Final Image Selection

As previously indicated, trying to select the final images has been a particularly arduous task as there are many that I have taken that I particularly like. However, to arrive at the final selection I identified some 45 images and then began to compare and contrast them side by side.

It is not easy, as you are constantly pulling up a couple if images to look at and then comparing two,  removing one of them and then repeating the exercise. Through this process I managed to get down to some 45 images. From this 45 I finally, after much serious criticism on my behalf, got down to 25.

Using 'Preview' I was able to get these 25 images onto a single screen and to start to look at what images worked well with each other.

My original thoughts had been based on Autumn. I have seen some fantastic images by the likes of Bill Atkinson, where he has taken really vibrant leaves (reds, and golds) and shot them against superb clear blue skies, to create a riot of colour.  Consequently I wanted to create some bright, contrasting, images too. Looking at this as a base on which to build I went through the images, removing items that either did not conjure up Autumn, or did not carry sufficient vibrancy in the colours.

The first images to go therefore, were the flowers. I had done some research into taking close ups of flowers, but this in realty was a distraction, as it took my eye off the Autumn theme. So getting back to the real project they simply did not fit in.

Once again, whilst my images all had pretty much an Autumn theme to them, some of them did not seem to work well with the overall images.  There were some lovely flowers taken outside, but they did not work and some brightly coloured berries, all of which were Autumnal images, but they too, simply did not go with the 'leafy' theme that was beginning to emerge.

So berries and all flowers went. Leaving me with 14 images to filter through.

I then had to focus on which images really stood out against each other and to try to finalise, in my mind, what I was trying to portray. 

Having been very impressed by Andy Small's use of colour and texture, I wanted to emulate some of that. So I looked for those images that (with a final bit of tweaking) could provide me with that. In addition, I wanted to make the best use of colour and light to create images that stood out and had many vibrant contrasting colours. 

The picture of the oak twig in the middle of the screen shot above is very similar to an image by Mark Cranshaw and I had originally wanted to include this within my final portfolio, but when I compared it to the blues and reds, and the brightness of some of the other images, (whilst it does show a good use of light and has good contrasting colours) it simply was too dark compared to the rest - so that was one that went quickly.

There are two images of leaves taken when the heavy frosts came and whilst they are interesting images, they are not vivid enough, when compared to the rest; so they too went. The final image to get removed was the very first one in the selection (top LH corner). I could not get the lighting right and there were simply not enough contrasts to allow it to remain. The image was flat and despite numerous attempts, I was not able to enhance it significantly enough to include it in the final selection.

These are the final 10 images I have selected for my Nature Portfolio. They each have a good range of colour and some very interesting contrasts. Vibrant reds, golds, and blues (as per Bill Atkinson) and the use of white snow, has created a different interest from just the strikingly blue skies. 

Some of these images are very simple, with just one or two leaves in them. However, with these, the aim has been, not only to provide a contrast between the colours but, to realise some detail in the leaves, enhancing the texture of the leaves themselves.

Focusing on one or two leaves within an image, has brought certain leaves to the fore, creating a perspective by enabling these items to stand out and blurring the rest. In some images this is more easy to see than others, and this is largely due to the closeness to the subject (standard lens vs zoom lens really), but in all cases, the aim has been to create a focal point on a particular set of leaves to create that depth and to give some perspective.

The set is split into two really, with one set having blue skies as their backdrop and the other using snow as that contrasting colour. However, in all, the vibrancy of the colours of the leaves stands out and it is this, that finally swayed my judgment to making these my final select 10 images.

Botanical Gardnes - Using the Top Ten Tips

Prior to going to the Botanical Gardens with Tony, I did some research on the internet to ensure that I got the best from my time there. However, prior to going the weather turned wintry and we enjoyed an element of snow. Add to this the fact that I was trying to compliment my images of Autumn for my portfolio and the opportunity to take appropriate images became more and more of a challenge.

However, using the tips that I had researched I took numerous images of plants and leaves and tried to apply the techniques reviewed.

