
Some Saxifraga flowers from Bodnant Gardens in North Wales last weekend.
I haven't got a dedicated macro lens so this photo was taken with the Nikon kit lens that came with my camera. Generally speaking the quality of the background blur (bokeh) on this lens is nothing to get excited about but on this particular shot I got away with it I think.
Like what you see here and are interested in photographic composition?.....the blog section of my website now has a complete set of 5 articles covering my personal approach to the subject: Ian Bramham Photography - Blog
For purchasing high quality archival prints of any of these photos you can send me an email by clicking here or by going to my website Ian Bramham - Fine Art Photography where prices are listed in the gallery sections under each individual photo.
@Nataly: Thanks Nataly - yes, these flowers and the water lily on yesterday's photo all have that problem of correctly exposing for the extremes of white on black. I have absolutely no desire to try wedding photography LoL!...it must be incredibly stressful with that constant fear of equipment failure or plain old human error.
@M. Isabel: Thanks!
@pierre: Thanks very much Pierre!
@Anthony Lambert: Hi Anthony...how did you get on with this issue of correct exposure of the bride's white wedding dress next to the groom's black tuxedo? After trying these couple of white flower shots I understand now why so many wedding photographers place the happy couple in the shade of a tree for the formal photos after the ceremony! - I always used to think that it was for the beautiful backdrop but it's really all about getting shaded light onto the white dress isn't it!
@angel: Thanks vey much!
@eddy: Thanks Eddy!
@hugo poon: Thanks Hugo....I was pleasantly surprised by the image quality from the kit lens!
@Alun Lambert: Thanks Alun!
@Lorraine: Thanks Lorraine....have you decided which DSLR to buy yet?
@Margie: Thanks Margie....it's always interesting to try something new in photography isn't it!
@Michael Skorulski: Thanks very much Michael...I'm really pleased that you like it!
@MahGol: Thanks MahGol!...A good range of graduated tones from black to white is always a useful way of increasing the perception of depth in a photo.
@Cheryl: Thanks Cheryl!....the light was actually very harsh midday sun but I played about in post processing and increased the depth of the darker tones in the photo which seemed to help the quality of the brighter areas.
@akarui: Thanks very much Akarui!
@Daroru: Thanks Daroru...I increased the depth of the shadow areas in post processing.
@Twelvebit: Hi Twelvebit!...I would guess that all of us here at Aminus3 are here for the love of photography as a hobby and I fully agree with what you're saying about wanting to take photos of the things that I find interesting, and not what someone else wants you to do.
@Nataly: Hi Nataly...oh yes, of course I know you were joking but I've read lots of funny but stressed-out stories from amateur photographers who've been persuaded to photograph a wedding...just trying to take these few photos of white flowers on a black background was enough for me to realise how difficult it must be especially when things are happening quickly. The latest story I read recently concerned a wedding shoot where some of the faces on the bridal party were all blurry because the amateur photographer hadn't realised the shutter speed was too slow - what a nightmare!
@MadScientist: Thanks very much!
@alex centrella: Thanks Alex!
@yiannis krikis: Thanks Yiannis!
@JM@somedaysomewhere.net: Thanks very much!
NIKON D40
1/2000 second
F/5.6
ISO 200
82 mm (35mm equiv.)