Dogwood Babies
One of my dogwood trees was opening its blossoms and its still short enough for me to get my camera up close. These twins caught my eye and my camera's le...
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One of my dogwood trees was opening its blossoms and its still short enough for me to get my camera up close. These twins caught my eye and my camera's lens captured their coquettish charm.
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May, 2021Views
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken on my home property in an area right in front of an outbuilding, where this Dogwood tree is short enough to allow me to get right up close to the delicate blossoms. Though I knew the blossoms, not yet fully opened were lovely, moving in so close, I saw structures that I had not noticed from afar, which is the charm of macro shooting. I also did not want the other blossoms to de emphasize the charm of these little "twins". I didn't want the boring building behind to show so I needed a shallow depth of field but enough to take in both blossoms, their veined, velvety texture, and the form of the beaded "eyes".Time
This was taken in Spring early evening when the lowering sun comes round from behind big trees, a moment when the light is more blue and before it gets too dark for macro shots.Lighting
The lighting was all natural. I was not sure it was enough for a narrow depth of field, but it was. It was hitting the blossoms so gracefully it pierced their waxy skin to enhance its youthful, translucent delicacy.Equipment
This was handheld, using my Panasonic Lumix DC-FX1000M2. Of course, I was bracing my arms against me to contain camera shake.Inspiration
I love the way flower blossoms are penetrated by light as if a frosted glass, which then displays their inner veining and I have a particular love of the Dogwood blossoms form. Usually I am drawn to them once fully opened to a more plate like flatness, but these, only partially opened were adorable little babies.Editing
I did fade the background just a little more and cropped off what I regarded as superfluous space to isolate these two and emphasize their twin like little "faces".In my camera bag
I like to be free of lots of equipment, especially for long hikes and long distance travel, and because changing lenses and filters takes time when often the lighting or the position of something/someone is a momentary opportunity, which is why I chose an all in one bridge camera but which had the capability to go from macro to the long shot. I will be trying to remember and bother to use a tripod more, something I regret not using sometimes, but not for this shot.Feedback
Go to that subject often if you can, wait for the right lighting, for me that is often the most important feature to take something to a special look. And look close.