Take Pictures from Different angles

ISO 200: f/10: 1/20: lens 18-55mm

ISO 200: f/10: 1/40: lens 18-55mm

These two pictures were taken from two completely different angles. The image on the left gives a much greater depth of field, as the leaves in the background create perspective. However, you lose the full impact of the leaves in the image on the right. In this instance therefore, I have chosen the image on the right as part of my final selection, although I have modified the final image slightly in Photoshop.

Use a good Quality Tripod

ISO 200: f/10: 1/40: lens 18-55mm

To take this shot I had to really lower my camera on the tripod and stand back. The light is not brilliant, but I had to stand away from the leaf, in order to shed as  much light onto the subject as possible. Using my remote trigger, I took the image as seen.

Get Close to the Image, Use a Macro Lens and A remote trigger to reduce camera shake.

ISO 100: f/5: 1/40: lens 18:55mm with 4 x Magnifier

In this image I adopted the advice as above. Using the magnifying filters and the tripod I was able to get very close to the subject.  Add to this the wireless trigger and I was able to close-up images with the minimum of movement.

ISO 100:  f/5: 1/80: lens 18-55mm with 4 x Magnifier

Use Backgrounds for constant colour: Use the smallest aperture size available

I got very close to these seeds and used the widest aperture available given the light conditions. Hence the seeds themselves are very clear, but the background is completely blown out. The clarity of the sed heads is exaggerated by the almost non-nonsensical background which is just a blur of colours with no detail whatsoever. Whilst this will not sit in my final portfolio, I do really like this image.

Working towards Choosing the Final Images

I am currently reviewing the myriad of images that I have for my final portfolio. Easier said than done. There are many that I like, but trying to make them all fit together is not so simple.

There are some great images of autumn leaves, which was my original idea for the nature topic; however, I also have a number of images of which I am particularly proud, of close-ups of flowers. I wanted to put these in too, but they simply do not fit into the overall image profile that I was originally trying to secure.

From an original shortlist of some 45 images, I got down to just shy of 25 and am now down to 14. This last trimming is proving to be the most difficult.

Just had to put this in....

Whilst taking some photo's of flowers at the weekend, I took this one and just had to put it onto my blog.

ISO 1600: f/8: 1/25: Lens 18-55mm with 4 x Magnifier filter.

Compare and Contrast - Charles Binns

Borrowing Tony's lens magnifiers, I used the 10x magnifier to take the picture of the orange flower below. The aim was to try to create a photo, mirroring the following Charles Binns style photo.

I used an aperture of f5.6 and to create that 'velvetty' feel I deliberately made the image 'grainy' by shooting with ISO1600. The picture was taken this afternoon, close to a window, using natural light only.

I fixed my camera firmly onto the tripod and got very close to the image with the magnifier. In order not to cast a shadow over the flower itself, I raised it onto a table and brought the flower more up to the height of the camera, rather than the other way around.

 ISO 1600: f5.6: 1/3200: lens 18-55mm with 10x Magnifier

I am especially pleased with this image as it has recreated, in my view, exactly what I was trying to do. The only additional element I could have added, I think, would have been a vignette around the edges perhaps.

10 Tips for Taking Flower Photographs

I wanted to do some more research into getting the best out of mine an Tone's visit to the Botanical Gardens in Birmingham, tomorrow. So I have been researching the internet and came up the above named webpage. (http://gardenerstips.co.uk/blog/flowers/10-tips-for-taking-flower-photos/).

1 - Shoot from different angles.

As with most photography, it is recommended that you think about taking the images from different angles. Rather than simply taking them looking down on them, perhaps think about getting down and dirty, taking them from the same height as they are, or even lower, to gain a better sens of perspective.

Taken from above

Taken from the same level as the flower

2. Shoot with the smallest aperture that you lens will allow.

We know this, but it is useful to have it reaffirmed. This will enable me to focus on the flower itself and to blur out the background as much as possible.

3. Try a Macro Lens for a really close shot

Well as neither of us has a macro lens, that will be a challenge. However, Tony has managed ot get hold of some lens 'magnifiers' which screw onto the end of a58mm lens, that should help and I will be looking to 'borrow' them at some stage.

4. Use a good quality tripod

I have every intention of taking my tripod, which is more than up to the task. Working up close , we need to take every effort to reduce camera shake and this is the first step.

