Rain-kissed Lily
A recently rained upon water lily at the Garden of Eden in Maui (road to Hana)
A recently rained upon water lily at the Garden of Eden in Maui (road to Hana)
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May, 2016Views
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Top Shot Award 21
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken at the Garden of Eden in Maui, Hawaii. That's on the Road to Hana, and it's a fantastic garden to get lost in for a few hours. The lily was in a pond shared by other lilies and a good number of cane toads, one of whom was sleeping. Yes, there's a photo of that, too.Time
This was taken about mid-day when the rain had stopped and the clouds were high.Lighting
The lighting is natural and un-enhanced, except by the raindrops. I was drawn in by the brilliance of the contrast between the purple and gold. I have never seen a more vibrant water lily, and I spent a lot of time admiring and photographing its gorgeousness.Equipment
I shot this with my Nikon D5200 (Oh, how I wish I could win a pro-level camera!) and a 70-300mm lens. Although it may be a bit unconventional, I like shooting flowers with this lens because it produces better bokeh. I may have used a tripod, but I truly don't remember. I suspect so because it was f9; 1/40.Inspiration
I shoot a lot of flowers. One of my friends often says, "It's just a flower," but the truth is, there's no "just" about it. Flowers are graceful and bold, and this one is literally beckoning. In addition, I love the magic play of water droplets, so I couldn't resist.Editing
Truthfully, I don't know enough about post-processing to do much. I only tweaked color and contrast to match what I saw.In my camera bag
I generally travel with just my Nikon D5200 and Nikkor 16-85mm and 70-300mm lenses. At home, I might add a 105mm macro and a 35mm 2.8. I am a high school teacher. My camera bag is not filled with all of the things I'd like to see when I open it. :)Feedback
Don't be afraid of a rainy day. If the clouds are high, there is often excellent light, and the raindrops create extra magical fun.
