The Colors of Life by Dana_Walker

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Dana_Walker

Very good

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Thank you!

so soft, lovely!

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Thank you! I appreciate the compliment! :)

Simply beautiful

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Thank you for taking the time to comment, Kevin! And for the compliment. :)

Dana, this is amazing! Im sure you could teach me a trick or 2 abt macro photography. wow!

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Feb, 2019

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The Colors of Life

The symbolic colors of life in a flower, blue for water, yellow for sunshine, and green for growth.

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Won Curator''s ChoiceMarch, 2019

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Behind The Lens

Location

I took this photo in my home. My husband had bought me flowers for my birthday and they were the perfect subject to experiment with my new camera. I was the proud owner of a brand new Canon 5DS R and I knew that it was supposed to be exceptional at capturing detail. Being entirely self taught, I was nervous about my investment in this camera and its sensitivity to technical expertise. Setting it up with a macro lens, I was able to get this shot.

Time

The photo was shot midday around noon. Shooting inside meant I wasn’t concerned with more typical sunrise or sunset requirements for outdoor photos. By being able to move the flowers around and position them just as I wanted, it allowed me to find the best lighting and angle.

Lighting

Since I was shooting inside, I knew I needed some good lighting if I wanted to shoot with natural light. I definitely didn't want to use a flash, so I set the flowers by a large window. With the sun directly overhead, there was no sunlight actually shining into the window. The ambient light was enough to brighten the image to help ensure the sharpness, but not too strong as to overpower it or blowout any highlights. By shooting from the side, I was able to take advantage of the soft light from the window.

Equipment

I was shooting with the Canon 5DS R and the Canon EF100mm f/2.8 macro lens. I used a tripod to ensure stability and sharpness since the 5DS R is more sensitive to movement. I shot the image using a remote trigger with a two second delay so it wouldn't introduce any vibration blur.

Inspiration

Having just bought a new camera, I was excited to play around with it. It was December, and there wasn't much as far as outside scenery to shoot, so the flower arrangement provided a fun opportunity. I don't think any photographer is able to resist shooting flowers at some point, no matter what their specialty might be. There's something about them that is inspiring and hopeful wherever you see them and who doesn't need that? On a dreary winter day, they were a bright spot of color and cheerfulness.

Editing

I always shoot in RAW format so I needed to process the image afterwards. Most of the adjustments were done in Camera Raw, with some slight noise reduction and contrast boost. In Photoshop, I used some dodge and burn tools to brighten the highlights, deepen some of the colors and to add some vignetting to enhance the focus on the middle of the flower. By shooting with a narrow depth of field, the blur and softness was already in the image and just needed some minor adjustments. I completed the processing with a soft matte finish to compliment the softer tones of the image.

In my camera bag

I almost always pack two cameras for everything I do, no matter where I'm headed. I bring my Canon 5DS R usually equipped with a Canon EF16-35mm f/2.8L and my Canon 6D most often equipped with the Canon EF70-200mm f/2.8L. If I take an extra lens along, it's the EF24-105mm f/4L. Canon's EF24-105mm is a great walk around lens if you're traveling and can't carry a bunch of equipment and lenses. The focal range accommodates wide angle shots and performs well as a street and portrait lens. Carrying two cameras is more than many people want to do, but some images are more suited to one camera over the other. Some of the outdoor conditions can also be rough and this prevents having to change lenses and possibly exposing the inside of your camera to harmful environmental elements. I always pack a tripod and a remote trigger, several filters and make sure I include lens cleaner and a good cleaning cloth.

Feedback

There are so many photographers who shoot flowers and it can be hard to create images that stand apart. The inclination is to shoot down on flowers instead of getting down at eye level which introduces a much different and closer perspective. A shallow depth of field can also make a more unique image. Back light can be your friend when photographing flowers and can make your flowers seem as though they glow, but overcast days can also be a perfect setting since it prevents overblown highlights and adds depth. Be careful and aware of your backgrounds and keep them simple. If you're wanting to isolate a flower, use a piece of white or black poster board behind it. And just as with any photo, sharpness on your point of interest is crucial. But most importantly, don't be afraid to have fun with it, try something different and use your own unique eye and creativity!

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