Orchids
Shot in the Wisley hothouse
Shot in the Wisley hothouse
Read less
Read less
Jun, 2016Views
482
Likes
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Outstanding Creativity
Absolute Masterpiece
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankTop 20 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rank
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken at Wisley Gardens in their hothouse.Time
The photo was taken around midday, after taking in a tour of the gardens. The Wisley Gardens are extensive and there was a lot to see. I took the opportunity to duck into the hothouse, to see the wide variety of orchids and other hot climate plants they have there.Lighting
I was lucky that the hothouse has shades, so there was no issue with excessive or harsh sunlight, but I found that a number of areas ion the hothouse were in fact gloomy and some of my flower photos needed exposure adjustment post production, to reveal their natural colours.Equipment
I used my Fuji XE2 with my 18-55mm zoom lens. I didn't use a tripod or flash, as the light was adequate with minor adjustment to exposure levels post production and I generally prefer to take photos on the spot without excessive setup. I find this allows me more freedom to move around, but means I take multiple versions, to achieve a final photo I am happy with. I tend to use the tripod for more extreme macro shots which require absolute steadiness to ensure focus is right.Inspiration
I love taking photos of flowers and insects, but the orchids are some of the most beautiful flowers with endless variety and complexity. Even same type orchids will have different patterns on the flowers.Editing
As mentioned, I did have to tweak the exposure levels to get the colours right, as the light levels were a bit low and the photo originally looked dark. I carried out the work in lightroom, as this is a simple process there.In my camera bag
I normally carry my XE2, together with the 18-55mm lens. Depending what I aim to photo, I will optionally carry a 60mm macro lens or my 18-135mm zoom. I also carry a macro tube as an option for extreme closeup macro shots, and all the usual additions such as a spare battery, filters, extra memory cards.Feedback
I find the best places for photographing a lot of varied flowers in one go, is in the various Gardens in England, whether National Trust run or specific Gardens. These usually host a wide variety of plants from around the world. Those such as Wisley also provide hot houses so have a wider range of tropical blooms to see and shoot.
