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Flower Photography

The LensBaby Velvet 56

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I have been reading about the newest Lensbaby – The Lensbaby Velvet 56 and recently viewed some images which blew me away.  The Velvet 56 classic portrait lens gives you a velvety, ethereal start with a smooth finish, from the big picture to the smallest details. It is a  56mm f/1.6 manual portrait and macro lens evokes an experience like no other (so says the manufacturer) so I thought I would give it a try. The cost of only $499 did not seem so prohibitive, but I decided to rent the lens first to see how I liked it.  The rental fee was only $35 for 4 days. My lens arrived on a Thursday, as promised. The first thing I did was go to the grocery store and buy several bouquets of flowers. I set them outdoors next to my studio and caught the later afternoon sun.  I shot photos like crazy and loved the results. On the last day of the rental, I bought some more flowers and photographed them for hours. I had a ball and hated to pack up the lens to send back.  With fall and winter approaching, I may wait until the spring to purchase this exciting lens!  Below are some of the photos I took with the LensBaby Velvet 56.  

Capturing the Tiny Things in Nature

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Spring has sprung in Atlanta. Yesterday, I went for a walk down the historic street in Duluth, Georgia – West Lawrenceville St. I passed the Old Captain’s House, and many Southern homes graced with huge porches. The smell of wisteria was in the air. I had my Canon 7D with Tamron 18-270 mm lens. I also carried with me the nifty fifty 50 mm 1.8 lens. It is so lightweight that I tend to carry it with me on every camera outing. What struck me were the tiny elements within the larger landscapes. Trees were blooming with cherry blossoms, dogwood flowers, and their tons of azalea bushes all around, yet I was drawn to the patterns and lighting around me. Below are two of my favorite images from my stroll down a southern street.

dandelion close-up Capturing the Tiny Things in Nature

close-up of yellow flowers Capturing the Tiny Things in Nature

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Flower Photography

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I must admit that I love to photograph flowers. Last week, I spent about 1 hour photographing daffodils at the edge of my driveway. I was driving home from a networking meeting around 9AM and I noticed the light on the newly formed flowers was just right, so I quickly grabbed my camera and starting shooting. I even went over to my neighbors yard.  Sometimes I wonder what the neighbors think when they see me lying down with my camera so I can capture different angles.  Oh well, I guess they must think I am a photo nerd!

The next couple weeks are going to be incredible for photographing flowers in Atlanta. Here are a couple tips for capturing flowers:

  1.  use a tripod, especially for closer in shot
  2. experiment shooting at different angles
  3. shoot wide open – now is the time for the nifty fifty where you can open up to 1.8
  4. watch for shadows that you might cast on a flower. Sometimes it is better to step back and use a telephoto lens.

Below are some of the shots I took last week.  Enjoy!

photography flowers Flower Photography

macro flower photography Flower Photography

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography.

Spring Flower Photography

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Spring is here in Atlanta and so is the rain. If you didn’t think you could or should take photos in the rain, think again. The photograph below was taken in the afternoon during a spring shower. I mounted my camera on a tripod under a protective covering and started shooting. Can you tell by the motion of the raindrops what shutter speed I used? Give this a try for a creative exercise on a rainy day.  Note: do not go out and do this if there is thunder and lightening. It is not worth it!

flowerphotography Spring Flower Photography

For more information on DSLR photography check out the online course.

To view my portrait photography site visit Lightscapes Portrait Studio.

To view my fine art photography site visit Mary Buck Photography
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