5. Other tips to reduce camera shake

a)  It is recommended that if you cannot get your tripod out then take a mono pod (Tone's got one of those)
b) Use a remote trigger. - sorted!
c) Take multiple shots, as the slightest movement could cause you to be out of focus and the more you take the more chance of getting that perfect image - not sure I wholeheartedly agree with the sentiment, but the concept is sound.

6. Canon filter

Well we can only work with what we have, so this may not happen!

7. When to take the best shots

Too much sunlight can blow out the image. You often get better results when the sky is slight overcast as this allows the real colours of the flowers to really come out.

8. The Rain Effect

After it has rained, flowers collect drops of water. This creates an extra romance and beauty to floral photography. However, as it is unlikely to rain tomorrow (it is more likely to snow) we will be taking a water vaporizer to create the same effect.

9. Use backgrounds for Constant Colour

A solid background helps avoid distracting backgrounds. Black often works very well, especially for white, light coloured flowers. We will be more relying on a small aperture as it is unlikely that we will be able to get out bits of card or other to drop behind flower - but it may be worth taking something  - just in case.

10. Wind

Trying to hold stem of flower can work. If you have an SLR set a high shutter speed 1/ 125 will help capture and freeze any blowing wind.
What they are getting at here is that if there is a wind, you need to try to capture the wind effect without blurring the image - we'll see what happens tomorrow then!

Tony Howell

Based in Somerset, Tony Howell is one of the most well known landscape photographers in the UK. He chooses a simple and uncluttered style to create a sense of peace and stillness in his imagery.

He has been published in numerous books and magazines and regularly works for the National Geographic, The BBC, The Tate, The Forestry Commission and more.....


Unlike many other well known photographers, he has no formal training and no degree. Rather, he has been essentially self taught, learning his craft by trial and error. It is his sheer dogged determination and his love of all things natural that has driven him to succeed.

I have been particularly looking at his pictures of flowers and it is interesting to note that his floral photography only really took off when he purchased his Macro lens. The range of colours and the textures that close up photography opened up, changed his view. This element really opened up his mind to the smaller things in life and since then he has been a prolific taker of macro images.

This is a delicate image with two small flowers surrounded by a bed of green. You cannot help but be drawn to the flowers as they are the real contrast in the image.

 I love the colour in this image, which is a riot of many shades of purple.

The clarity with which he has taken this crocus really makes it stand out from the background, even though it is very much within a complimentary colour range.

Gold on gold - this daffodil almost bleeds into the background. Yet again though, a very well set aperture completely blurs out the background, leaving the detail in the areas of specific interest.

How close can you get?

I believe that the interest point of this image is the yellow part of the petal. It is however, not the section that is in focus. The actual focal point seems to be just to the edge of the yellow on the right third segment of the image.

You are drawn to focus on this and then, with the lines in the flower exaggerating the effect, you are drawn to the yellow centre of the petal.

I absolutely love the way that this flower looks like it has been 'stick' on a backdrop!

Simlar to the above image, this flower is so clear compared to the background, that it almost looks like it has bee superimposed onto the backdrop!

Rich, red, and luscious.

This picture has everything going for it. It could almost be a berry falling into a bowl of 'not set' red jelly or something.

The harshness of the stamens is in complete contrast to the softness that he has managed to achieve with the petals.

A more simple image, this photograph works  because of the contrast between the bright red flower and the pale greens in the background.

The colours in the back of this pitcure is what makes this work so well. Just a simple, delicate, yellow flower against a mess of purplues and blues. Had the background been green, as with the previous photograph, then this would definitely not have worked anywhere near as well.

Yet again, perfect clarity in the flower vs a blurred out background, creates a superb contrast.

The way that this flower droops from left to right allows your eye to flow thoughout the image.

It is not especially bright and there are no massive shadows in the image, but this has enable him nto to 'blow out' the white in the petals.

With just two colours he has created a great image that keeps you looking.

Botanical Gardens

In order to get some more pictures for my portfolio of nature, Tony and I are going to the Botanical gardens in Birmingham to get up close and personal with some flowers and plants.

I intend to take my tripod and a full set of lenses to ensure that I can take a stable set of images. If at all possible I am going to see if I an get hold of either a macro lense to borrow, or some lense magnifiers. in addition, it is useful to photograph flowers with a little dampness on them, so I will take a water spray gun to create that 'dewey' feeling.

