AmiEdwards
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Chatter Award
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Top Shot Award 21
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Winner in B&W Macro Photo Challenge
Contest Finalist in Shallow Depth In Black And White Photo Contest
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Amateur Winner Low Vantage Point Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Low Vantage Point Photo Contest
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AmiEdwards
March 22, 2018
Thank you! I had no idea I won until today as I totally missed the notification :p
lilypho
March 22, 2018
Ami, Congratulations! I absolutely love this photo! The gentle, soft look, the different tones of gray, the composition, all spoke to me. I could really connect with this shot. I almost want to be able to touch the water drops and the soft petals of the flower. Thank you for participating in the B&W Macro Challenge, and congratulations once again on this stunning shot! Keep up the great work.
AmiEdwards
March 22, 2018
Thank you for choosing it! I totally missed the notification so was shocked to find people congratulating me today! It is one of my fave photos I have ever taken :)
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken in my back garden on a chilly spring morning. Everything was covered in dew, but there was one flower that really seemed to sparkle - I had recently acquired my first macro lens too, so I had to get in close and try my hand at macro photography! I'm self-taught, so there is a lot of experimentation that goes on in order to find out what works best.Time
Chilly, fresh spring mornings are some of my favourites for photographing flowers. The light is usually good, the dew is still glistening and it's just a really fresh, invigorating and inspiring feeling breathing in the morning air.Lighting
The morning light was naturally very soft, so it made the shadows less harsh than they would have been in the midday sun. I didn't use a macro ring flash or any artificial lighting - I simply angled myself where I thought the flower looked best and snapped away.Equipment
I used my trusty Canon 700D with a Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro usm lens. To make sure I got a steady shot, I popped my camera onto my Manfrotto tripod to reduce shake, which I also avoided by using a wired Canon remote shutter switch (which was "salvaged" from my dad's old Canon SLR kit!).Inspiration
It was one of my very first attempts at macro photography, as being self-taught I had never had the opportunity to give it a go before. I am a keen wildlife photographer, but flowers have always managed to produce some beautiful images. The dew on the plants and on the ground and the clarity of the day made me get up bright and early to head outside to get the maximum time possible doing the hobby that I love so much.Editing
I simply converted the image to black & white and ever so slightly tweaked the sharpness, but not so much that it would detract from the softness of the overall image. The flower itself is a vibrant pink, but the black & white conversion added so many different depths of grey that I actually preferred it to the original pink colour (although I still use the original colour photo a lot too).In my camera bag
Canon 700D DSLR with 18-55mm STM Lens, Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 USM macro lens, Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens, Manfrotto compact action tripod, Joby Gorillapod, Canon wired remote shutter switch, Neewer TT560 Flash Speedlite...then the other handy little bits like microfibre cloths, lens brushes, spare battery packs and a £1 disposable poncho that makes for an excellent lens cover in the rain!Feedback
Invest in a tripod and remote shutter if you don't already have one. They don't have to be anything fancy, cheap models work just as well as the big brands if you're on a budget and it will save you the frustration of finding out the image is blurred/out of focus from camera shake once you load it onto your pc screen. My "cheat's tip" would be that if you dislike early mornings and perhaps miss that golden hour when the dew is still around, grab a spray bottle (washed out Dettol bottles work a treat), fill it with water and lightly spray the flower with water until you get an effect you like! Most importantly, be patient, practice and don't be afraid to try shooting from crazy angles...you'll be suprised how effective it can look when you're not just sticking a subject front and centre!