SpringFollowingwintercomes theseasonthat is favouredbymanyoutdoorphotographers.Thearrivalof springsees the landscapeburst intocolourandnewwildlifeemerge,offeringyouthechance tocapture thismost tantalisingof seasons inall itsglory

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Gettingreadyforspring

SpringheraldSanexploSionofcolourandnew life. it seems thateverywhereyou look,there ispicturepotential. in townsandparks,rowsofdaffodils and tulipsareblooming.Theylook fantastic shotusingawide-angle lens, froma lowangle, contrastedagainst aclearbluesky.if youwish tosaturatecoloureven further, tryattachingapolarisingfilter.driveout into thecountrysideand freshlyploughedfieldswill befull ofnewshoots. Thiscanproveveryphotogenic,with rowsofyoungcropscreatinginterestingpatternswithin the landscape.often,theyarebestcaptured fromashortdistanceawayusingamedium-length telephoto. Springlambsareoneof the iconic imagesof theseason.While youshouldn’t enter farmers’ fieldswith livestockwithoutpriorpermission, sheepareoften friendly, curiousanimals. Therefore,youwill normallybeable to takegood,frame-fillingshotsof lambsplayingand restingusinga telezoom.

Treesandwoodlandare someof themostpopular springtimesubjects. Theclassicspringtime image is acarpetofbluebells.Whileitmightbeacliché, surelynophotographercanresist the lureofabluebellwood.however,whenphotographingwoodland, sunnydaysarebest avoided.While the lightofearlymorningand lateafternoon isnicelydiffusedandphotogenic,midday lightcreates toomuchcontrast, andareasofbright light striking thewoodlandfloorwill overexposepartof thescene.Bright,overcastweather isnormallybetter suited towoodlandphotography.

Coloursappearnaturallymoresaturatedand itis fareasier toachieve the rightexposure.however, inovercast light, shutter speedswillbe slow, sousea tripodor imagestabilisation.

Theweatherplaysa significant role inspringtimephotography.While it isbest towaitforovercast light to shootwoodland,check theweather forecast regularly for impendingclear,still eveningsas thismaysignifymist.get toyourdestinationbefore sunrise, in time tosetup inanticipationof thebest light. light in spring isoften fantastic– theair is verycleanandcolourandclarity aregood.Thewarmthandqualityofearlymorning lightwillmakeyouwonderwhyyoueverwanted tostay inbed!

don’tbea fair-weatherphotographer. Springis renowned for showers, but thiscanproducedramaticcloud, interesting lightingand, if you’relucky, a rainbow.apolarisingfilterhelpsintensify thecoloursof rainbows,butbecarefulwhenusingone–thecolourscandisappearaltogether if thefilter is rotated incorrectly.Following rainfall, freshshoots, unfurling leaves,flowersandblossomwill bedecoratedwith tinywaterdroplets–adding interest andscale toyourclose-upshots. look for this typeoffinedetail and interestwhen takingpictures.

Springalsosees theemergenceof insects,likebutterflies, dragonfliesandbees.Theyareeasiest tophotographearly in themorning,when theyare still torpid.amacro lens isbest forclose-ups,but if you’renewtoclose-upphotography, close-upfilters areanexcellentandcost-effective introduction.

YourfirststeptocreativefocusingistolearntheprinciplesbehindaFsystemsandhowthepointoffocusinfluenceshowasceneiscaptured

Tripod:Wecan’temphasiseenoughthe importanceofusinga tripod.Theyprovidestability andeliminate the riskofcamerashakewhenshooting in low-light–woodland interiors, for instance.Theyalsoaidcomposition, allowingyou tocheck, fine-tuneandperfect your set-up. Forunder£100,youcanbuyanexcellent tripod, fromthe likesofManfrotto,Velbonorgiottos.

SettingupyourdigitalSLr

1)WhiTeBaLance:Youcan relyonautoWhiteBalance (aWB) inmost situations.however, it canbe fooled ifonecolourdominatesa scene, likeacanopyofgreenleavesorcarpetofbluebells. ThedaylightWhiteBalancepreset ismorestable in thistypeof situation. if youare shooting inraw,achieving the rightWhiteBalance isn’t socritical, as youcanadjustcolour temperatureduringprocessing.

2)iSo: if youareusinga tripod, andslowshutter speedsaren’t aconcern, keep iSolow,at thecamera’sbasesetting.Thiswillminimise image-degrading ‘noise’.however,if youare shootinghandheld indull light,orneed to freezesubjectmovement,don’tbeafraid to increase iSo inorder toachieveafaster,morepractical shutter speed.

3)expoSuremode:Formost springsubjects, it is importantphotographershavefull creativecontroloverdepth-of-field.Therefore,we recommendyouopt foraperture-prioritymode. in thissemi-automaticexposuremode, thephotographer selects the f/stop,while thecamerasets thecorrespondingshutterspeed. if youwish togenerate front-to-backsharpness,opt fora small aperture, like f/16orf/22.Tocreateashallowdepth-of-focus, seta largeaperture, like f/4.

macroLenS:Springisgreat forclose-ups.Tophotographsmallerflowers,catkins,budsandwildlife, aclose focusinglens isessential.a truemacrooffers1:1 (life-size)reproductionand isavailable indifferent focal lengths.lensesof70mmorunderarecompactand lightweight,making themideal forusehandheld.longerfocal lengths, suchas the90mmmacro,havea largerworkingdistance,useful toshoot timidwildlife. if youcan’taffordamacro lens,buyasetofclose-upfilters.

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poLariSinGfiLTer:Thesecan reduceoreliminateglareandreflectionsandareperfect for springtimephotography.rotatethefilter in itsmountuntil you remove thereflective sheen fromfoliageandpetals.doingsowill restoreasubject’snaturalvibrancy.Thesearegreatforgeneralwoodlandscenesaswellasplantandfloralclose-ups.

Wide-anGLe:essentialforviewsofwoodlandinteriors, largecarpetsofwildflowersandmorningmist.opt fora focal lengthin theregionof18-28mm.Thiswill allowyoutocapture imageswithhugedepth.Manywide-angleshaveashortminimumfocusingdistance, so it ispossibletogetclose to foregroundsubjects– likeanuncurling fernorbluebells–andmakethemappear largerormoreprominent.extremewide-anglesaregreat fordistortingandstretchingperspective.

TeLezoom:atelezoomisagreatcompanion forspringdueto itsversatilerange.a70-300mm,forexample, iscapableofphotographingsuchthingsas lambs fromafieldgateway,high-upspring leavesandbacklit ferns. it isalso ideal tophotographyounganimals, likeducklingsandcygnets, fromadistance thatwon’talarmtheparents.Many telezoomsalsohavea ‘macro’facility, allowingyoutogetcloseenoughtocapture frame-fillingshotsofblossom,plantsandeven larger insects.

