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Boricua63

Brich arch in Puerto Rico

I took this image on 2013 while visiting the Caguas Botanical Garden in Puerto Rico. I was still learning to use my Canon EOS 60D camera. ...
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I took this image on 2013 while visiting the Caguas Botanical Garden in Puerto Rico. I was still learning to use my Canon EOS 60D camera.
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Canon EOS 60D

settings

Aperture f/5.6 ISO 320 Shutter 1/160 Focal Length 85/1

upload_date

Feb, 2016

Views

133

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+10

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Same photographer See all Behind The Lens

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Behind The Lens

Location

The picture was taken in 2013 at the Jardin Botánico y Cultural" (Botanical and Cultural Garden) in Caguas, Puerto Rico during one of my visits to my beloved Boriken, a name given to Puerto Rico by our extinct natives: the Taíno.

Time

It was a beautiful, sunny, and typically hot August afternoon in Puerto Rico. I visited the botanical garden with my younger son and a friend whom I considered a sister. I will never forget that day because we really had a great time walking around seeing the iguanas, the diverse flora and fauna, some curious places like the ruins of an old sugarcane mill and factory and the huge 300 yrs old+ oak tree, and, of course, taking silly pictures of ourselves in every unusual corner.

Lighting

The sun position provided the perfect natural lighting for it and that was an opportunity I was not going to miss. Although challenging, I have learned the hard way, that getting to know how to use natural light for such images is worth it. I am not an expert. Nonetheless, each provided occasion for improvement, it's a bald opportunity I grab by the hair.

Equipment

This image was taken with my loyal traveling companion Canon EOS 60D, aka Boris. I used an EFS17-85mm lens.

Inspiration

As we were walking through the garden, breathing in the fresh smell of the typical tropics flora and listening to the birds singing, we came to the huge oak tree. Nearby, were the ruins of the sugarcane mill and factory. I was drawn like a magnet to this tower because of its architectural and historical value. I enjoyed taking images of ruins and old buildings. It is something almost spiritual as each broken building has a story to tell. I was impressed considering the history of hurricanes that have hit Puerto Rico, this tower was standing still as a symbol of grace, endurance, and a time in our history almost forgotten.

Editing

The original picture was colored but I felt it lacked momentum and honestly looked boring. However, when I converted it into black and white, the image became somewhat mystical as the attention was shifted from the multiple colors to its majestic textures.

In my camera bag

When I took that image, I only have my Canon EOS 60D and its EFS 17-85 mm lens. It was a Christmas gift from my hubby after we returned from India where I took very good images with my Olympus rough pocket camera aka Bonnie. Back then my knowledge of photography was limited and I only took images on Auto mode. However, now I am more experienced and even had dared to take raw images as it is easier to do some post-processing adjustment without affecting the integrity of the image. Two Christmas ago my hubby gifted me a second lens: Sigma 24-105mm 1:40 DG082. Now both Boris, Bonnie, and my Samsung always travel with me as each one of them has their own niche and duties.

Feedback

Get yourself familiar with the use of natural lighting and practice as much as you can. Not all images taken are sellable or marketable but each one of them will teach you a lesson and encourage you to perfection. Take time to analyze your images. Then take that accumulative knowledge and apply it to the next round. In writing we said, you write, edit, and re-write. It's the writer's loop. In photography the loop is different: take the image, look at it, take it again, repeat as many times as needed, do some post-processing work when needed, learn from the trouble shots, and discard those images that offer no learning value or income. Practice creates endurance. Endurance creates persistence. Persistence creates knowledge. Knowledge evolves to experience. Experience creates the master.

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Boricua63

Boricua63

Brich arch in Puerto Rico

I took this image on 2013 while visiting the Caguas Botanical Garden in Puerto Rico. I was still learning to use my Canon EOS 60D camera. ... Read more

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow Boricua63

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I took this image on 2013 while visiting the Caguas Botanical Garden in Puerto Rico. I was still learning to use my Canon EOS 60D camera. ...
Read more

Share photos. Enter contests to win great prizes.
Earn coins, get amazing rewards. Join for free.