AspMan
FollowViews
1677
Likes
Peer Award
Top Choice
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Top Ranks
Categories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
I shot this photo in the Swans Pool gardens of Wellingborough. Situated in the town centre, next to the council registry office, the garden is often used as a backdrop for wedding photo's. But as with any garden, there are many ways to appreciate the nature.Time
After getting back into photography from a dry spell, I got into a habit of taking my camera with me when I knew I'd be waiting around somewhere for a while. This particular moment was caught between finishing work in the afternoon and meeting family in the evening. Around 16:30 in early October lighting. It's always nice to be able to capture things as and when once in a while, without having a plan to stick to.Lighting
Lighting was all natural. No filters, diffusers or reflectors.Equipment
At the time, I'd not long acquired the camera and had very little by way of customisation's. This was taken on a stock Nikon D3300 with 18-55mm VRII kit lens and a UV filter (gotta keep your lenses safe!)Inspiration
Walking around the garden, looking for the little hidden beauties, it was hard not to adore the tear like rain drop on the closed petals of the bud. How is that not an inspiration in itself?Editing
To enhance the mood of the image, it was converted to black and white in Lightroom with a darkening vignette added to help isolate the flower. Nothing quite helps boost the sadness of a subject like a bit of isolation. Tweaking contrast is always a must for me, as camera's rarely ever capture what my imagination sees.In my camera bag
Over the years, I've generally developed a two lens policy, for "just in case" while also minimising back strain. On a typical, planned venture, I will have my now trusty D3300, kit 18-55mm lens, and either my Nikon 70-300 zoom or 35mm prime. Depending what I'm doing. Though I do frequently also take my tripod, I don't use it as often as I probably should.Feedback
Getting a great photograph of plants and flowers requires trying out many different angles and view points. With some subjects, I've taken well over 30 shots, and still not been happy. So, don't feel afraid to experiment to make it work. If you can adjust the lighting, positioning of background matter etc etc, give it a go. You might just surprise yourself with how drastically you can improve the scene!