Spring is here!

With Spring (officially but not technically) kicking into gear here in Melbourne, the garden offers growing opportunities for my macro / close-up shots, with buds, blossoms, flowers and trees all enjoying the warm rays of the sun.

So this is perfect time for more in-the-field testing of my new camera, the Nikon D750. Full frame and as light as my (9 year old) D200! 

Below are a few shots that I've taken over the last few weekends.

"Peach Blossom" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

"L'Arome" (c) Gilles Royer 2015 

"Purple Cornflower" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

"Splash of Pink" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

These have also been published on my +500px portfolio: https://500px.com/groyer

And please also Like my +Facebook page dedicated to photography: https://www.facebook.com/AustralianLightSeeker

Thanks!

"Moss & Flowers" posted

I'm still going through my stock of photos taken during my last trip to Europe, so keep looking for them! This one was taken in my parents' garden, a combination of moss and wild pink flowers, creating an interesting vegetal microcosm.

I've edited brightness and saturation, given I shot in RAW format. The shallow depth of field also created a more interesting image, creating a blurry foreground to anchor the photo, and a dark pink uneven background, to enhance the central pink flower (yes, there's nothing like breaking the rule of thirds I believe and put you key subject near the centre!!).

"Moss & Flower" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

The photo is also available in my +500px page: https://500px.com/photo/117524571/moss-flower-by-gilles-royer

And now on my new +Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/AustralianLightSeeker

"Portrait of a Lupine Flower" photo

I'm on a roll, continuing to go through photos from my recent holidays in France and England. This one is from the little cottage we stayed in, in the town of Arundel (West Sussex), in the back yard. 

It's the detail of a Lupine flower, with selective focus showing only the inside of the petals, with some little 'hair'

"Portrait of a Lupine Flower" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

As usual, this is also posted in my +500px gallery, at the following link: https://500px.com/photo/113351803/portrait-of-a-lupine-flower-by-gilles-royer

Please let me know what you think of it, as well as any suggestions for improvement. 

"Nearly There!" photo posted

Continuing with the macro shots taken during my stay in Arundel (West Sussex, UK), this one is the flower of a spring onion, about to pop out:

"Nearly There!" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

Also posted on my +500px gallery, follow the following link: https://500px.com/photo/112972761/nearly-there-by-gilles-royer

Thanks!

"Nigella Bella #2" photo posted

Another shot taken in my parents' garden, in France, of those beautiful Nigella (also known as love-in-a-mist) flowers. Their structure is so complex and intricate, they make for great macro subjects. This one is another blue one, but I've also got white and pink ones to come.

"Nigella Bella #2" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

I've also posted it on my +500px gallery, at the following link: https://500px.com/photo/111371919/nigella-bella-2-by-gilles-royer

Let me know which of the 2 versions (refer previous one here: http://australianlightseeker.blogspot.fr/2015/06/nigella-bella-posted.html) you prefer

"Nigella Bella" posted

Continuing with my holiday shots, this one is taken in my parents' garden in France, and is a Nigella. I love those beautiful flowers, so intricate yet delicate, they make perfect subject for macro photography in Spring. 

Not sure they are growing in Australia, but I'll have to check when I'm back, to put some in the garden!

"Nigella Bella" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

You can also view it on my +500px portfolio here: https://500px.com/photo/111256995/nigella-bella-by-gilles-royer

"Psychedelic Bokeh" posted

Back from my holidays (within the holidays!) in the UK, where I spent a few days in the beautiful of Arundel in West Sussex

We rented a beautiful old cottage, with a little back garden, full of blossoming wild flowers, so I felt obliged to get my camera and my faithful Tamron macro lens and got a few shots. 

This first one is of a little pin flower, shot against some green foliage. The aperture of f/4 helped to separate the flower from its backdrop, as well as highlight the beautiful bokeh, which in my eye has a near psychedelic effect... but I'll let you judge:

"Psychedelic Bokeh" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

I've also posted it in my +500px gallery, at the following link: https://500px.com/photo/111168895/psychedelic-bokeh-by-gilles-royer

Thanks for stopping by!

"Floating..." posted on 500px

Just posted another photo from the series I took a few weeks back now, in Canterbury Gardens, not too far from home.

