Mellow Yellow
Oct, 2015Views
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LeeEndStar
October 14, 2015
Thank you. I'm happy it turned out as well as it did. I knew when I saw those two mushrooms together that they would make a good photo, if I could get it 'right'. :)
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
Vogel State Park in Georgia. There are so many state and national parks in our country, just waiting to be explored!Time
I almost always get started on my photo drives before dawn, but this was my second stop of the day so it was taken around noon, on 10/11/15.Lighting
The lighting wasn't the greatest for the wide angle landscapes I took there; it wasn't sunny but it was very bright. However, for the mushroom photos in the woods it was perfect. Bright enough to get good shots, and the trees diffused the light enough so the scene was not washed out.Equipment
This was shot with a Canon Rebel T3i, with a 55-250 lens. I confess to rarely using tripods due to back problems, but I'm trying to use mine more often because they really do help get a steady, clear shot and free you up to use slower shutter speeds than you would have to otherwise. This image was taken at 400 ISO for example; with a tripod I could have shot at 100.Inspiration
On rare occasions you will see a scene and just *know* that this is going to make a special shot. It causes you to gasp and your heart beat slightly faster with excitement. This was one of those shots for me.Editing
I did the usual, basic pp: lowering highlights, raising shadows, a bit of sharpening. One unique thing I did was to use a white vignette rather than the standard dark one. I felt it added to the photo and gave it a distinctive look.In my camera bag
I travel light due to my preferences. My current equipment is a Nikon D3300 (I just find Nikon the best 'fit' for me, and hope to have the money one day to get a more advanced model). In addition to the kit lens, I have a 55-200 zoom. I also have a Tamron 18-200 lens for those days when I'm really running on the fly and may not have time or opportunity to switch lenses constantly. My tripod lives in the trunk of my car so it's always at the ready. I have the important accessories: charged batteries and a car charger just in case, lens cleaners, extra SD cards. I also always carry my set of ND filters -- you never know when you're going to come across a waterfall that is just crying out for a super-slow shutter speed!Feedback
Know how the light is going to affect the photo. This day it was bright but not sunny, which made it a perfect day for shots inside the woods. I've been back there on sunny days with dark shadows, and I like this lighting better for this subject. Unless you like making things harder on yourself (like I do!), take a tripod. It gives you more flexibility with the camera settings. Change your angle: this shot was taken close to the ground and the subject, which is a very difficult shot for me to manage due to my age and health, but it was worth the effort! Lastly, don't be afraid to experiment a little in post processing. I've always been taught to use dark vignette and avoid the light one, but I really feel like the light corners made the image.
