Just thought I would share the great news, of my newly posted photo, Coeur de Bleuet, sold today. I know it's only a download link, so I'll have to wait a bit more to be a millionaire, but still excited!!
The photo is available for viewing (and purchase :-)) in my 500px portfolio: http://500px.com/photo/61893995
Cheers!
Monday 24 February 2014
Sunday 23 February 2014
The Story Behind... Coeur de Bleuet
The Story Behind...
I've just posted a new photo on my 500px portfolio (http://500px.com/photo/61893995), titled "Coeur de Bleuet"
I actually took this shot last year, during a trip back to France in May. It was spring, and I went around my parents' beautiful garden to take macro photos of all plants and bugs. Although everybody was looking at me funny, standing 50cm from every single flower I could find, I'm really happy with the results.
This particular shot was taken with my Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 (that's the AF-S VR model, not the latest version), with a close-up filter screwed in front of it (I didn't have my macro lens back then). This was taken at the max aperture (i.e. f/2.8) which gives a beautiful separation of the subject from its background. Plus, the lens has a beautiful bokeh, which gives a very soft and beautiful texture in the background.
The flower itself is a "Bleuet" in French, or summer cornflower in English. It has very long and delicate petals, blue/purple in colour, with a very deep purple centre. This shot was taken from above, to enhance the structure and starry aspect of the cornflower. Check my other posting of the same flower for a different angle: http://500px.com/photo/34282762.
Please let me know what you think, and/or how you would improve this photo.
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| Coeur de Bleuet - Nikon D200 / Nikkor AF-S VR 70-200mm f/2.8 / (c) Gilles Royer 2014 |
I actually took this shot last year, during a trip back to France in May. It was spring, and I went around my parents' beautiful garden to take macro photos of all plants and bugs. Although everybody was looking at me funny, standing 50cm from every single flower I could find, I'm really happy with the results.
This particular shot was taken with my Nikkor 70-200mm f/2.8 (that's the AF-S VR model, not the latest version), with a close-up filter screwed in front of it (I didn't have my macro lens back then). This was taken at the max aperture (i.e. f/2.8) which gives a beautiful separation of the subject from its background. Plus, the lens has a beautiful bokeh, which gives a very soft and beautiful texture in the background.
The flower itself is a "Bleuet" in French, or summer cornflower in English. It has very long and delicate petals, blue/purple in colour, with a very deep purple centre. This shot was taken from above, to enhance the structure and starry aspect of the cornflower. Check my other posting of the same flower for a different angle: http://500px.com/photo/34282762.
Please let me know what you think, and/or how you would improve this photo.
Saturday 22 February 2014
The Story Behind... Let's Have a Drink
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| Let's Have a Drink - (c) Gilles Royer 2014 - 90mm - f/5 - 1/60 - ISO 200 |
This photo was taken in my new house, which has a water feature in the front garden, being an urn with water coming up. we had a very hot summer here in Melbourne, Victoria, with a whole week where temperatures reached the 40 degrees. I noticed , at the end of the afternoon on those days, that several bees gathered on the edge of the urn, and went for a drink, just the way they would go and collect pollen from a flower.
I found this quite interesting, and decided to take a shot of those, armed with my macro lens (the Tamron 90mm). I took quite a lot of shots, varying the angle and trying to get a sharp image, whilst opting for a wide aperture.
I selected this shot for several reasons. First, this was one of the only one where the bee's tongue (or proboscis) was really clear and sharp, and so were the eyes. Second, I quite liked the angle of the image, and the texture provided by the water overflowing from the urn (made of cast iron). The background was blurred enough with an aperture of f/5.
As always, you can find this photo on my 500px portfolio -> http://500px.com/photo/59718228
I hope to see more of these bees around, or other kinds of insects, or even birds. Actually, next to the water feature are a couple of trees, with quite a big spider web in between. The spider has been growing over the last few weeks, so that might be the next photo idea!
Cheers
Gilles
Saturday 15 February 2014
My first sale!
A quick post to share a great news (well, for me it is!). I've just sold my first photo on the internet, via the 500px.com website
The photo is "La Tulipe" and you can find it at the following link: http://500px.com/photo/48290842
Hope this is the first of many!!!
The photo is "La Tulipe" and you can find it at the following link: http://500px.com/photo/48290842
Hope this is the first of many!!!
Thursday 13 February 2014
The Story behind... Dew on Agapanthus
The Story Behind...
I actually started macro photography a couple of years ago, coinciding with the birth of my daughter. Why? Simply enough, this was a new way for me to continue my passion for photography, whilst not being able to travel very far nor spend too much time on it. I discovered a whole new world, and associated techniques behind macro photography.
I originally started with some close-up filters, the type you screw at the front of the lens, and they magnify the image by a certain number of diopters. A really cheap way to transform a lens into a macro lens, and to practice the skills.
Last year though, I got a proper macro (1:1 ratio) lens, a Tamron 90mm f/2.8, that works perfectly on my Nikon D200 - not my dream lens (the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Macro), but it really does a great job. Highly recommended if you're looking for a good value for money lens to start your macro photography too!
This particular shot was taken in December last year, in the garden, where many Agapanthuses had started to blossom (check the 500px portfolio for more shots of those beautiful flowers), and I must admit I use a little trick, as I shot in midday light, and realised after a few shots something was missing - so I sprayed a bit of water on the petals, to get that dew effect. Would you have picked it up??