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essentialaccessories

Whatlensesdoineed?

BacklitleavesTrybacklighting for vibrantfoliage images that revealtheveinsand intricaciesofleavesandhighlight shapeand form.Backlightingcan foolmetering intounderexposure, socheckyourhistogramandapplybetween+1.5 to+2EVcompensation if needed.

UsealongexposUrePhotographersoften favourstill days forwoodlandphotography,but youcancapturegreat results inwind.Usinga longexposureof several secondsandasmall aperture,movingleavesandflowerswill blurattractively.A tripod is anessential accessory.

MorningdewAfter aheavydew, thelandscapesparklesandglistens in themorning light.Anearly start is required,asdewsoonevaporates.Look for tinywaterdropletsclingingontograsses, leavesandflowers.Also lookoutfordew-coveredwebs forinterestingclose-ups.

getdownlowA lowperspectivecreatesnatural-looking results,particularlywhenshootingflowers. It alsoallowsyoutoplacemoredistancebetweenyour subject anditsbackdrop,helping it standout. If you intend lyingdown,carryagroundsheet toavoidgettingdamp.

lookUpWhenphotographingwoodlandinspring,thecanopyoffresh,greenleavesaboveiseasilyoverlooked.Lieonyourbackand,usingawide-anglelens,shootdirectlyupward.Verticaltreetrunksconvergeandperspectiveisdistorted,creatingunusual,eye-catchingspring images.

SpringbabesBabyanimalsandbirdsmake for iconic springimagesandare incrediblycuteandphotogenic, too.

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Topfivespringflowers

WHENPHOTOGRAPHINGFLOWERS inspring, thereareanumberofaccessories thatcanmakeyourwholeexperienceeasierandmoreenjoyable.Adecent tripodthatallows forlow-level shooting isanadvantageas ithelpswithcompositionandallowyoutoshootat slowershutter speeds.We’drecommendthatyouuseapolarisingfilter tobringout thevividcoloursof theflowers, reduceglareonwet foliageanddeepenthebluesof thesky.

Understandingdepth-of-field isessentialwhenshootingflowerclose-ups.Tryusingamacro lenswithawideapertureto limit thedepth-of-fieldandemphasisethemainsubject.Thiswill allowyoutofocusonaspecificpointof interest,blurringoutanything that isnotonthe focalplane.

If youwant toaddabitmore interestand texture toyourflowershots, try shooting themfirst thing in themorning,whentheyarecovered indew,orduring light rainfall. Seebelowfor tipsonhowtorecreateaspringshower!Whynotgiveyourself aheadstart fornext springbyplantingbulbs inyourgarden?Agreat resource forlocatingplants tobuy foryourgarden is theRoyalHorticulturalSociety’splant selector.Thisgivesdetailed informationaboutwhentobuyandplantyourflowersandhowto lookafter them!Fordetails, visit:www.rhs.org.uk/rhsplantselector/index.aspx

Springflowerpower!Thevibrantcoloursof springflowersmakethemideal subjects foryoutoshoot

Essential flowerkitTRIPODAtripodwill keepyourcamera

steady, reducingcamera-shake. Itwill alsoallowyoutomanually focusmoreeasilywithamacro lens.

LENSAmacro lenssuchas theSigma150mmf/2.8MacroEXDGHSMis theperfectaccessory forcatchingclose-upsofyour favouriteflowers.

REFLECTORAreflectorwill allowyoutobounce light fromyourbacklit subjectsinto thedarkerareasofyourflowers,revealing the intricatedetails.

PLAMPIdeal forholdingareflector inplacewhileyoutake theshot,oreventheflowers themselves, theWimberleyPlampisagreatpieceofkitthatoffersgreatvalue!

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1)DAFFODILSThesecharacteristic yellowflowerscanbe foundallover theUK.Look inprivategardens,parksand just abouteveryflorist across thenation!

2)BLUEBELLSUsuallyfound inwoodland,heath, andoccasionallyonmountain tops.Readpage74 in thismagbook for furtherinformation.

3)WOODANEMONEThiscommonflowercanbe found inwoodlandbetweenMarchandMay.Growing in 'carpets’,it canbe identifiedbyits longstemandthree-sectioned leaves.Theflowersareabeautiful pinkish-whitecolour.

4)RHODODENDRONSThesecanbefound inwoodland,andmanygardens.Oneof theUK'smoststunningrhododendronwalkscanbefoundatBowoodHouse inWiltshire.Visit:www.bowood-house.co.uk

5)PINKTHRIFTThiscolourful flowercanbeseen throughoutspring, andgrows indensecarpets. It hasadistinctive look,with itsmanypink ‘heads’ growingonstalks.It is commonly foundon theUK'scoastlinesuntil Autumn.

April showers!April is notorious for its suddenand sporadic showers, but ifyou're trying to take a seasonalshot and the rain is nowhere tobeseen,whynot fake it? Simplysprayingwater up into the air nearyour subjects shouldbeenoughto add the 'Englishweather' look.Thewater drops add interest totheflowers,while the 'rain' fallingwill remindeveryoneof thegreatBritish springtime.

RIGHT:Usingaremotereleaseandafastshutterspeed,Helenmanagedtocapture ‘raindrops’ fallingontothedaffodils.Simplebuteffective!

ABOVE:Atypicalset-upforaflowershot,showingaWimberleyPlamp,holdingthewhitereflector inplace.

TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography 3RDEDITION142 Shoottheseasons

Polariserpunch!Apolarising filter, such as theonepicturedhere,willreally bringout your spring shots. Thefilter deepens theblueof the sky aswell as the yellowof thedaffodil. It alsoaddspunch to thedetails of theflower's petals aswell asthe clouds. Remember that polarising filters are at theirmost effectivewhenusedat a 90° angle relative to thepositionof the sun. TheHoyaSuper Pro1CircularPolarising Filter is oneof themost popular on themarket.

Withoutpolariser

Whynot visit your local botanical

gardens? They usually offer an

incredible rangeof plants and flowers

to photograph. Check first tomake

sure that they allowphotography!

