Down and Dirty and It Feels So Good!

[Ed Vatza]

I had not made an image in over two weeks. Between being sick the past several days and prior to that, going out with a camera several times but returning each time with an empty memory card, I was beginning to feel pretty blue. I finally got out again last evening after dinner. I took a walk along my local creek and was delighted to see the Grape Hyacinths and Wild Daffodils finally beginning to bloom. There weren’t any great photo opportunities out there just yet. The Grape Hyacinths are still very, very small and just beginning to bloom out as are the daffodil buds. But it felt sooo good to get down in the dirt and mud with camera gear, just feel the earth and make some images.

For this image of a wild (escaped) Daffodil in the process of opening along the stream bank, I used my Canon 30D with a Sigma 150mm f/2.8 Macro lens. I chose a position that allowed the natural early evening sun light to enter more from the side and used a gold reflector to bring up the natural light and a Canon 430 EX Flash w/ a LumiQuest Softbox on a flexible flash bracket for fill. To steady this rather unwieldy contraption, I used a Manfrotto tripod w/ ballhead opened flat on the ground and a Novoflex Macro focusing rail. As you can see, I was determined to find and use everything in my macro bag!

I tried several different exposures. This one is 1/100 sec @ f/13; ISO 400; -1/3 EV; and FEC -1.

I backed off the temperature a tad and desaturated the yellows a bit in LR2 and selectively darkened the background in PS4.

Again not the greatest thing I've ever done but it felt good to play in the dirt! :D

[Dave Mills]

Hi Ed..The lighting is very nice with the majority of the subject being sharp. The black backround has a tendancy to make the flower pop and the stem being on a diagonal is a plus.. nicely cropped and well thought out!

[denise ippolito]

Ed, Glad to hear you're feeling better-and I can relate to coming home empty handed! The black BG looks very dramatic-I posted a daffodil image and Anita suggested black as a BG. Turns out I love it! The black adds some drama.I wish the lighting went all thru the center yellow part more. I like the composition-nicely done.

[Mike Moats]

Hey Ed, nice comp, like the bend in the stem, and good details.

[Joseph Martines]

Neat capture.

What more to add???

Thanks for sharing.

[Gus Cobos]

Well done Ed,
I like the composition, image and capture...you have fine details and the texture is very good...good show...:cool:

[Julie Kenward]

Glad to see you back out and about, Ed! Hey, wanna trade camera bags? You seem to have a lot more of the fun stuff in yours...

I like the use of the gold reflector - and thank you for sharing how you made the image...it really helps everyone understand it's not always about standing straight up and aiming the camera straight down.

I love the subtle differences between this wild daffodil and the cultivated ones in my yard. You captured it very well.

[Ed Vatza]

Thanks Dave, Denise, Mike, Joe, Gus, Julie. As always, I appreciate all the comments, critiques, feedback. They always help me gauge where I am at any given moment.

Dave, it was great to meet you at Photorama. Wish I could have stayed for the afternoon session but I was getting sicker and sicker as the morning progressed. **** stomach virus! :(


Glad to see you back out and about, Ed! Hey, wanna trade camera bags? You seem to have a lot more of the fun stuff in yours...

I like the use of the gold reflector - and thank you for sharing how you made the image...it really helps everyone understand it's not always about standing straight up and aiming the camera straight down.

I love the subtle differences between this wild daffodil and the cultivated ones in my yard. You captured it very well.

One thing I will say about "stuff". When you don't have it, you just don't use it. But when you do have, the "stuff" suddenly becomes very handy to have around. I didn't mention the McClamp, did I? :)

As you well know Julie, when I comes to flower photography you spend a heck of a lot more time stretched straight out than standing straight up! I was so dirty by the time I finished that I was afraid to get into the car.