IN THE FIELD: Weekend Weather

The weather here has been pretty gloomy for the last couple of weeks. It is either raining, or foggy, or overcast. In fact the weather forecast is for all of the above  the entire weekend. It’s not all bad news though. With these conditions, the light has been perfect for photography.

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

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IN THE FIELD: Rain and Tulips

It’s been raining off and on for the last several days…and will be for the rest of the week.  I figure that’s no reason to put the camera away just because its a little damp outside.

There are several reasons I like to play with the camera on rainy days and in inclement weather. The light is more even with no contrasty shadows. And there is usually no one else around except for other dedicated or what some folks would call crazy photographers.

Ok I’ll admit it wasn’t actually “raining” when I took this shot. It was kind of what I call “Maine rain.”  Maine rain is in between a soaking rain and heavy fog. The fog/mist is heavy enough to get everything that is not covered…good and wet.

If you are going to be out in this kind of rain, it’s a good idea to use some kind of protection for your camera and lens. I could be something as simple as a plastic bag you get at the produce section of the grocery store. Or something made specifically for cameras. I like to use a rain sleeve from OP/TECH USA. Super inexpensive and they work.

IN THE FIELD: WELCOMING COMMITTEE

Last fall I planted a bunch of spring bulbs along the walkway that leads from our driveway to the front door. The original plan was for 100 or so bulbs to be planted among the cherry laurels and holly bushes growing in the garden beds.

As luck would have it, the company we were going to order the bulbs from was having a buy one-get-one sale on several varieties and colors. And believe it or not, the varieties we wanted were on sale!

Oh darn.

And then, I was in the local hardware store and I just happened to see these purple tulips on sale. Had to get them…two packages.

It turns out I planted over 220 spring bulbs to add a bit of color figuring that would make a pretty good statement.

The plantings included grape hyacinths, daffodils and multiple types and colors of tulips.

This grouping nearest the driveway started to open this past weekend.

IN THE FIELD: Coming Soon!

It’s been cold and snowy for a lot of folks this season. After all, it is winter. We still have quite a bit of snow on the ground and according to the calendar, Spring is right around the corner.

As much as I enjoy winter, I really can’t wait for warmer weather. So I decided to look through the archives to find a reminder of the up and coming season. I chose this shot which I had taken while on a shoot for a local country club last Spring.

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Inspiration: Relaxing

Have a wonderful relaxing weekend!

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IN THE FIELD: Close Encounters

This is one of my favorite photos of early spring bloomers taken this year.

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IN THE FIELD: The Ultimate Display

For many years we had a small area in our garden we wanted to devote to spring bulbs. Problem was, we couldn’t decide which variety to plant. We would pour over catalogs hoping they would provide some influence. Taking so long to decide had it’s consequences…we never got any bulbs planted. So we would wait until the next planting season and go through the same scenario again. This went on for several years. Finally we decided to just plant them all.

Just kidding. This is just a very very small portion of the 100,000 spring bulbs that were blooming at Longwood Gardens this spring. In fact, this view is probably only 1% of what was in flower.

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Here is a view of the area called The Idea Garden.

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Here is an even larger view of The Idea Garden. When these photos were taken, it was already noon time and the sun was directly overhead resulting in very harsh light. I was delayed getting to this area because I spent the morning in the Garden Walk. At that time the sun was lower in the sky. I have now come to the conclusion I need a clone. That way I could have photographed both areas under favorable lighting conditions.

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IN THE FIELD: Flaunting In Fuchsia

This photo was taken a few weeks ago using a 90mm macro lens. Macro lenses of this or longer focal lengths serve a double duty. They can be used as a macro lens or as a medium telephoto.

When I composed this shot, the front lens element was a little more than one foot away from the tulip. This helped compress the scene yet still isolate the flower nearest the camera.

I wanted some color in the background but wanted the focus to be soft, so I chose a wide aperture to accomplish this. There was also the slightest breeze adding some movement to the flowers to further soften the scene.

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IN THE FIELD: Skywards

On the morning I took this shot, the air was cool, there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, and the sun was shining brightly. With skies this blue, I couldn’t resist using the vivid color as a backdrop for these bright orange and yellow tulips.

To set this photo up, I adjusted the tripod to go as low to the ground as possible. I was able to then lay down in the grass behind the tripod to compose the shot.

I know I’m always promoting the use of a tripod, but if you don’t have one handy, here is an option. It’s much easier to lie on your back and look up for this kind of shot versus lying on your stomach and straining your neck and back. You’ll have to experiment with the position of your arms in order to steady the camera…but it works.

Besides, using this technique gives passersby something to talk about. Their conversation typically goes like this: “Did you see that person lying on their back looking up with a camera? What an odd position to take a photograph. They must really want that shot.”

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IN THE FIELD: Immerse Yourself In Your Subject

Over the years I’ve heard a variety of humorous sayings regarding outdoor photographers.

“If you’re not sitting on the ground, you’re not a photographer.”

“You can always tell a good photographer. Their clothes are always dirty.”

Uhhh yup…folks often do look at me a little funny as I sit or lie down on the ground with camera in hand. And that’s okay because I’m creating an image that is uniquely mine. By changing my perspective or viewing angle, I feel I’m likely to create a more compelling image. And of course, there are times when I may get my pants dirty. But who cares about a little dirt anyway. Soap was invented a long time ago.

I took this photo at Longwood Gardens two weeks ago during the Celebration Of Spring Blooms.

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