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SpringiSthe ideal time foroutdoorphotographerstocapture spectacular scenes.this is theseason inwhichyouwill seedark, forebodingclouds loomingoverbeautifullybright foregrounds.theunpredictablenatureof thisweathermeansyouwill probablyfindyourselfwaitingaround forbreaks in theweather, butuse thistimewell by thinkingabout thecompositionof yourimagesbefore these ‘breaks’, aswhen theycome, theydon’tusually last formore thana fewminutesatmost.

it can initiallybequite tricky toget theexposure rightin scenesofhighcontrast, so if there is adark skywithabright foreground, set yourcamera tospotmeteringor,if it doesn't have it, partial/selectivemeteringshouldgetthe jobdone.expose for themid-brightestpartsof thesky– thiswill preventoverexposure, andadd to themood,bringingout thedark skiesandclouddetails. YourdSlrshouldallowyou to lock theexposureandrecomposebyholding theshutterbuttonhalfwaydownand recomposing,oralternativelypress theae-l(autoexposurelock)button.We'dalso recommendthat youbracket your shots, togiveyou thebestchanceofcapturing thesceneat itsbest.

You'll find thataweakneutraldensitygraduatefiltercanhelpadd to themoodandatmosphereof thescenebyhelpingmake thecloudsappeara littledarkercompared to the landscape.We'd recommendyou trya0.3ndgraduateorevena0.6ndgraduate.

ThebeautyofbadweatherSpringoffers the landscapephotographersomeof themostdramatic skiesof theyear,withstorms, rainbowsandmoodycloud formations

StormsurvivalguideProTecTyourSelfandyourgear!

thewet conditionsmean that unless youareproperly equipped,you risk damaging your kit aswell as catching a chill, too.Make surethat youaredressed in several layers ofwarmclothing,withwaterproof boots, especially if you’re shooting coastal scenes.Manyphotobackpacks havepull-out all-weather covers,whichmaybenecessary in theseconditions. there are severaloptions for protecting yourdSlr, suchas theOptech‘rainsleeve’ – apackof twocosts just £5!Make surethat youpack lens clothsandtowels, andyoumightalsowant to takeachangeofclothing, just incase!

ABOVE:Usea0.3NDor0.6NDgraduatefiltertodarkenskieswhile leavingthelandscapeuntouched.

RIGHT:Whenframingthescene,lookto includeinterestingforegrounddetail.

BELOW: Thereflectionoftheskyinthewateraddsanextradimensiontothescene.

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ChasingrainbowsThere isnotime likespring forshootingrainbows.Whenyouseedark raincloudshoveringabovebrightly lit landscapes, there’sagoodchancethatyou’ll alsoseearainbow.Bracketyourshots togiveyouthebestchanceofcapturing thebandsofcolourat theirbest.Youcouldcombine these later inPhotoshoptocreatean imagewithanextendedrange,whichwill allowyouagreaterdegreeofcontrolover thedetails,coloursandtexturesof thefinalimage.Finally, apolarisingfilterwilladdcontrast to thescene,aswell assaturating thecolours.

AUTOEXPOSUREBRACKET:UseAEBtoshootasequenceofthree imagesat slightlydifferentexposures to increase thechanceofgetting thebest result.

RAINBOWS:Shoot inRaw,as itallowsyouto tweak theexposureandcoloursonyourcomputer.

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Check your localweather forecast, astheweather can change very quickly at

this timeof year. TheMetOfficewebsite

can provide youwith all the information

youneed. Visit: www.metoffice.gov.uk

Metoffice forecast

AFTERATRIP tomy local farm, I canunderstandwhy somanypeople arevegetarian.Gettingupclose to somecuddlynewborn lambsmademe feelmore thana little guilty aboutmymonthly treat, a lamb tikka jalfrezi. But, likethe trueprofessional I am, I pushed these tasty thoughts to thebackofmymindandconcentratedon the jobathand, shooting somenice imagesofthesewoollywonders for this ShootTheSeasonsguide. I headed toSacrewell Farm,nearWansford in Lincolnshire, apublic-friendly farmwherelambshadbeenborn just dayspreviously. I'd checkedwith themthat itwasokay to takepicturesbeforemaking the journey (I advise youdo the same)andheaded there latemorningonanovercast daywith aDSLRandanassortmentof lensescoveringmost focal lengths.

Myfirst stopwasashed inwhichagroupoforphan lambswashoused.While thishad theadvantageofallowingmetogetclose to theanimals, thelightingwasverypoor.Aswell as very lowambient light levels, theheatinglampsgaveastrongcolourcast that alsoproduced reallyunflattering light.

Shooting inRaw, I knewtheWhiteBalancewasn't a realproblem,but thepositionof theheating lampmeantfindingdecent lightingwasnighonimpossible, so I settledonfindingaviewpointwhere thebrighthotspot fellbehind theheadof the lamb,creatingabrighthalobehind it.

Fortunately, Iwasgivenpermission toenterafieldwhere twoewesandtheir lambsweregrazing.Beforeheading there, I boughtacoupleofpotsoffood fromthe farmshopas I thoughta strangerbearinggiftsmighthavemoresuccess thanonesimplywieldingaDSLR.As Idiscovered,my theorywas right.Once though thegateandapproaching thesheep, theyinstinctively started to trot away.A few loudshakesof thepots stopped themin their tracksandcaught their attention.Approachingslowly, I allowed theewes to feaston the foodand theyweresoon farmoresettled. I tooksomeshotsof the lambwith the70-200mmand100mmmacro lenses,butwasn'thappywith the results,whichwerepretty runof themill.However, thingschangedwhen I layon thegrass so Iwasbelowtheir eye level. This instantlyput themmoreateaseandafter acoupleofminutes theewessatdown,whichgavea freshperspective to theshots.With themothers relaxed, thelambssooncamecloser, sniffingatmyclothesandcameraas I rattledthough the frames. I found that,workingat suchclosequarters, the16-35mmand28-70mmzoomsprovedmostuseful.Movingaroundslowly,Iwasable toshift fromeweto lamband found that theirnervousnesshadgivenway to inquisitiveness.Often, I'dhold theultra-widezoomclose totheir faceand found they'd stick theirwetnosesonto theoptics, rather thanpull away.Havinga lenscloth inmypocketwasessential to remove thesmears!While I startedwith the28-70mmat thewidest setting, aquick lookat theLCDmonitor showed that thesheepwas far toosmall in the frame.Setting the lens toaround35mmgavebetter results,with thesheep fairlyprominent, butwithenoughmoodyskyabove it toaddextra interest.

I left thefieldhappy that I'dcapturedsomegood images. Iwasalsograteful that I hadn'tdressedparticularly smartly.Completely focusedonshooting thesheep, I hadn'tnoticed thatwhile shiftingon thegrass fromsheep tosheep, I'dmanaged tocrawl throughseveral ratherwet 'deposits'.Ongettinghome, theclotheswere in thewashingmachine longbefore theimagesweredownloaded to thecomputer! If youdecide to try shootingsomefarmanimals for yourself, remember thegolden rules:getpermission,takeaselectionof lensesandacloth, andaboveall,wear scruffyclothes!

