Frangipani WM
Sep, 2016Views
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Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my garden in late summer at the end of the day.Time
This is definitely one of my most viewed images. I always admired my Frangipani tree flowering and saw this particular group while wandering around the property. I live in Queensland, Australia where the sun can sometimes be harsh, so I waited till late afternoon and also had the fortunate addition of a little cloud cover to help diffuse the harshness of the sun just as this was taken.Lighting
I always try to use natural ambient lighting where possible. This was one of those times when it all came together.Equipment
This was taken with a Nikon D60, No flash, No tripod, Standard 15-55mm lens. Lucky Huh?Inspiration
I have always been an avid landscape and flower photographer and have always been attracted to the soft colours and shape of the Frangipani tree. I have a dozen other photos of this flower but this shot is the standout.Editing
Basic cropping to remove extraneous and unnecessary information. Some minor exposure adjustments but not much otherwise.In my camera bag
I now have a fairly comprehensive kit which I normally carry everywhere with me. My main camera is a Nikon D700 (I'd love the opportunity to upgrade but D700 is such a good camera it would be a shame to give it up), to which I attached a Nikkor f3.5-4.5 18-35mm wide angle almost permanently but I also have the excellent Nikkor f1.4 50mm prime and a Sigma f4.5-5/6 120-400mm which suits the purpose but is a bit wanting in the sharpness stakes. If I ever come across some spare cash I'd like to buy a Nikon 80-400mm, or something similar, to replacement with.I have an old but excellent, Nikon SB-26 flash unit, a Manfrotto Bipod, a Vanguard Auctus 284AT Tripod which is terrific but it'd be lovely to upgrade to a Carbon Fibre model and several assorted ND filters for each of the lenses, all in a Lowepro backpack.Feedback
I like to keep flower photographer restricted to early morning or late afternoon to avoid harsh daylight over-exposing the shot. I often wander around my property and find beautiful flora and fauna within reach. Go for a long walk and take your time, open your eyes and take in the whole picture not just the track in front of you and you'll see things that weren't there yesterday or the last time you walked that track. Be prepared to wait for the right light or improvised with a shirt over a bush to diffuse the light on the subject a tad. Rather than take a studio setup into the natural environment, stay as true to the natural light as possible. Enjoy yourself and don't make it a chore!
