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phyllisjmorrow
June 21, 2015
Thank you so much. I'm still in awe from the award.. I feel so blessed.
barbaramillesrobinson
March 15, 2016
All of the photos in your gallery are gorgeous. This one is so incredibly lovely.
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
The photo was taken in the living room of my home in Dayton, Ohio. Elaborate equipment is not necessary, especially for beginners, a good part of the time because you cannot make progress without "good bones" to your work. I start with something simple and basic and progress from there. I received a dozen pink roses for my birthday in May of this year. My birthdays are now bittersweet as I am an identical twin. Unfortunately, my twin passed away from ALS about 5 years ago. Photography has helped me through this terribly tough time.Time
I took this photo late morning through lunch time, using natural light from my large bow window. It was a naturally bright day and the trees outside acted as a wonderful filter from harsh sunlight. I took photos from several other photos from the same group of roses. Paying close attention to details of the angle of the sun and natural surroundings can help you improvise if you don't have a lot of equipment.Lighting
I do not have room in my home for an indoor studio so I use natural light for the most part. For Christmas I bought myself a table top soft light box which I use for small items. It's great but it monopolizes my dining room table. My favorite lighting is soft and I use backlighting as much as possible. I feel it adds more drama and clarity to my photos. Also, a transparency effect can be given with flower petal shots when they are backlit.Equipment
I use a Sony A3000. I do not have ALS as my sister did, but I have diabetes, arthritis and neuropathy and cannot hold a mirrored camera because of the added weight. I use only a mono pod as it gives me the flexibility I need to move and adjust position without taking down a tri pod and resetting it up. I usually do not use a flash except for informal gatherings such as family gatherings. I used a high definition lens for this photo. Since I was indoors and there was no wind or disturbance to the setting a tripod was not necessary.Inspiration
I dedicated it to my sister as this was also her birthday. I wanted something extra beautiful to keep in her memory.Editing
I did use post-processing: Lightroom and GIMP. I use LR for clarity, adjustments in saturation and cropping, dodging and burning.. I used GIMP to use a filter and added fog with a light golden tint which added character and depth. It's also useful for dodging and burning. GIMP also has a smudge ability that can give an abstract, smoothing, or blending ability. I was pretty delighted with the finished photo.In my camera bag
I have a "book bag" version of a camera bag. I prefer it to smaller ones because the straps go over both shoulders for balance. I always have 3 batteries fully charged with me, 2 or 3 usb cables for the "what ever" category along with a portable plug in charger, a macro lens, a spare 18-55 lens, high definition lens, 55-210 extension lens, cleaning cloth kit, UV, CPL, and an FLD filter, as well as a wired hand held remote. Even though there are compartments in my bag, I use old socks to help cushion lenses and prevent collisions. I would love to get a more powerful extension lens but I physically cannot handle it. I have a snap and lock type casing for my SDHC cards and zip drives. I also have a handicap scooter in my car should I need to spend a great deal of time outdoors at a shoot. It works out great because the straps on my bag hang wonderfully over the back of the seat of the chair. I attach the monopod with straps to the bag. I always have a water bottle on the outside of the bag, and a baseball cap in the bag for bright sunlight so I can focus easier. Being overly hot or thirsty can shorten or end your photo shoot.Feedback
Natural light is always best for my use. Sometimes it's limiting, but it also saves wasted time on poor photos that I would have to re-do. The best advice I can share is: Get the basic photo first. Placement, clarity, exposure, lens adjustment. The rest is ginger-bread. If you have only one photo of your subject that is your favorite, make 2 or more virtual copies in your editing program so you can "play" with effects. I am basically self-taught and I use You Tube extensively to learn more about techniques and use of equipment. Study, study, study and keeping it simple is the key. The more you apply yourself the faster you will grow as a photographer. I still have miles to go, but it's a journey that I find fulfilling and healing. Best wishes in all your future endeavors.