Anhourat thefarmDaniel Lezanoheadsdowntohis local farmtoseehoweasy it is tophotographsomenewborn lambs

TOP:Theorphanshedallowedcloseaccessto theanimals,but thelighting fromtheheatlampsmadetakingdecentpicturesprettymuch impossible.

AbOve: It tooka fewminutes for thesheepto relax,butonce theydid, theywerequitehappy tohaveme inclosequarters.

RIGHT&belOw:Adoptingavery lowviewpointandthenshootingwithamoderatewide-anglesettinggaveby farthebest results.

TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography 3rdEdiTiOn146 Shoottheseasons

Final imageOncetheewessettled,

the lambsbecamebolder.A lowviewpointallowedmeto includethedark,moodysky.

Flora

Theflow,colour,designanddelicacyofplants–floweringornon-flowering–make themapopular and rewardingphotographic subject. in frame-fillingclose-up,photographerscanhighlightfinedetail andcolour;while fromfurtheraway,plantscanbeshown incontextwith their surroundings.Byadoptingashallowdepth-of-field,orcreativelyusingsubjectorcameramotion,photographersareable tocaptureabstractorpainterlyresults. Plantscanbevibrantordull, tall or lowgrowing, form largecarpetsofcolour,orbe foundgrowingsingularly. somehavecolourful, impressiveblooms,whileothers, like fungi and lichen,don’t flowerat all.with suchgreat varietyanddiversitywithin thenaturalworld, there isnevera riskof runningoutof inspiration.

As the seasons change, photographers are presentedwithfresh subjects andphotoopportunities.during spring, newgrowth is everywhere. Visitwoodlands, parks andgardens todiscover delicately unfurling ferns, emerging leaves, swathesofbluebells andcolourful blossom.during the summermonths, thecountryside is brimmingwith colour.Meadowsnurture awidearrayofwildflowers,while foxgloves andwillowherb stand tallalonghedgerows andbanks.when summergivesway toautumn, foliage turns golden, the light softens and,whilemanyplants stopflowering, the suddenemergenceofweird andwonderfully shaped toadstools and fungi present newchallengesfor naturephotographers to enjoy.

whenyou look at great nature images– for example, theworkofgermanphotographer sandraBartocha– they look stunninglyeffortless.however, great shots are rarely accidental. Althoughplants are static subjects–meaningphotographers enjoy agreatdegreeof control over the lookof the final image–highlighting aplant’s beauty, formanddesign in a single frame is still far fromeasy. in fact, in some respects, the level of control plantphotographers haveover their results just adds to thepressure toget things right–both technically and aesthetically. simplicity isoften key,while backgroundchoice and lighting are alsoparticularly importantwhenphotographingplants. A clean,flatteringbackdrop, freeof anydistraction,will help your subjectstandout boldly;while the light’s quality anddirectionwill dictatethe image’smoodandhelphighlight finedetail.

Plants, in all theirmanyguises, providegreat subjectmatter forphotography. it is time tohone your photo skills andbeginexploring thewonderfulworldof plants. readon to learnhow toshoot a variety of flora…

it ishardlysurprisingthatplant life issopopularamongphotographers.wildflowers,plantsandfungiarevaried,beautifulandeasilyaccessiblesubjects foreveryone.regardlessofwhereyoulive,or theequipmentyouown,greatnaturescenesarewellwithinyourreachandcanmakeforstunningimagespackedwithcolour

Poppypower!Whocan ignore the impactofafieldof redpoppies?Makesureyou’recamera-readywhenthecountrysideis inbloomthisyear.

62 Nature:Flora TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography 3rdEdiTiOn

Althoughplants are static subjects, they canbebadly affectedbythewind. Tall flowers are particularly prone tomovement in breezyconditions,making it difficult to focus andcompose images innatural light. Plant photography is best attempted in still conditions,with awind speedbelow10mph.however, it is not always possibletobe this choosy. light, intermittentwindswon’t create toomanyproblems– justwait for a brief pause in thebreezebeforequickly fine-tuning focus and triggering the shutter. inwindierconditions, consider only photographing sheltered subjects, oruse anumbrella orwindbreak. Youcanmake yourownwindbreakusingheavy, clear polytheneheld in positionby aluminium rods.Alternatively, the lastolitecubelitewill help shield small subjectsandalsodiffuseharshdirectional light. Another option is touseawimberley Plamp–aball-and-socket segmented arm,witha clampfixedat either end.onecan fasten to your tripod leg,while theother holds your subject still. however, be careful not todamageplantswhenattaching theclamp todelicate flower stems.

Working inthewind

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Macro:Beingoptimised for close focusing,a dedicatedmacro lens is an ideal choice fornaturephotography. They typically have amaximumreproduction ratioof 1:1 life-size andhave a largemaximumaperture– typically f/2.8–whichhelps provide abright viewfinder imageto aid focusing andcomposition. A focal lengthlonger than 70mm(ideally 100mm) is a goodchoice, as it provides ausefulworkingdistance.

Wide-angle:Awide focal length, in theregionof 18-28mm, is ideal for showingplantlife in contextwith its surroundingenvironment.By getting close to subjects, youcancreateunusual, distortedperspectives.Wide-anglesare particularly usefulwhen shooting from lowangles lookingupward, or viewsof vast swathesof flowers.Wide-angles naturally possess alargedepth-of-field,making it possible toachieve front-to-back sharpness. Formoreextreme results, consider using a fisheye lens.

TelephoTo/TelezooM:Telephoto lengths– in the regionof 200-300mm–areperfect forisolating single flowers.Combinedwith a largeaperture, depth-of-field is shallowat longerlengths, sowith theuseof a telephoto it ispossible to render oneflower sharply against anattractively diffusedbackdrop. Youdon’t needa fast, costly lens either– the telephotoendofa 70-300mmwill suffice. Extension tubes canbeuseful to reduce a telephoto’sminimumfocusingdistance, but theydo restrict the lightreaching the sensor.

lensesfornature

getthegear!Naturephotography requiresamodestkitinvestment tocapture thebest results.Herewesummarise the typeofgearyouneedWHilEsomEsuBjECTs require costly, specialist kit to photograph,naturephotographers canget bywith a comparatively basic set-up.While a good rangeof focal lengthswill naturally give yougreateroptions andflexibility, it’s possible toget good results using just astandard zoom.However,most plant photographerswillwant tocapture frame-filling close-upsof their subjects from time to time, soamacro lensor close-upattachment is highupon the list of priorities.Aside from lenses, a numberof useful accessories, lighting aids andsupports are available thatwill benefit your nature images.

