Most of the photographs you see on my blog are close-ups of individual flowers or groups of flowers. That's not necessarily because I prefer them that way. In fact, I love landscape shots but I don't have the scenery to carry them off. My small suburban garden is hemmed in on all sides by neighbors, fences and concrete sidewalks. Hardly a nice setting for landscape shots... Nevertheless, even in macro photography background is important.
I still don't quite understand photography-related techie terminology, and it is taking me a long time to wean myself from relying exclusively on automatic settings. So I will make only one technical statement: background (called "depth of field" in photo-speak) is controlled by aperture. Below are a few examples I have achieved wtih different aperture settings.
I can blur the background enough to bring out the flower I want to showcase. Below are two pictures of my winter daphne, pretty but hardly colorful. It was lucky that I had cyclamen growing right behind it, which I thought would liven up the picture. The two images are exactly alike except for the aperture settings. I like the first image much better: it emphasizes the flower and the background is not disctracting. The second one seems way too busy.
 |
| Aperture set at f4.5 |
 |
| aperture set at f29 |
 |
| aperture at f5 |
 |
| aperture at f32 |
For a beginning photographer like me it is fun to experiment and learn what my camera can do. My goal in improving my photographic skills is modest. I don't seek to become famous or successful, but would be happy to brighten up a few minutes of your day each time you, my visitors, see these photos.
This is making me really want to read the manual that came with my camera!
ReplyDeleteCongrats! I am still amazed by my nikon and I have owned it for 4 years.
ReplyDeleteDigital is so helpful for teaching yourself because you can see the results instantly!
Beautiful photos!!
Julie
@ Wife, Mother, Gardener
I think your photos are beautiful! I have the same problem with background in my photos. Not so much with neighbor's houses, but with various farm flotsam and my kid's toys.
ReplyDeleteI also rely on my "auto" settings far too much. I bought a Nikon D90 in the hopes that it would magically make me a better photographer. It didn't, but my ineptitude is in much clearer focus now. *LOL*
Hello. Flowers are beautiful as ever, even as doing photographic experiments. Yours
ReplyDeleteYou did a great job photographing. I loved your staging and perspective.
ReplyDeleteHi Masha,
ReplyDeleteWow !!!... a new camera. Your close-up photographs are become beautiful!
But .. Your photos have always been beautiful.
I am a photographer of "zooming in and out, close-ups, smart scene, and ...I can turn the camera on and turn off, hi, hi, hi,"
But I understand that you want your flowers in a more beautiful setting.
Chapeau, which was successful !!!
Kind regards, Elly
You always post beautiful pictures. I have not been brave enough to venture off of the auto setitings. After reading this post...I must try! Thanks for the information. Carla
ReplyDeleteI am still playing around with my camera too...seems I am not very patient with learning all of the stuff it can do. Your photos are just beautiful..I also enjoy depth in a photo that is not blurred to...so, I like all of these!
ReplyDeleteHi Masha - your photographs, like your lovely flowers are gorgeous! I too have recently got a good camera - I got the Canon EOS 550D also a macro lens - oh what a learning curve this is! I haven't advanced from automatic settings yet - still trying to get it right on Auto :)
ReplyDeleteNice Masha! Congrats on the new camera, and for turning off "auto" and taking control of your photos. It's not nearly as hard as it seems, but it does take some practice. (Doesn't require a super-expensive camera either.)
ReplyDeleteYes, Jess, in my case the manual didn't help at all, as it was really short and didn't explain much. I am wondering if everyone is trying to save on paper these days. I bought a couple of books on photography and trying to read those. It is hard, like learning another language...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Julie, and you are so right, it is much easier and more enjoyable with digital photography. I am not going back to film!
ReplyDeleteShannon, you are very right, that's exactly what happened to me. I expected magic too but then I realized it is sort of like driving - if you don't know how to drive, then upgrading to a Porsche isn't going to make you a better driver - you still need to learn how to drive...
ReplyDeleteThank you, Giga - I only write about the photographic experiments that came out well:). The other ones are in the trash.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Donna. Very nice to see compliments from an accomplished photographer like you, I really appreciate them.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Elly. I have had this camera for a little over a year, so all the images here have been taken with it. I wouldn't dare post the other ones....