I'm not quite sure what species of flower this is - maybe a fuchsia? But I found it beautiful and delicate. The shallow depth of field reinforces the impression that it just floats in the air.

"Floating..." (c) Gilles Royer 2015

And here is the link to the +500px page: 
https://500px.com/photo/105473511/floating-by-gilles-royer

Thanks for your visit!

"Pink Cornflower #2" posted on 500px

Following yesterday's post, this continues the series of cornflower photos, taken in my garden. This one is a darker pink, against a grey background.

"Pink Cornflower #2" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

And the link to the +500px gallery is here: https://500px.com/photo/104671651/pink-cornflower-%232-by-gilles-royer

Thanks!

"Pink Cornflower" posted on 500px.com

This is taken today, under a beautiful early autumn afternoon light, in the garden. My wife planted a few of these, with multiple colours, so I can enjoy taking photos of them (plus, they really look nice in the garden!). This one is pink. Keep looking for other colours as I'll post them over the coming days / weeks

"Pink Cornflower" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

Hope you have a great weekend, and thanks for stopping by!

"Bye Bye Summer" photo posted

Here in Melbourne, we have to say bye to summer, whilst spring is in full bloom in the Northern Hemisphere. I'm just taking opportunity of the five early autumn sun and the few flowers left in the garden to add to my gallery of macro photography.

This one taken just a few hours ago, late afternoon

"Bye Bye Summer" (c) Gilles Royer 2015

It is also posted on my +500px gallery: https://500px.com/photo/103123121/bye-bye-summer-by-gilles-royer

Hope you enjoy!

"Morning Tea in Canterbury Gardens"

This is taken in Canterbury Gardens, not far from home. For more information on those beautiful gardens, please refer to my previous posts here and here.

"Morning Tea in Canterbury Gardens" by Gilles Royer, (C) 2015

Thanks for your visit!

Discover... Canterbury Gardens (Victoria, Australia) - Part 2

Earlier on, I posted my first article about Canterbury Gardens, Victoria. If you haven't read it yet, have a look at the following link: Discover... Canterbury Gardens (Victoria, Australia).

Today I continue with the series of photos I took. All of them, as usual, also posted on mu +500px gallery (http://500px.com/GRoyer). All of these were taken on the same day, about end of morning, with a strong sun / light. 

I really love those gardens. They are close to home, and offer unlimited opportunities for macro photography, having so many different species of flowers and bushes in a concentrated area. I haven't visited the gardens in autumn, but I will. Wait for the next post!!

So without any further ado, here are the photos. Hope you enjoy.

Please note all photos are copyrighted, so if you want to use or buy them, please drop me a line!

Discover... Canterbury Gardens (Victoria, Australia)

With my passion for macro photography growing, I try and find new sources of shooting, the garden at home offering only a limited selection of flowers, plants and bugs. I decided to look into some gardens around the area, and discovered Canterbury Gardens, in Canterbury, Victoria.

They are situated off Canterbury Rd and Mailing Road, as per map below:

As per the Boroondara Council website (http://www.boroondara.vic.gov.au/our-city/parks-gardens/popular-gardens):

"Canterbury Gardens, located at 190B Canterbury Road, Canterbury, are an example of the Gardenesque style of gardens from the early 1900s.Today, a selection of established trees from this time survives but few of the original smaller plants still exist. The park features rolling lawns, specimen trees and superb, colourful displays of perennial borders and annual beds.The gardens are situated on an area of former market gardens and farms. In the 1850s W Creek, or West Creek as it became known, traversed the property and passed under a long culvert at the lowest point of Canterbury Road. This has since been sentunderground leaving the valley dry.The land was fenced in 1903 and named Canterbury Reserve after Viscount Canterbury the Governor of Victoria (1866–1873). Since the 1940s Carols by Candlelight has been held in the gardens, and it is a popular venue for local residents' celebrations – the setting is ideal for weddings – and recreation throughout the year."

They are quite small in size, however, near the western entrance (off Chaucer Crescent) is a beautiful area with many different flowers, as well as a whole display of roses. There are also further beautiful bushes on the perimeter of the park, offering additional flowery bushes, visited by bees, butterflies and other insects.