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lenaccessories lightingaids

close-upFilTers:Youdon’t needamacrolens toget frame-filling shots–adapt a standardor zoom lenswith aclose-upfilter. Available in arangeoffilter threadsandstrengths, theyscrewonto the frontof your lens andact like amagnifyingglass. A+3or+4dioptre is ideal fornature.Close-upfilters canbebought individually, or insets, andcostbetween£10-£20. Theydegradeimagequality slightly, so forbest results select amid-rangeaperture in the regionof f/5.6or f/8.

exTensionTubes:Autoextension tubes costmore thanclose-upfilters, but, unlike filters, theydon’t affect optical quality. They arehollow tubesthat fit between thecamera and lens, reducingthe lens’sminimumfocusingdistance. Autoextension tubes retain all the camera’s automaticfunctions. They arebest usedwith short focallengths, ie a standard 50mm lens. Theydon’tgenerate a largeworkingdistance, though, sobeprepared towork close to the subject.

reFlecTor:small, collapsible reflectorsare useful for reducingcontrast and relievingshadowsonplants. The reflector is positionedat an angle that bounces light onto the subjectand the light’s intensity canbealteredbymovingthe reflector closer or further away.oneof thebiggest advantagesof using a reflector is thatyouare able to see its effects instantly. use agoldreflector for awarm light, the silver side for acooler light and thewhite for a soft fill-in.

Flashgun:lightcanbe limitedwhenworkingincloseproximity to thesubject and in shadedconditions.Therefore, aflashgun,or thecamera’sbuilt-inunit, canbeusefulwhenshootingplantlife. Flashwill notonlyenableyou touseasmalleraperture setting to improveyourdepth-of-field, itwill alsoallowyou toselect a faster shutter speed–useful if your subject isbeingwindswept. it isoftenbest to shootat a reducedoutput,or throughadiffuser, if youwant the results to looknatural.

NaturekitQ&AQ Istruggle to look through theviewfinderwhenshootingplants fromground level.Whatcan Ido?AUnless youownacamerawith a vari-angleLCD– like theNikonD5100orCanonEOS600D–shooting from lowangles canproveawkward. Rather thanhaving to lie flat onthegroundandcontort your body topeerthrough the viewfinder, buy a right-anglefinder. This L-shapedattachment fits ontotheeyepiece, allowingphotographersto comfortably compose images at rightangles to the camera’s optical axis.Mostmarquebrandshave their own rangeofthese attachments, so visit theirwebsites fordetails andmodels.

QDoyouhaveany tips formaximisingsharpnesswhenshootingflowers?AFirstly, always use a tripodwhenever itis practical to do so. Also, avoid physicallydepressing the shutter button as thepressureof your finger canproduceenoughmovement to introducecamerashake. Instead, trigger the shutter remotely–either using a remotedeviceor yourcamera’s self-timer facility. Finally, if yourcamerahas amirror lock-up facility, use it.By ‘locking-up’ the camera’s reflexmirrorprior to takingpictures, youeliminate therisk of internal vibrationsor ‘mirror slap’softening imagequality.

QI’veheardpolarisers areuseful forplants, too. Is this true?AYes, it is.When rotatedcorrectly, polarisersreduceglare and reflections from foliage,petals and shiny fungi. By using thefilter,youcan restorenatural colour saturationandcapture imageswith added vibrancy.However, polarisers dohave a filter factorof around two stops, so shutter speedis lengthenedas a result of usingone. Ingood light or still conditions, thiswon’t be aproblem, but in low light or blowyweather, itmight be impractical.

QHowcan I avoidgettingdampandgrubbywhenphotographingplants?AWearwaterproof layers toprotect yourclothingwhenkneelingor lyingon thegroundor invest in a groundsheet. Considerthe Linpix PhotographyMat tohelp keep youclean anddry.Usinggarden kneelingpads isanother goodoption. You should also thinkaboutwearingphotographer’s shootinggloves like those fromJust Ltd (www.cameraclean.co.uk) toprotect fingers andhands from thorns andnettles.

Get the lowdown!Choosing the rightgearforyour requirements–in thiscase, choosingkitwhichwill aidclose-upphotographyandget

you lowtotheground–isessential forgettingthe results youwant.

Nature:Flora 653rdEdition theEssentialGuide tooutdoor Photography

Tripodsandalternativecamerasupports

TrIpoD:Agood,solid tripodwill give yousupport, stability andguarantee your picturesare sharp. Itwill also slowdown thepicture-takingprocess,making youthink about compositionand viewpoint. A tripodalso assistswith precisefocusing, so youcanfine-tune your point offocus. For nature, optfor one that canbepositioned lowto theground. Adesign that lacks acentre columnorone that canbepositionedhorizontally is a goodoption. Ageared tripodhead, like theManfrotto410Junior, is theperfectchoice for close-ups.

BeANBAg:Beanbagsoffergood supportfor your set-upwhenplacedon theground.Thebag’s fillingnaturallymouldsaround thecamera and lens, andabsorbs themajority ofmovement.When shooting at ground level–whichnaturephotographers doregularly– theyprovideperfectcamera support, beinghassle-freeandeasy to arrange. For specialistphotographybeanbags, look atproducts providedbyWildlifeWatching Supplies. A crumpled-upjumperor a fleececanalsobeusedas a substitute beanbag.

plAmp:AWimberleyPlampopensupmanymoreopportunitiesfor naturephotography,allowing you toshoot things youwouldn’t normallybe able to.Clamponeendof thePlamp to anything fromyour tripodto a treebranch, anduse theothertograsp your subject– it’s theperfect tool for steadyingdelicateplants or flowers if you’re shootinginwindy conditions.Costingaround£30, it’s a great investmentthat you’ll find anumberof uses forin the studioorout on location.Amust-have accessory.

Whenphotographingplants–particularly inclose-up– it isoftenbetter toswitch tomanualfocusing togiveyougreatercontrol.Admittedly,workingwithsucha limitedzoneofsharpnesscanprovechallenging,butyoucanalsouse it toyouradvantage.Ashallowdepth-of-fieldcanbeausefulcreativeandvisual tool.Usingawideaperture, like f/2.8or f/4, youcan isolateyoursubjectagainstadiffusedbackdrop–perfect forpickingoutasingleflower fromall theothersgrowingaround it.Artyorevenabstract-looking resultsarepossibleby intentionallyusingwafer-thindepth-of-field tohighlight small, interestingdetails– likeapetalor stamen.There isnosecret formulaas tohowmuchorhowlittledepth-of-field isbest fornature images.Thetrick is toexperiment.Trydifferent focal lengthandaperturecombinationsuntil youachievethe levelofdepth-of-field that suitsyourparticular subject.Reviewresults regularlyontheLCDmonitorandzoomintoyour imagestoscrutinisesharpnessanddepth-of-field. Ifyourcamerahasadepth-of-fieldpreviewbutton,use it.

