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2 open tulips

Two Tulips open over black background

Two Tulips open over black background
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NIKON D70

Aperture f/11 ISO 200 Shutter 1/4 Focal Length 700/10

upload_date

Apr, 2018

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Behind The Lens

Location

My partner almost threw these tulips away. They were dying and she was cleaning the house. Fortunately, I grabbed them and brought them down to my studio where I was shooting some other flower arrangements. I liked the curl of the dying leaves and the open blossoms. The red fading into the white made a nice color composition and I think the green of the steams balances the red of the leaves nicely.

Time

This was shot in my home studio at night.

Lighting

I shot at a low angle against a black background. The key light was at a low angle from the left side which gave me a nice spot on the center of the blossom and a little rim light on the edges. The spill from the key light also touched the stem and leaves of the plant giving me a nice balance. That was the only light I used.

Equipment

This photo was shot several years ago with my old Nikon D70. The light was a Photoflex spot and the camera was mounted on a Gitzo tripod.

Inspiration

I like the sculptural aspect of the dying leaves and the fragile way the blossoms hang onto the stems of the flower.

Editing

Photoshop was used to enhance the black in the background a little and to pull out the red in the blossoms. There weren't many adjustments.

In my camera bag

I'm using a Nikon D800 almost all the time. I also have a Sony A 7II which I use when I need a small, light camera. It was great on a recent trip where my luggage was limited. The Sony has a 24mm to 240mm zoom. I also have Nikon 150mm prime, a Tamron 24mm to 70mm, and a Nikon 70mm to 300mm. There are circular polarizing filters for each lens. I use a Gitzo Carbon 6X tripod with a Gitzo head.

Feedback

Lighting is the key to getting good shots of floral arrangements. I sometimes use flash, but mostly I use studio lights that allow me to direct the light precisely. Using accessories like barn doors and flags help you to get the light in the place you want it for the shot. If you want to shoot outside in natural light reflectors are a great way to enhance your scene. The best shots are sometimes the simplest. When you see an object, be it a flower, a stack of books, old boots, etc. that catches your creative eye, bring it into your studio and work on it. Sometimes you get a pleasant surprise!

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dafulk

2 open tulips

Two Tulips open over black background

Behind The Lens

See more amazing photos, follow dafulk

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