Purple Crocus Flower
May, 2018Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
I took this photo in my in-laws flower bed. A couple years previously, I helped them plant several different perennials and bulbs there. Spring variegated purple crocuses were on the list.Time
I shot this photo when the sun was going down for the day. The flower started closing up when I was shooting. It closed up even more during the shoot due to failing light.Lighting
While I did shoot this during sunset, the lighting conditions and the wind made things difficult. The wind was especially trying for a macro shot. So, I set up some light and wind breaks. I also used my own body as a shield whenever I could. However, the light and wind breaks accelerated the flower closing up for the night. I'm glad I captured what I did when I did.Equipment
I shot this photo with a Nikon D7200 and a Nikkor 60mm f/2.8 prime macro lens. I also had my Vanguard tripod with an Espod Plus 233 AP head and my Nikon MC-DC2 trigger release to round out the equipment. That's all the camera equipment I used.Inspiration
This wasn't the first time I shot macro photos of my in-laws flowers. However, I wanted a new one for the year and the crocuses were out in bloom. They don't last very long though. I wanted a deep depth of field on the flower but bokeh for the rest of the image. So, I found a way to conquer the wind long enough for the shot.Editing
This photo required some serious post-processing work to achieve the final look. With a deep depth of field on the flower (at least deep for macro work), that also put the entire background in focus too. I needed to selectively blur the background with a strong Gaussian blur in Photoshop to achieve the final look. I also sharpened, brightened, and color corrected the final image.In my camera bag
I carry a Nikon D7200 rather permanently attached to a Custom Brackets Digital Pro-E flash bracket. I love the ease which this high end flash bracket allows me to switch from landscape to portrait mode on a tripod and back again. It makes life in the field so much easier for me. My go-to lenses are the Nikkor 18-55mm kit lens and a Tamron 70-300mm telephoto lens with 1:2 macro capabilities. These have served me faithfully for several years in photography. I also pack a Nikkor 50mm prime for those times when I need f/1.8. I also carry a Nikon Speedlight SB-700 for those times when natural light just isn't enough. My Hoodman hood-loupe, highly recommended by Scott Kelby, also goes with me. With it, I can see what my camera screen is showing me even in exceedingly bright light which would otherwise prevent me viewing my newly taken photos. My sling bag does get heavy with all this gear, but I know that I'm prepared for all kinds of photo opportunities.Feedback
Macro work outside in the wind can be difficult. Make sure that you set up proper wind barriers so that your subject doesn't go out of focus with a simple small puff of wind. Also, take lots of different exposures to make sure you catch something in proper focus just in case your wind barriers don't work as well as you hoped they will. Wait for those moments of calm and stillness and go for the shot. Sometimes you must be patient, but they will eventually come. Don't attempt to hand-hold this kind of shot. Use a tripod and cable release to eliminate your motion from blurring or shifting the focus unintentionally.