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carla. The great thing about it is you can experiment at no cost to you - it is not like you are ruining a roll of film. If it doesn't work out, you just delete the files. I think you should try, maybe it will be fun.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Darla. I think your photos are great, good luck experimenting. I am not really patient either, but oftentimes, when I ruin what could have been a great shot, it hurts just enough to force me to do something about it.
ReplyDeleteThank you, The Gardening Blog. I know what you mean - it took me over a year, but it is worth it. Your photos are lovely.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Alan. I guess it is not so hard after you've learned all there is to it, right? But thanks for your encouragement, I really appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteDear Masha, You have spoken the words of what is going through my mind. I am putting my sunflower photos together because I know the beauty is fleeting and I better capture them now before all their heads droop down.
ReplyDeleteYou have captured those photos well. I like your favorite as well with the blurred background.
Like you, my mission is to improve in photography but I'm still using auto functions.
I love photography for the same reasons as you : keep my flowers or bouquets alive.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the lesson. I still have so much to learn.
Thank you, One. Your photos are excellent, I never would have thought they are all done on auto:).
ReplyDeleteThank you, Isabelle. I have a lot to learn too, but I am trying.
ReplyDeleteDear Masha, I am so impressed with your photography! You are way ahead of me. I just can't get away from auto. Maybe a new camera would work for me, too .....
ReplyDeleteP x
Thank you, Pam. Your photos are nice, and if you are happy with them, that's fine too.
ReplyDeleteMasha: Your photos are always so pretty! I had an Olympus camera several years back that was the best! I think I will try to get one again because nearly every shot was wonderful. I'm not as crazy about the one I have now, but I won't name the brand. But I have been playing around with the settings which does help. I'm also more successful in warm weather because I can take more time to get several great shots without freezing my fingertips off. Before starting my blog, the last thing I would have done is venture outside in the garden in winter to take pictures. Ick. So my winter shots are not very good. Looking forward to warm weather and warm fingers!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Beth. I didn't even think about cold winter weather - I guess we don't have it that cold here:), but my camera would stand a high chance of getting wet in our winters. I like your pictures a lot, and am curious to see how they will improve when you get your new Olympus.
ReplyDeleteLike you, Im into photography since I started blogging and more so when I started my garden blog. But I dont know the technical side of photography like you Masha. I try to snap as close as possible to the flower in order to get a good clear image but I guess a good camera is also important.Mine is the cheapest of the Canon I think!
ReplyDeleteWELCOME. In Poland, was adopted, though incorrectly, called Brugmansia datura. And that's why I signed this photo tetak. Yours
ReplyDeleteSo so beautiful! Just what I needed to see, so I gave you one of my weekly Goddess Awards. Come by and collect it if you like.
ReplyDeleteHappy blogging ~
Elise
Wow, p3chandan. I never would have thought you have a cheap camera looking at your blog pictures. You are doing a great job with yours!
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know, Giga.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the award, Elise. I am honored.
ReplyDeleteYou may consider yourself a "beginner" but your photos are fabulous!!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Sweetbay! I love your photos too.
ReplyDeleteWow! Well done! Visiting from BPOW.
ReplyDeleteYou're doing what my husband keeps reminding me that I should do... learn how to use my camera. It's on my list. Love seeing your experiment. You've inspired me.
ReplyDeleteMy goodness, your photos are gorgeous. I have been an absent blogger for the last couple of weeks because of a work project but it is good to be back looking at your beautiful rose photos.
ReplyDeleteLovely.
I will have to live my blog photography world vicariously through you because all I have is a point/click. Amazing how the different backgrounds give a whole different feel to the photos. Gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Eva, and glad you stopped by.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Carolyn. I love the photos on your blog, you are doing a great job already!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Blooming Rose Musings. I am happy you liked these pictures, and I am glad you are back in the blogosphere.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Toni, and point-and-click cameras can do a really good job too, don't give up!
ReplyDeleteSo beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI love to photograph flowers, but my camera is very modest, and only occasionally do I get a pretty shot. I will, if I may, live vicariously through yours!
xoxoxo, cd
Am I in heaven...?
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photographs and I agree with your preferences! :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you, Clare. I am glad you like my pictures, I enjoy sharing them with others.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Shady Gardener. Even a year ago I didn't know photography could be so much fun.
ReplyDelete