Look Again...

Daffodils arranged by Constance Vanides (f/9 1.6s 17mm)

The wonderful thing about digital photography is the ability to quickly experiment. It's great for those learning photography, and it's even more fun, I think, as you push your craft and grow your expertise. But with all the instant gratification of digital, it's too easy to be in a hurry.

Every type of subject poses its own challenges. I am constantly amazed at how relaxing still-life photography can be - and how this opens up opportunities to "look again" at the subject.

The daffodils above, for example, were placed on a table with a sweep of white paper to eliminate the "horizon" of a backdrop. It was lit with two sources - the north-facing window to the left of the setup, and with a flash unit covered with a diffuser, hand-held high and to the right to fill the white backdrop. I intentionally selected a slow ISO speed so I could get a LONG exposure time, giving me time to manually trigger the flash while the shutter was open. It took a few tries, but like I said, that's the beauty of digital.


But that was just the beginning of the fun. How else could I capture "daffodils"? what else was there to see?

(f/8 1/6s 100mm Macro)

A classic "two-daffodil portrait" was a fine starting point, but I didn't think it was very inspiring.

(f/9 1s 100mm Macro)

With the same backdrop, I wanted to see what a quarter profile would look like. I intentionally left the whitespace on the left, in case I wanted to make a poster or greeting card with words (cropping is always easier than enlarging the canvas!).

(f/6 1/25 100mm Macro)

Moving even closer, the subject stops looking like a classic daffodil, and starts looking more like an undulating water creature. Closer still, and a surprise emerges:

(f/8 1/2s 100mm Macro)

I had never noticed before that the stamen of the daffodil has a 3-"leaf" center feature. I'm no botanist, but I'm sure it serves a purpose.


I just wouldn't have ever noticed had I not taken the time to "look again"...


  
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Photo Tip: It goes without saying that when you get this much magnification with a macro lens, vibrations can easily ruin a shot. A tripod is a must, and I highly recommend that you also:

• Lock up the mirror before you shoot; better yet, if your camera has a combination mirror lock and LCD preview with zoom, you can fine-tune your focusing AND get the advantage of reduced mirror shake
  
• Use a remote shutter release; if you don't have one, use the timer on your camera (I used a 2 second delay, which was enough to make sure the camera and tripod stopped vibrating after I pressed the shutter)
  
• Select a mid-range f-stop; if the f-stop is too open, focusing is really difficult as the depth-of-field is VERY shallow in situations like this. With a mid-range f-stop, you have more of a chance of getting key areas to be in focus (if that's what you're trying to achieve).

Reflecting on Reflections

N. State Street - Chicago (f/10 1/200s 17mm)

Photography is not just about the view behind the lens. A wonderful photo actually begins before you pick up your camera and the inspiration hits you... sometimes literally.

During this particular walk down State Street last summer in Chicago, it was a beautiful blue-sky moment. This accounted for my surprise when water nearly hit my head in large drops. "Nope, not a bird", I thought. It was, in fact, window washers dangling from ropes tied to the top of a 30 (?) story building.

As if that bit of aero-acrobatics wasn't amazing enough, the reflections in the windows were stunning. I love urban landscapes with large glass reflections, because they make you stop to consider what you're looking at - and what it is you really see - and feel.


Of course I had to stop and capture the moment.

Reflections are great fun to photograph, as the images play with your mind and force you to think about what you're not seeing. It's a bit like looking at the blank "whitespace" that a painter left untouched, or the hole that a sculptor leaves behind. 

So while the tourists all snap quick, predictable shots, I like to find what most people walk right past - and see if I can see something unexpected.

Crissy Field, San Francisco (f/8 1/1250s 90mm)

If you have captured some great unexpected reflections, I'd love to see what you saw! Feel free to post a comment with a link, if you'd like to share your own reflection on reflections...

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Photography Tip:

Start with your eyes, not your camera...