by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography, photography education, photography lighting resources
Choices!
We get to make a bunch of them and I’m still playing with ideas as I explore the photographic world in which I have chosen to immerse myself. How about you?
What kind of decisions can we make to change the look of a single scene? Here’s an example of three images made with a Macro lens of a flower that is about the size of my thumbnail.
First capture of the White Horsenettle. Full sun. Looks a bit harsh. (why do they call it White Horenettle when it’s lavender??)
Placed a 20 inch scrim from a Westcott 5 in 1 to increase the size of and soften the light.
This has the effect of softening the shadow edge transitions and, to my eye, renders the flower in a more pleasing fashion.
Same capture with lighting as above but changing to a wider aperture softening the background allowing the flower to stand out more.
These are very similar images with subtle, and not so subtle, variations. Could there have been more choices made in this capture? You betcha! Could have taken a higher angle and not included the sky area. Could have changed the composition. Changed the lens. Changed the camera distance to subject. Could have added flash. Could have moved the scrim to the shadow side and reflected light into the shadows. You get the idea…
Point is when you have a subject explore the many possibilities and variations because it’s not unusual to improve on your images as you ‘work the scene’.
Capture information – Camera: Lumix GH4 Lens: Leica DG Macro-Elamarit 45mm f2.8 Aspherical Extension tube: Vello 10mm
Explore. Play. Practice.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | photographers health, photography - art quote, photography education
Before you start to read this post you might want to click on the song below… Go ahead, you can do it!
TIME…
If you think about time is the ultimate currency in our lives. Twenty-four hours in a day. Some of those are, of course, survival type hours eating, sleeping, bathing and generally tending to health in one way or another. When you start to whittle away at you day like that you start to realize that time is as the Steve Miller and song says, ‘Slipping into the future…’
So lets take just a bit of time to think about how we are using it. Roy H. Williams puts it succinctly in today’s Photo Art Quote.
“What are you buying with the hours of your life?” Roy H Williams
(Roy is the author of the Monday Morning Memo which is a place I recommend you spend some of your time…)
I believe it’s a good thing to ponder ideas such as this occasionally as we as artists/photographers tend to throw ourselves into our businesses and many times creative work and family lives suffer as a result.
Can you find a way to have someone else do the menial work within your business? Things like editing, or retouching? Is there someone who would be better at selling you than you? Think about ways you can spend more time focused on your art and the creative aspects of your business and on your family and friend relationships. I think when you accomplish that you’ll get a much better return on your ‘investment’. Every time you start a task ask yourself, “Is this going to give me the best return in quality of life?”
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
Steve Miller Band – Fly Like an Eagle
by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography, photography education, photography gear
What a difference a lens (and some extension tubes) can make!
I went back out to the trial chasing some wildflowers in Sedona, Arizona. But this time I came a bit more prepared for the subject with some extension tubes and a long lens to isolate and magnify the beauty something a wide lens just can’t do. (see images from the day before)
Having trouble finding the correct names for my desert flowers. This might be a Four O’Clock something or other. Any help from you botanical types??
Been trying to identify this flower… Has the shape of a type of Morning Glory but the
pistols extending out from the bell I think are telling me it’s something else. Any ideas for me?
OK enough with the flower naming conventions… Here’s the down low on the gear used.
Because I was on the trail I wanted to stay fairly light so I grabbed the MePhoto Backpacker Tripod. Pretty versatile and folds up to around 15 inches with it’s own shoulder case. Nice ball head with firm controls. Wasn’t sure I would like this tripod but it’s been serving me very well.
I wasn’t traveling to far so the Lumix GH4 was the camera of choice with a 35-100 f2.8 Lumix Vario lens. Extra lenses, extension tubes and other photo stuff was in the Think Tank Mirrorless Mover 20. Good build with enough room for a good selection of gear but still is unobtrusive on my belt.
I added some inexpensive extension tubes from Vello. When you shop for extension tubes make sure you get matched to your system so the auto-focus and exposure are automatic. If you only shoot macro images occasionally extension tubes can work great and save you the price of a dedicated macro lens.
To help control the lighting I used a 20 inch 5 in 1 reflector from FJ Westcott. This is small and light yet big enough to cover flowers fro the sun and give a nice glow to the lighting.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
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by successfulbob | landscape photography, Lumix GX7, Lumix Lounge, photography
On the Big Park Loop Trail this morning leaving from Bell Rock Vista Parking lot. Flowers are littering the landscape! Add a bit of rain to the desert and it responds in very short order. Pleasantly surprised as this spring was very dry and the flower show was fairly quiet.
The hiking is prime as temperatures are in the high 50’s to low 60’s around sunrise. Here are a couple of images from the walk but not as wonderful as I’d like as I didn’t come equipped with the correct lenses for getting up close and personnel with the blooms… That will be rectified tomorrow!
As close as I can tell, because there are so many similar desert blooms in this family, this is a
Great Basin Mojave Sonoran Chihuahaun AKA Yellow Spring Daisy.
A Jones Penstemon flower bloom. I love how nature dropped the bloom to accent and intertwined with the Yucca…
Little surprises can pop up if you stay aware. Like this reflection of first light on Courthouse Butte in the puddle left in the wash.
Camera data. Images captured with the Lumix GX7 and Lumix 20mm f1.7. Photos are SOOC. (straight out of camera)
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | architectural photography, commercial photography, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, photography, photography gear
Thought I’d share some of my commercial work with you… Been going at it pretty hard this week. Shooting images for the Sky Ranch Lodge (not my images yet on the web site they are still in post production) in Sedona, AZ.
One thing I like about my job is getting to know my community more intimately. I’ve been living in Sedona for over fifteen years and always knew about the Sky Ranch Lodge but never had cause to go there. Very cool property! It has a nostalgic feel, the grounds are gorgeous with multiple water features and the views are indescribable. But that’s where the photos come in handy!
This is one of two cottages at Sky Ranch Lodge.
Double queen with a garden view.
The interiors were captured with the Lumix GH4 and 7-14 f4.0 lens. Having the articulating screen is handy when I am trying to squeeze the camera as close to a wall corner as possible.
Added fill light to the rooms with Fiilex LED lights. The 302EX 3 light kit with stands and roller case worked well. This was the first time I used continuous lighting on a hotel job and it sure makes the job easier. The fact that you can dial in color temperature on the lights saves a bunch of time time in post production when you are balancing outdoor light with the incandescent lighting from the fixtures.
I bracketed exposures to balance indoor and outdoor light to be stripped in in post.
I’ll share a trick I use to get a nice glow from the room lighting without blowing out the highlights. Change all the bulbs out to a 15 watt size. Saves a ton of time in post production!
Water feature and gardens at the Lodge.
Put yourself in this rocker lounge chair. (Think I’d have a glass of wine or a cold brew in my hand too)
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
