napa fern
Jan, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This shot was taken in a lake that dries up during the summer on Fort Dix in New Jersey. I am a self taught photographer and painter still trying to my niche in photography but I love so many aspects of it its hard to pin myself to any style. Though nature and its timeless beauty was my first inspiration specifically flowers and land scapes.Time
An Army buddy of mine along with myself were assigned to a unit on Fort Dix in New Jersey supporting the Expert Field Medical Badge training event. We were in the midst of filling up sand bags in a dried up lake and decided to hike around. We hiked through a really muddy area just as the sun was rising and the green glint of the sun shining through the fern caught my attention so I began to snap away.Lighting
Light was perfect for this shot it was just after the "magic hour" and the suns beams where shining through the trees at just the right angle!Equipment
This was shot with a Samsung NX500 that had the stock 16-50mm lens with a UV filterInspiration
Nature is always an inspiration for myself its what really got me started. At the time I took this picture the lake was still in the process of drying out for the summer. Some parts were muddy and full of life while other parts were plagued with soggy vegetation, debris, and animal bones. Wherever I travel to I always seek to watch the sunrise from a beautiful location. As I glanced over in the direction of the sun, surrounded by life and death, I saw this fern prominently standing out of the mud. I couldnt help but to think that the sun was greeting me back....Its these silent cue's from nature that I appreciate the most in life and serve as inspiration.Editing
This was around the time I was just starting out with photography and all I did was play with the contrast, white balance, saturation and added the dreaded vignette until it looked and felt right.In my camera bag
I travel whenever I get the chance and it's usually somewhere in the elements or in a major city so I try and come prepared for anything that comes my way. I always have 2 lenses Samsung OIS 18-200 mm telescoping lens and my favorite lens the dust and splash proof S-series 50-150 mm lens and of course my NX500 which has proven itself durable. We survived a major wave while going through a cave in Mexico, sand dunning in Colorado, and a family reunion. Cant beat that!Feedback
I love photographing Colorado, where one second you're hiking up a mountain on a sunny day, then all of a sudden the sun is eclipsed by a ping pong ball sized hail storm... but you're in shorts, a light jacket, and running for cover (personal experience). With that said, I believe you have to be prepared not just for your safety but be open to changing your concept or the specific elements which you may have wanted to focus on that day. Nature is at its best every second of the day so take the time to appreciate nature through all of its phases. You might just get your best shot because you decided to take a random picture of that flower floating in a puddle at the edge of a cliff as it bid farewell to the sun. Plants to me are most beautiful during sunrise there are just so many elements that can populate into one image. Such as the shadows from neighboring plants, first morning's dew, that one sun ray that is beaming from the eastern sky, or an overcast that may add a dramatic element. Before you head out the door definitely have an open mind, an appreciative attitude, and know what time of day would be the most ideal for the image you have in mind.
