Curly Q
Dec, 2015Views
1722
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Awards
Action Award
Zenith Award
Top Shot Award 21
Legendary Award
Staff Winter Selection 2015
Superb Composition
Peer Award
Top Choice
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Emotions
Relaxed
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 20 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Categories
HBSmithPhotography
December 10, 2015
Congratulations on your Staff Winter Selection award!!! Keep up the good work!!!
Just4FunPhotography
December 21, 2015
Thank you. I was just learning how to use my camera. I had so many oops shots but this one was just right.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
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Behind The Lens
Location
The Cleveland Botanical Gardens in Cleveland, Ohio, USA, provided many opportunities to capture beautiful pictures. I recall taking approximately 100 pictures that day, this being my absolute favorite.Time
With the weather outside cold, drab and overcast, I was looking for a relaxing place to take pictures. I arrived at the Gardens just before 9 AM, to avoid crowds. I had no idea indoor photography would be just as challenging as its outdoor counterpart.Lighting
The Gardens proved to be a challenge. Shadows, artificial lighting, humidity, distance, people, and even water mist made my patience an important part. I would setup near certain flowers, sugar water feeders, leaves, or whatever had the best background and lighting, then waited.Equipment
Having just received my red NIKON D3300 – I call her "Flashy Red" – as a Christmas present, I was overwhelmed by the sheer amount of buttons and gadgets. The stock lens is a NIKON DX 18–55 mm. This particular day was only my second day out with my camera. I obviously had a great teacher, my husband, because all my lessons had to come into play for this beautiful picture and challenging location.Inspiration
With butterflies all around, capturing just one was difficult. I turned to notice the curls of a flower vine hanging just above my head. As I admired its beauty, this Monarch butterfly fluttered right down onto the dangling vine. Filled with excitement and shaking, I slowly raised my camera into position, took a deep breath, then snapped the picture. I recalled my lessons; even though I took the picture, the settings may not have been correct for this situation. I gathered my excitement and slowly turned the aperture to f9, ISO 800, shutter speed 1/500 of a second, white balance to direct sunlight, and stretched the lens to 55 mm. These settings are how the picture was taken. I was able to make a few more adjustments and take three more pictures before the butterfly fluttered off. I smiled, thinking to myself, "Wow, that's going to be amazing!"Editing
I did not have any post-processing procedures. I simply downloaded the photo from the SIM card to iPhoto. The image above is the original, unedited photo taken that day.In my camera bag
I have slowly started to expand my assortment of camera equipment. I now have a hiking EVECASE backpack containing: my NIKON D3300, NIKON DX 18–55 mm, NIKON DX 18–140 mm, NIKON DX 18–300 mm, NIKON DR-6 viewfinder, NIKON DB-500 flash, rain shields, universal tripod, and extra batteries.Feedback
Having taken hundreds of pictures since this picture, I will never forget the basics. Look at your surroundings, lighting, distance, composition, subject matter, movements, emotions and excitement. Understanding your equipment, stabilization, aperture, shutter speed, ISO speed, and white balance can lead to wonderful pictures that capture a moment in time you may never get back. If I could sum up my photography experiences thus far and give amateurs and professionals alike some advice, it would be: Never stop learning.