LightingThe light’squalityanddirection isakeyingredient foranynature image.Strongsunlight isoftenbestavoidedas itcanbetooharsh tocapture thefinestdetail.Whileshadowless lightmightbeconsidereddull andlifeless for somesubjects, abrightbutovercastday isperfect forflowerorwoodlandphotography.Ondays like this, thecloudcoversimulatesonehugesoftbox,producingbeautiful, evenly lit results. In fact, in stronglight, it canbeworthwhilecastingyoursubjectinshade–usingyourshadoworanumbrella–to lowercontrastandallowyoutocaptureauthenticcolouranddetail.

Generally speaking,overhead light isbestavoidedas itcastsugly shadows.However, youcanrelieveshadowsbyplacinga reflectornearbyorbyusingasmallburstoffill-inflash.Traditionally, thebest light isduringearlymorningandevening,when it isnaturally softerandwarmer.Thesun’s lowpositioncastslongershadowsthataccentuateshapeandform–so it iswellworthsettingyouralarmearlyandstayingout late.Also,ateitherendoftheday, thesun’s lowpositionmakes iteasiertoshootsubjects inbeautifulbacklight.

Backlighting–whentheprincipal lightsource ispositionedbehind thesubject–isparticularlywell-suited toplantsandflowers.Ithighlights the intricacyof translucent

Focusingonflowers

Depth-oF-FieLDTheapertureyouselectwill havea largeinfluenceonhowyournature images look.Thesizeof theaperturegreatlydictates theamountofdepth-of-field–thezoneofacceptablesharpness in frontof, andbehind,yourpointof focus.Awideaperture (smallf/number) like f/4producesashallowdepth-of-field, ideal if youwish to renderbackgrounddetail pleasantlyoutof focus.Anarrowaperture (large f/number) like f/16generatesplentyofdepth-of-field,which isbest suited to imageswhereyouwant thesubject tobesharp throughout. It is importantthatyoudon’t let yourcameraautomaticallycontrolapertureselection,whichwouldbe thecase if youwereusingprogramorshutter-prioritymode. Instead,manually selectaperturesbyusingeitheryourcamera’saperture-priorityormanualexposuremode.

Depth-of-field isalsoaffectedby the focallengthof the lensandcamera-to-subjectdistance,with thezoneofsharpnessappearingprogressively shallowerat longer focal lengthsandathighermagnifications, aswouldbe thecasewithamacro lens.Naturephotographerswilloftenhavetocontendwitha limiteddepth-of-field, so focusingmustbepinpointaccurate.A tripodwill aid focusing,helpingphotographers tofine-tuneandposition theirpointof focus.

Gettingtherightshottakesskill–andalittleknowledgeof lighting,depth-of-field,viewpointandexposurecontrolgoesa longway

WILDORCULTIvATeD,plantsandflowersgrowinmanydifferentguises.Butwhile theycanvarygreatly insize, shape,colourandappearance,mostplantscanbeapproached inmuchthesamewayphotographically– forallkindsofplant life, the techniqueandway inwhichyou light themisactuallyquitesimilar.Therefore,whetheryouvisit a localpark,publicgardens, statelyhome,wildmeadow,moorland,coastlineorancientwoodland,ouradvicewill ensureyoureturnwith incredibleimages timeafter time.

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Lighting:Youmight thinkasunnydayprovidestheperfectconditions fornaturephotography,but the reverse is true.Anovercastday,orshooting in themorningorevening,givesyourflowershotsbettercolouranddetail as the lightis softerandshouldn’t castharshshadows.

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66 nature:Flora TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography 3rdEdiTiOn

Bluebells:Oneofour best knownandmost photogenicwildflowers.They lookgoodphotographedsoloor as part of awide-angleview. They typically peak in theUK

in thefirstweekofMay (seepage 74 for atutorial onhow to shoot bluebells).

thrift:During lateApril, thriftwillcarpet clifftops along theUKcoastline. Bright andcolourful, itcreates ideal foreground interestforwide-angle coastal views.

Foxgloves:Thesewildflowersbloom inearly summer. Theirheightmakes themwell-suited tobeing shot in vertical format andthey lookphotogenic backlit by

the evening sunshine.

orchids:TheUK is home toaround60 species ofwildorchid.They enjoy awide variety ofhabitats, so research species first.Try cropping in tight to isolate

individual flowers.

poppies:Poppies are summerflowers, thrivingonneglectedground. They cangrow in largenumbers, creatinggreat swathesof colour. Try shooting froma low

angleor as part of awider view.

UK’sbestwildflowers

subjects like leavesandpetals, andplacesemphasisonshape, formandfinedetail– liketinyhairsorpricklesonflowerstems.Thedrawbackof shooting towards the light,however, is the riskofflare.Attacha lenshoodorshield the frontof the lens tohelppreventflareandareduction incontrast.Backlitsubjectsalso tendto troublemeteringsystems,fooling thecamera intounderexposing results.While this isabenefit if youwant toshootsilhouettes, if youdon’t it canspoil an image.Checkyourhistogramregularlyand increasetheexposurebyapplyingpositive (+)exposurecompensation.

Lastly,don’toverlookflash. If youdon’thavea reflector tohand,flashcanfill inareasofdistractingshadow.Shootata reducedoutputtoensureyouretain thesoftqualitiesofnaturallight. Flashcancreateuglyhotspotsonreflective foliageorpetals, though, so it isworthsofteningflashbursts.Youcanuseanything for this fromtissuepaper toaflashgun’sdedicateddiffuseror third-partysoftbox.Flashcanalsobeuseful for simplifyingasubject’sbackground,as the fall-off in lightcancreateapureblackbackdrop ifsurroundingvegetation isoutside the rangeoftheburst.While theeffectcan lookslightlyunnatural, it canstill beamoredesirableoptionthancapturingyoursubjectagainstanugly,distractingbackground.

