty sure I took the shot around 2pm in the afternoon on a clear sunny Autumn day in March.Lighting
The pond the lotus was growing in was mostly in shade, however a small break in the surrounding tree's allowed enough sunlight through to illuminate this single flower, and it literally "glowed" from out of the dark shadows of the background.Equipment
On this particular outing I was playing with, what was then, my 'new' Nikon Coolpix L840. This little gem of a camera is, unfortunately, mostly automatic, so I would have had it set on "close-up" or macro mode. I didn't have my tripod with me on this day, so used the edge of the pond wall to rest my camera on.Inspiration
A lot of the inspiration for this shot must go to Sharon Wills, an Adelaide based photographer. She was one of the first photographers I started following and has continued to inspire me with her amazing work. But mother nature on the day was the one who provided the perfect lighting for me to capture this, not to mention her brilliance in creating the breathtaking subject matter :)Editing
I did pump up the colours a little on this one, with a photo editor program that I found pre loaded on my lap top, but just a litlle as the natural colour was pretty awesome as it was. No cropping, just got up close when I framed the shot. I prefer to get as close as possible with subjects like this, rather than zooming in on them, as I find the final shots are a lot crisper and cleaner with more detail in the subject, which makes it more interesting to look at.In my camera bag
As I'm only new to digital photography my kit is rather bare compared to most. I am still using my beloved Nikon Coolpix for test shots and playing around, but I have recently purchased a second hand Nikon D3000, so I can have more control of things. I call it my "manual" camera and the Coolpix is the "auto". I'm currently using a AF-S Nikkor 18-55mm lens (came with the camera) but am saving my pennies for a zoom and wide angle lens. Stay tuned.... But, to me, the most important piece's of equipment in my bag are my lens cleaning cloth and note book and pen. A clean lens is vital (I've had a whole day ruined by a spec of dust) and I always write down the settings I use because I can never remember once I get carried away with clicking. I also jot down any tips and ideas I pick up along the way, so I can reference them while I'm out taking shots. Oh, and spare batteries. ALWAYS carry spare batteries.Feedback
Rather than give technical advice on what to set your camera or what gear to use, I would rather remind you to use your heart and eyes. As photographers we all see things a little differently and spot photo op's that most people don't see. Ón this day I walked up to this pond just at the right time when the sun was shining through a gap in the trees which highlighted this natural beauty, drawing it to my attention. When you see something like that you just have to push the shutter. When it's bright, look in the shadows and when its dull, look for light. Get up close and personal, you just never know what you will find. Happy clicking everyone.