Whilst I already have many pictures of flowers, leaves, and pictures in general, I am looking to see if I can get some really close up images, using wide apertures to really blow out the backgrounds.

Charles Binns

Born in 1965 in Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire. Charles is a landscape photographic artist now based in Hertfordshire. With a Spanish mother he spent much of his holidays in Spain and got into photography to record his travels.

He draws a lot of inspiration from the early English landscape artists of the 18th and 19th Century. In those days, artists documented the changing landscape and he likes to think that he is doing the same with his photogrpahy, for future generations. In addition however, he is interested in Macro-photography as he is drawn to the textures and the shapes that can be seen when looking at things close up.

Whilst not averse to digital cameras, he likes to use a Holga camera. This is a simple Camera that relies heavily on the choice of film and the framing of the subject to create the image. With only one shutter speed and one aperture, it surely must be a challenge to use.

Holga cameras are, apparently, prone to create quite a lot of vignetting, blur and 'light leaks' and this can clearly be seen in a couple of the macro images indicated hereafter.

 The grainy quality of this image works really well as it adds to a the blur effect. Looking at the edges you can clearly see the vignetting of the image too.  Hence one woudl assume thatthis was taken with a Holga.

The focal point sits right on the stamen of the flower and the soft lite draws you this too.

The image is 'dark' and velvetty, rich and warm.

Centre stage, two bright red berries, contrasting heavily against the green leaves.

I love this picture, which I haard a guess was also taken with a Holga camera as it has many of the qualities of the red flower at the top.

A soft texture is created by the blur and yet again there is vignetting of the image, drawing our eye away from the edges and into the middle of the image.

 The contrasting yellow leaves and the brown background in this image give a simple look.

I am not sure what lense was used to take thisimage, but it must have been taken with a very wide aperture. the tip of the rose is in focus, but the remainder is out of focus.

With the light background the dark red/black rose really stands out.

Compare and Contrast - Bill Atkinson

Having reviewd Bills work, this is exactly the kind of images that I was trying to recreate with my 'Autumn ' series, as previously posted and I have inserted one of them below to compare and contrast.
my vision was to take brightly coloured leaves against copper sulphate blue skies, to exaggerate and highlight the colours in those leaves.

Catching the right light is essential so I made sure that we had clear skies and plenty of sun, then I set off into Hopwas woods (as usual with dog running around). I took a number of images, as previously displayed and have inserted one of them below to contrast with the an image from Bill's portfolio.

ISO 100: f 9: 1/200: lens 55-200mm                     

I have not undertaken any post production work on my image, but the concept is very similar. Golden leaves against a blue sky. Clearly however, I have focused on a smaller section of the tree, largely due to the peripheral surroundings, which would not have leant themselves to taking a more 'distant' shot.

Bill Atkinson

"Photography begins not in the camera but in the mind and the eye. The real work is one of noticing and appreciating, seeing things clearly and differently, and sharing that vision with others."

Bill Atkinson has spent over 40 years in the world of photography. From an early age, he began taking clips out of magazines and appreciating the way in which images are created.

He attained an undergraduate degree from the University of San Diego (California) where he met Apple Mac developer Jeff Raskin. He continued his university studies as a Graduate at the University of Washington.

Bill was a pioneer within the digital imaging revolution having originally been a computer engineer, working for Apple between 1978 and 1990. As a member of the original Macintosh team at Apple Computer, Atkinson designed much of the initial Macintosh user interface and wrote the original QuickDraw, MacPaint and HyperCard software.

After spending years developing software to assist others in their creativity, he is now furthering his own art, increasing his control and the accuracy of his work through enhancements in digital processing.

His passion is to explore 'nature' in all it's giuses, from mountain ranges to deserts to the intimate nature of macro photography, using animals, insects and flowers. He especially likes to get the light right, to make full use of all of the colours available to him. This is especially prevalent in the selection of images I have chosen to review hereafter.


The vibrant colours in this image are amazing. Whether they have been enhanced or not is difficult to tell, but the clarity of the blue sky and the gold of the leaves creates a striking contrast.