Backgrounds& ‘gardening’It is easy tounderestimate just how importanta subject’s background is and theoverall effectit has.What youexclude from the frame isoften just as important aswhat you include.Ugly backgroundelements like partiallyout-of-focushighlights anddistractingbits ofvegetationdraw the viewer’s eye away fromthe subject. Peer through the viewfinder andexplore the subject’s surroundings.Distractingelements canoftenbeexcludedeasily, eitherby changing viewpoint or using a largeraperture to create a shallower depth-of-field.It is oftenpossible to removedistractingvegetationbygently flattening it by handorusing scissors–naturephotographers callthis ‘gardening’. Keep apair of scissors in yourcamerabag just for this purpose. Just be carefulnot todamageother flowers in theprocess.

Whena subject’s background is particularlymessy, small tweaks are unlikely to suffice. Insituations like this, an artificial backgroundmaybebest. Tocreate yourownbackdrops, spraydifferent colouredpaints onto apieceof card tosimulate anout-of-focusbackdrop, or simplyphotograph foliage–with your lens defocused–beforeprinting the results at A3orA4 sizeandattaching them to stiff card to create anauthentic-looking artificial background. It’stimes like this that youmayfindaWimberleyPlampparticularly helpful.

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Backgrounds

Gardening

Depth-of-fieldMakingflowers standout

against their setting ishalf thebattle.Useawide

aperture tocreateashallowdepth-of-field.

ViewpointAphotographer’s viewpointhasasignificantbearingonthe lookof thefinal result, soselectyourshootinganglecarefully.Naturephotographersareoftenadvised toshoot fromaparallel angle, as thiscreates themostnatural-lookingperspectiveandwill alsohelpmaximise theavailabledepth-of-field.Certainly shootingateye-levelwillwork inmanycircumstances,producingengagingandintimate results.However, youshouldavoidgetting in to thehabitofalwaysshootingat thesameangleasyour imageswill begin to lookrepetitiveandyouwon’talwayscapture thebest result.Breakoutofyourcomfortzoneandapproacheverysubjectwithanopenmind:don’tbeafraid toadopta loworoverheadviewpoint.Anoverheadshootingangle isparticularlywell-suited to relativelyflat,openflowers– likeox-eyedaisies, cornmarigolds,rosesandgerberas.Positionyourcameraparalleloverhead tomaximisedepth-of-fieldandcrop in tight tofill the frame.Placing thesubjectcentrallycanworkwell in this instance,creatinga feelingof symmetry.Anoverheadanglewill alsoproveeffectivewhenyouwishtoemphasiseasubject’s textureordetail.

Theshift inperspectivecausedbysimplyloweringor raisingyourcameraanglecanhaveahuge impactonpictures.Whenphotographingsubjects significantlyaboveeye-view, thesubject immediately lookssmallerand less imposing. Incontrast,whenshot fromaworm’s-eyeview,asubjectappears to loomlarger.A lowviewpointcanlookverystrikingwhenphotographingflowersor fungi. Lieonthegroundandpointyourcameraupwards,or, alternatively,holdyourcameraclose to thegroundandusearight-anglefinderoranarticulatedLCDto

composeyourshots. It isbest touseawide-angleorfisheye lens for themost strikingresults.Plantswill appearartificially tall andimposing,whileflowerswill standoutboldlyagainst thesky. If thesky isclearandblue,apolarisingfiltercansaturate itscolour furtherandgiveyourshotsaddedpunch.

Yourviewpointhasasignificant impactonthestrengthofyourcomposition, soalwaystakea fewmoments towalkaroundyoursubjectandexplore thepossibilitiesbeforedecidingonyourshootingangle.

CreatiVeblurWhosaidyouhave tocapture imagesofflowerssharplyor realistically?Creativityisoftenwhat leads tooriginal, stand-outnatureimages.Subjectorcamerablurcan transformanotherwiseordinaryshot intoaMonet-likemasterpiece. If flowersor foliagearebeingwind-blown,emphasise thatmovement ratherthan trying to freeze it. Setyourcamera toshutter-priorityormanualexposuremodeandselectaslowshutter speed in the regionof1/2sec to intentionallybluryoursubject.Thisworkswellwithbright, colourfulflowers likepoppiesor tulips.Youneedtoachieve just theright levelofmotionblur: toomuchandthesubjectwon’tbe recognisable; too littleandthe levelofmovementwon’t appear tobedeliberate.

The lengthof shutteryourequirewill varydependingonthewindspeedandtheeffectyoudesire.You’ll need toemploy trial anderror–simplyexperimentwithdifferent shutterspeeds.And, ifnecessary, attachasolidNeutral

Viewpoint: Shootingyour subject fromunderneathgivesawholenewdimensiontoyourflowerphotographs,makingyoursubjectsappear tallerandmore imposing.

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68 nature:Flora TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography 3rdEdiTiOn

Tinywater droplets add scale, sparkle, depthand interest to your flora shots, sooneofthebest times tophotographnature is afterrainfall or ondewymornings. Youcanalsocreate yourowndroplets using agardener’ssprayor atomiser. Spray your subject froma short distanceuntil droplets form. Theywill glisten attractively in the sunlight andalsoproject a refracted imageof the subjectdirectly behind them. In fact,whynot useamacro lensor close-upattachment andmake the refracted image the focal pointof your photo? Still conditions, a tripodandpinpoint focusing are amust. Keepdepth-of-field as shallowaspossible to ensurethebackground subject isn’t too sharp. Thebest resultswill come fromacareful set-up:spray a leaf or bladeof grass so that dropletsform, then align a colourful flower behind it– in apotor vase– toproduce the refractedimage.Glycerineworks better thanwater; itshigher viscositymakes itmore stable and it isless affectedbyevaporation. Youcanfind itin eyedrops and stain remover, or purchasefoodglycerine fromhealth shops.

waterdroplets

ISToCKPHoTo

Density (ND)filter toartificially lengthentheexposure time.Apolarisingfilterwill alsolengthenyourshutter speedbyupto twostops, aswell as intensify thesky.

Another funandeffective technique is tomoveor ‘pan’ thecameraduringexposure.Thiscanwork inclose-uporwhenshootingalargerexpanseofflowers–bluebellsworkwell, forexample.Simplymovethecamerawhilepressing theshutter tocreatebeautiful,artistic streaksofcolourandtexture.Trymoving thecamera fromtoptobottom,orside toside. If youareusinga lenswitha tripodcollar, youcouldeventry rotating thecamerainacircularmotion.

Finally, if youareusingazoom, tryazoomburst.This isanother simple technique,butresultscan looksurreal andstriking.Selectashutter speed longenoughtoallowyoutimetoadjust thezoomfromoneextremeto theotherduringexposure,andzoomthe lenssmoothly for thebest results.Again, this isahit-and-miss techniqueandresultswon’tbe toeveryone’s taste.However,digital capturepromotes this typeofcreativeexperimentation. Itdoesn’tcostanythingbuttimeto try these things–andyoumightbesurprisedathowgoodtheresultsappear.

