Sunlight through Old Window

 

This shot was taken at Netley Abbey, Southampton on a very bright sunny afternoon.  Many books suggest this is bad light for photography and it is true there are shadows created that make many scenes look pretty poor.  However, shooting into the sun gives you the option of this type of shot.  I positioned myself so that the sun shone through the top window section and exposed for minimal detail in the walls – near silhouette.  Post processing I have only reduced the colour temperature a little to bring back the blue sky and removed a circle of lens flare.

Purple Clematis Bloom

 

 

Lily Centre Close Up

 

The very shallow depth of field here focuses attention on the centre stamen.  Surrounding pollen is still largely intact.

Iris Composition

A slightly different composition from those I normally take – can’t quite decide if I like it or not – still, the flower itself is impressive.

New Forest Mist

 

Early morning mist in the New Forest.

Cemetery Tree

Shot in the old cemetery on Southampton Common, I had to shoot into the light to avoid including buildings.  Conversion to black and white with the use of a strong green filter allows the tree branches to stand out against the foreground.

Lilioceris lilii – mating pair

The Scarlet Lily Beetle.  You do not want this anywhere near your lilies as over a couple of weeks in May it will completely destroy them – despite being less than 1cm long.  I have had them for a few years and it is necessary to pick them off every morning and evening if you want to keep your lilies.  However, they are fabulous looking creatures so I let a few continue their munching and proliferation.

Photographing these two was quite straightforward – I had collected a few specimens that evening and placed them in a white tub.  These two were clearly busy and therefore it was easy enough to photograph them and then isolate them on a white background.

Johnson’s Blue Geranium up close

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These flowers appear every June in profusion in my garden – the macro lens got me closer this year than ever before.  I did not realise that the centre of the flower was so complex.  If you zoom in you can even see the balls of pollen on the stamen.  This shot taken using my adapted light tent and the bloom isolated on white.  No other processing performed.

Hungry Bee!

This bee just happened to fly into shot as I took this photograph of an allium.  I had exposed for the flower so selected the bee, brightened and saturated just her a little post processing.

DIY Photography Kit Test – Does it work?

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This is Iris Kashmiriana, the first image photographed using my DIY system for plants.  I bought a light tent and cut a hole in one side.  This means the whole ‘tent’ can be placed over the flower and then a shot can be taken through the cut hole.  The advantages here are that light is diffused – good in sunlight especially, – wind is blocked from moving the plant and it is easy to isolate the flower onto a white background.

What do you think?  Would love to know your thoughts – and any DIY photo kit tips you have!