Conversely, this image doe not need to use shockingly vibrant blue sky. Rather it uses softer tones to create a  very colourful image.

Whilst this image is taken into the sky, it is not the vibrancy of the blue sky that wins over this image. It is the use of the light through the leaves, which creates a mess of colours that all bleed into each other.
Contract this with the dark lines created by the branches and the image is subdivided into numerous segments, each of which has strengths of their own.








I am especially interested in this image as it contrast yellow, reds and blue all in one image. Yet again, the sunlight shining on certain areas exaggerates the golds in the leaves.

I am not even sure if there is a focal point in this image. It is just such a riot of colour that your eye runs riot across the image.






Finally, with this image you get the very best of all worlds. Fantastic use of light in the gold leaves, highlighted in the centre of the image.

Darker greens and blues surround the outer edges, enhancing the lightness and the sunlight. Indeed even the tree trunks draw the eye towards the centre of the image.

Andy Small

Andy Small studied Fine Art at Bristol University and he became a professional Photographer in 2003, having previously spent a number of years teaching.

He specialises in taking close up images of flowers and plants/trees etc. Using his Fine Art background he intelligently uses colour to exaggerate and highlight the natural beauty of his subject matter.

Andy has become one of the UK's most original photographers of flowers and his images take on an artistic quality. It is worthy of note that his preference is to work in the studio and that all of his work is created 'in camera'.
     

I am particularly interested in the concept of taking these autumn leaves and highlighting them, to produce a very clean and detailed image against the dark backgrounds. The use of a black background gives a massive contrast to the colours in the leaves.

The colours are really exaggerated and 'clean' in these images.

Mark Crawshaw

Mark Crawshaw is a semi professional photographer with a passion for all things photographic. Not specialising in any specific areas he has a range of photographs covering many areas of photography, but I was particularly interested in some of his woodland images.

I like the way the he ash used the vibrant green of this oak shoot, to contrast with the rich darkness of the earth.

Focusing on the fungus in this image, has has used a wide aperture setting to completely blur out the background. The fungus itself has a very interesting shape and texture. Once again though, he has contrasted the colours within the fungus against the green background to help to make the subject stand out.

 The use of light here really makes these leaves shout out of the image.

 I love the soft and dark nature of this image. It has an autumn feel about it and the rich golds and oranges give it that dark autumn night, almost 'Halloween' feeling.

Excellent use of  focus in this image creates a surreal image with the outer edges completely blurred. The line of the branch draws your eye into the image, which is also exaggerated by the vignetting effect around the edges.

Comparisons

As indicated by Steve, I have put one of my recent shots and a Joe Miles image in here to provide some comparison.

Whilst I am pleased with the results of my shoot, the light was very flat and I was not able to get the exact result that I wanted. Having said that, I am very pleased with the result as you do get the same contrast in the colours and the model is nicely positioned in the right hand 1/3rd of the image.

By standing the subject a few paces in front of the structure, Joe has created an element of depth that is slightly lacking in my own and the use of strong light has also helped to exaggerated the shadows in the background structure.

People and Portraits - Samples

Having been looking at locations, although the weather conditions were not brilliant, I wanted to get out with my camera and experiment. I took a number of images and have not done (with the exception of the B&W image) any real post production work on them.

I am now starting to build my portfolio of images, from which I will decide what Photos to publish. Here are a few samples below.....

 ISO 200: F4.5 1/30: Lens 18-55mm

 ISO 200: F4.5: 1/80: Lens 18-55mm

 ISO 200: F4.5: 1/80: Lens 18-55mm

 ISO 200: F4.5: 1/250: Lens 18-55mm

These images were taken during the morning and early afternoon on an industrial estate in Lichfield. Timing was everything, as we needed to make sure that traffic was at a minimum and that the areas were safe. So, no traffic, or delivery vehicles etc, giving us cause for concern.

When taking the photos however, I did have one person just checking to make sure that no cars were coming.

On Saturday I purchased a 5 in 1 reflector kit, to enable me to use natural light to enhance images. I have used this on a couple of photos, to get rid of unnecessary shadow. However, I also realise that when doing this you now need three arms, or extra people to assist.

We made sure that there were no obstacles or trip hazards and that the area was clean from relevant debris.