I hope you like it, and please feel free to leave me your feedback
I've just posted a new photo on my 500px portfolio (http://500px.com/photo/60868800), titled "Dew on Agapanthus"
 |
| Dew on Agapanthus - Nikon D200 / Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Macro / (c) Gilles Royer 2014 |
I actually started macro photography a couple of years ago, coinciding with the birth of my daughter. Why? Simply enough, this was a new way for me to continue my passion for photography, whilst not being able to travel very far nor spend too much time on it. I discovered a whole new world, and associated techniques behind macro photography.
I originally started with some close-up filters, the type you screw at the front of the lens, and they magnify the image by a certain number of diopters. A really cheap way to transform a lens into a macro lens, and to practice the skills.
Last year though, I got a proper macro (1:1 ratio) lens, a Tamron 90mm f/2.8, that works perfectly on my Nikon D200 - not my dream lens (the Nikkor 105mm f/2.8 Macro), but it really does a great job. Highly recommended if you're looking for a good value for money lens to start your macro photography too!
This particular shot was taken in December last year, in the garden, where many Agapanthuses had started to blossom (check the 500px portfolio for more shots of those beautiful flowers), and I must admit I use a little trick, as I shot in midday light, and realised after a few shots something was missing - so I sprayed a bit of water on the petals, to get that dew effect. Would you have picked it up??
I hope you like it, and please feel free to leave me your feedback
Saturday 8 February 2014
Welcome!
Hello, and welcome to my blog!
So... I've created this blog, found it a name (hard with the proliferation of blogs on the Internet to find a name available!), and now is the moment of truth - what to write??
First of all, an introduction is appropriate. My name is Gilles and I'm originally from France but now live in Australia (Melbourne), with my wife and daughter. Whilst I work in the corporate world, I am passionate about photography.
My interest started many years back, probably when I travelled to Egypt with my parents. Such a fantastic country to experience through the lens, and I didn't have then a proper camera back then to capture all the things I could see.
I bought my first SLR - a Nikon F50 - not long after I started working in Australia, and went to evening class to learn how to use it. Soon joined the B&W class, to learn how to develop and print my own photos in the darkroom. Needless to say, this was pre digital era!
A few years later, I upgraded to a Nikon F90x and my wife bought me a beautiful 28-70mm f/2.8 during a trip to Tokyo - that's a fantastic lens, and I still use it today - even though it breaks my back to carry it!
Fast forward to the digital era, which at first I didn't fully embrace. I guess the cameras initially were expensive, and the quality not as good a film (I quite enjoyed shooting slides, and the quality of those is amazing). In fact I didn't venture into digital until 2006, when I went to Japan for work and bought a Nikon D200. A great camera that I still shoot with today, it completely changed the way to take photos for me...imagine seeing the results straight away! And all that money saved on developing!
Nowadays, I do a lot of macro photography.
I also started to post on sites such as 500px (check my work - 500px) and ViewBug. They are great sites for sharing photos, getting inspiration from fellow photographers from all around the world, and obtaining feedback on my photos.
So why a blog now? I'm aware there are already tons of blogs about photography, yet I wanted to create my own. First to see what blogging is all about, second to share the stories behind the photos I take, and get more interaction with other photographers. I might also post reviews about other sites, cameras or lenses, etc. So I hope that you read me from time to time and also share some of your favourite pics!
So... I've created this blog, found it a name (hard with the proliferation of blogs on the Internet to find a name available!), and now is the moment of truth - what to write??
First of all, an introduction is appropriate. My name is Gilles and I'm originally from France but now live in Australia (Melbourne), with my wife and daughter. Whilst I work in the corporate world, I am passionate about photography.
My interest started many years back, probably when I travelled to Egypt with my parents. Such a fantastic country to experience through the lens, and I didn't have then a proper camera back then to capture all the things I could see.
I bought my first SLR - a Nikon F50 - not long after I started working in Australia, and went to evening class to learn how to use it. Soon joined the B&W class, to learn how to develop and print my own photos in the darkroom. Needless to say, this was pre digital era!
A few years later, I upgraded to a Nikon F90x and my wife bought me a beautiful 28-70mm f/2.8 during a trip to Tokyo - that's a fantastic lens, and I still use it today - even though it breaks my back to carry it!
Fast forward to the digital era, which at first I didn't fully embrace. I guess the cameras initially were expensive, and the quality not as good a film (I quite enjoyed shooting slides, and the quality of those is amazing). In fact I didn't venture into digital until 2006, when I went to Japan for work and bought a Nikon D200. A great camera that I still shoot with today, it completely changed the way to take photos for me...imagine seeing the results straight away! And all that money saved on developing!
Nowadays, I do a lot of macro photography.
I also started to post on sites such as 500px (check my work - 500px) and ViewBug. They are great sites for sharing photos, getting inspiration from fellow photographers from all around the world, and obtaining feedback on my photos.
So why a blog now? I'm aware there are already tons of blogs about photography, yet I wanted to create my own. First to see what blogging is all about, second to share the stories behind the photos I take, and get more interaction with other photographers. I might also post reviews about other sites, cameras or lenses, etc. So I hope that you read me from time to time and also share some of your favourite pics!
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