Double exposuresBycombiningone sharp imagewith a secondout-of-focus frame, it is possible to addabeautiful, dreamlike quality to your flowerimages. Theeffect is similar tousing a soft-focus filter, producingethereal-looking resultsthat particularly suit imagesof backlit flowers.The technique relies on theuseof a tripod, asboth imagesneed tobe identically composedso they canoverlap seamlessly.

ManyDSLRs allowyou tocreate adoubleexposure in-camera–with the cameracombining the two images toproduce a singlefile. Select the camera’smultiple exposuresetting via the camera’smenu (check yourcamera’smanual for details of how todo this),select a total of two frames and then take twoimages: one sharply focused and theotherblurry. The amount youdefocus the lenswill affect the strength and lookof the finalresult. It can take several attempts toget theright effect.However, not all cameras have amultiple exposure facility and youhave limitedcontrol over the lookof the final resultwhencombining images in-camera. An alternativeis toblend the imagesduringprocessing,combining the images in layers.Doing soallows yougreater control, as youcan varythe strengthof each frame. It is evenpossibleto create a soft-focus effect using just onesharply focused image: simply create a copyofthephotographandaddadegreeofGaussianblur to this layer before combining itwith theoriginal, sharp frame.

Standardexposure

Multipleexposure

Creativeblur:This is a fantastic technique ifyouget the levelofmotionblur spoton. It’s agreatway toadda feelingofmovementandlife toyournaturephotography.

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Nature:Flora 693RDEDITION TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography

KewGardens:Kew is theUK’smostfamousgarden. There is never a shortageof beautiful subjects to shoot. The largeglasshouses ensure youcan takephotoswhatever theweather.www.kew.org

LostGardensofHeligan: Locatednear StAustell inCornwall, this spectacular gardenfell intodeclineduring the FirstWorldWar.Restored to its former glory in themid-90s.www.heligan.com

Wisley:Wisley, in Surrey, is theRoyalHorticultural Society’s flagship garden.Withrichborders, colourful rosegardens anda state-of-the-art glasshousehome to animpressive plant collection.www.rhs.org.uk/Gardens/Wisley

EdenProject:Eden, inCornwall, boaststheworld’s largest greenhouse. Its artificialbiomes arehome toplants fromall aroundtheworld. Youwill findno shortageofpicture potential here.www.edenproject.com

NationalBotanicGardenofWales:Thegardens, inCarmarthenshire, are hometo anamazingcollectionof over 8,000different plant varieties, spread across 560acresof beautiful countryside, aswell asthemedgardens.www.gardenofwales.org.uk

Topfivepublicgardens

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Withsomuchrainfall in theuK, it’s easy tounderstandwhyproducing aguide tomimicking raindrops couldbedeemedalittle odd.unfortunately,most of our rainfalls during thecoldermonthswhengardenflowers are sparse, sowhenweare finallytreated to aboutof fairweather in summer, theonlyway tophotograph raindropsmaybe tocreate themourselves.

this caneasily bedoneusing awater spraybottle, awatering canor gardenhose. if you’reusingoneof the latter twooptions, be sure thatthenozzle has an attachment that sprayswater, rather thanone that provides aheavystream that coulddamagedelicate plants.

there are anumberof differentways thatdroplets can settle ongarden foliage, eachproviding theopportunity for a different typeofimage.oneof themost popular is capturingdroplets hangingoffa stem, usually in groupsof twoor three. this is an effective techniquethat has an addeddimension if there areflowers nearby that canbe refracted in thedroplets, as seen in the adjacent image. if youwant to try this technique, choose a viewpointthat takes thebackdrop into account. theother favoured image is a far simpler one, butequally pleasing, and requires you tocover the

surfaceof a leaf or petalswith dozensof smalldroplets by spraying themwithwater.

For this step-by-step, iwanted to try atechnique that i’d not seenbefore and thatwasto create a single droplet that restedonaflower, rather thanhanging from it.mychosenflowerwas apurple allium,oneofmyfavourites tophotographdue to the intricatenatureof itsmulti-floweredbloom.As i’ll bemoving around tryingdifferent angles, i’mshootinghandheld andusing a 100mmmacrolens tohelpmeget close. thebright sunlight

means avoiding camera shakewon’t be aproblem, but theoddbreezemeans i need tokeep shutter speeds relatively high to avoidblurcausedby the subject’smovement during theexposure. i use aperture-prioritymodeas iwant to retain close control of depth-of-field.

onefinal point: droplets tend to formmoreeasily andhold their cohesionbetter onhumiddayswhen there ismoremoisture in the air.therefore, if a summer storm is brewing, headinto thegardenand you’ll find this techniqueeasier to achieve thanonhot, dry days.

Waterdropletsdaniel Lezanoexplainshowaddingwaterdropletstoasubjectcangivevisualinterest toflower images

Set-up

1Apply thewatertry applying a light dustingofwater on theflower using a spray to see the

effect it has.unfortunately, for this technique,i find the spreadofwater is good, but thedropletsare too small andnot large enough in the frame.i need tofindanalternative!

3Keeptrying it takes a fewattempts, but ieventuallymanage to settle a largedroplet of

water on aflower. it’s proof thatwith a little patienceand luck, the strawmethodcanwork. this particulardroplet is too large, so i shake the alliumandkeeptryinguntil imanage todobetter.

4Findyourviewpoint it takes a fewmoreattempts, but i have adroplet that is amore

suitable size.now it’s a caseof trying to findagoodviewpoint and thebest aperture setting. i start byshooting fromabove, but the result is flat, so i shiftmyposition and look for alternatives.

5Geteye-levelwith thesubjectAdopting alower viewpoint gives the imagemore

three-dimensionality and thedroplet is clearlyvisible due to the shallowdepth-of-field.however,theout-of-focus foreground is distracting and thedark backdrop is unattractive.

2Experiment i try using ahose, but the result isthe same. i decide i need to apply a larger drop

withmorecontrol and attempt todo this using astrawdipped into a jar ofwater. By usingmyfingeron theendof the straw, i domybest to control thereleaseofwater onto the allium.

70 Nature:Flora TheEssentialGuide toOutdoor Photography 3rdEdiTiOn

Final imageByshiftingmypositionslightlyhigher,I’vemadeadramatic improvement to thecomposition.Notonlydoes thesubjectnowdominate the frame, the foregroundis lessclutteredandthegreenvegetationin thebackground is farmoreappealing.Theapertureof f/8provides theperfectamountofdepth-of-field, too.