Blue Popping
Mar, 2016Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
Every year, Longwood Gardens in Pennsylvania force blooms this arctic flower in their greenhouse and puts it on display in the Conservatory. Each year they seem to move them and increase their numbers.Time
Though I typically try to get there early in the bloom cycle and in the day, this photo was taken at the midpoint of the cycle and late morning.Lighting
Natural lighting was used, in some cases I might use a reflector to bring in the natural light and focus it on a darker portion.Equipment
I shoot a Canon T5i most typically with a 18-135 lens. A tripod is a lovely addition but requires a permit to "camp out" during certain hours. I was able to hand hold for this shot.Inspiration
Though this flower is quite lovely when fully open, its petals are so thin as poppies generally are, that the blue is lighter (no less beautiful). I wanted a shot of the flower in its earliest stages and found that this bud had opened just enough to display the deep blue on the inside. To note, the lovely shades of purple that are also seen are a sign that the plant is stressed in some way. Often, the temperatures rise and are harder to control with AC. I liked the stem in the shot next to it, though I could see it either way.Editing
General workflow was shooting Raw, some crops, highlights and shadows as well as some sharpening with mask.In my camera bag
The bag includes my T5i body, a speedlight, 11-16mm, 18-135, 55-250, and 150-600 lens for any possible scenarios.Feedback
Shooting in a botanical garden is a bit like fishing in a barrel, but with this particular flower the bloom local is a bit cold and distant. Check the website, typically the bloom is mid to late March each year. It coincides nicely with their orchid festival.