This is a great opportunity to catch many varieties of macro and close-up photos, and even though I went around lunchtime on a very sunny day, I still managed to get a few shots (some of them posted on my +500px gallery - https://500px.com/GRoyer/sets/discover_canterbury_gardens): 

I would highly recommend this little garden if you are in the area, either for a photography trip or just a nice stroll along the shadowed alleyways. Definitely worth a visit, and, in my case, another few visits. I'm also interested how the different trees and bushes will change with the seasons, offering no doubt endless photographic opportunities.

Please let me know if you have similarly discovered gardens like these, especially if you are a fellow photographer.

"Spring Has Arrived!" photo posted

Down Under, in Melbourne, this is Spring time - perfect season to get a beautiful strong light, as well as heaps of flowers and blossoms. 

Below is an example of this - a blossoming tree, taken just around the corner from where I live. I love the pink colours and tones, contrasting with the blue sky.

"Spring Has Arrived!" (c) Gilles Royer 2014

I've also posted the photos in my 2 active galleries:

• 500px.com -> http://500px.com/photo/83235135/spring-has-arrived!-by-gilles-royer
• Kujaja.com -> http://www.kujaja.com/en/photo/38422

Please let me know your views

"La Mouette au Soleil" - New photo on @500px gallery

Today I posted a photo taken a few weeks back, on the same morning I tool the photos for the OMOE 2014 (One Minute On Earth - check the www.kujaja.com website if you haven't yet).

It was taken one my way back from the shooting session, going back to the car park from the St Kilda Pier. I saw this seagull looping around, then landing on one post, obviously enjoying a rest as well as the warm rays of the rising sun:

The link to the 500px gallery is below:
http://500px.com/photo/76325917/la-mouette-au-soleil-by-gilles-royer

What I liked in this shot is the beautiful warm light (arriving from the right hand side, where the sun has just come above the horizon), highlighting the details in the feathers. You can even see through the nostril on the beak if you look closely! 

Hope you enjoy, and thanks for your visit!

Special mention received!

I'm delighted I've received a Special Mention in the Monthly (June) Flower competition, on the (newly joined) Kujaja.com website (see the "Photo Sites I Like" page on my blog for more information).

The shot was "La Tulipe", that can be seen below. The winning entry is at the following link: http://www.kujaja.com/en/photo-competitions/winner/Photographic-Competition-Flowers-2014-5-20, and was also posted a few months ago in my 500px gallery (http://500px.com/photo/48290842)

New post @500px - The Seagull and The Light

Following my shooting last weekend for One Minute On Earth project (see the great www.kujaja.com website), when I went early morning on the St Kilda Pier, I've now posted this shot of a  seagull (you can also see it in my 500px gallery: http://500px.com/photo/75113065):

This was taken about 7.50am, so 15mins or so after the sunrise, when the rays of the sun strike the water almost horizontally.

I was trying to take shots of the seagulls in full flight (quite tricky to get a sharp image, VR stabilisation or not on the lens!), and only got a few good ones. This one was shot against the water, with the sun light coming from beneath the body of the seagull, making the feather glow with a warm orange light

I also really enjoy the effect of the light on the water, which was very still that morning.

Hope you also  like it, and thanks for your visit!

The Story Behind... Portrait of a Giraffe @500px

Just posted a new photo in my 500px gallery (http://500px.com/photo/73635573/portrait-of-a-giraffe-by-gilles-royer)

Although I wish I had taken this one in Serengiti reserve in South Africa, I must admit this is a photo taken at a zoo - I know a few hard core animal photographers believe taking animal photos in zoo and parks is cheating, but that's only their opinion!

This particular one was taken in Singapore Zoological gardens, which I visited with my wife and daughter during a recent trip. This zoo is fantastic - big, clean (you're in Singapore after all), a train is running all around if you get tired, and they even have a polar bear in there - not bad when outside temperature is 30 degrees+ and humidity probably over 80%

One of the highlights was actually to go and feed the giraffes - you make your way to a raised platform, buy a plate of cut veggies /fruits for 5 Singapore dollars (it's a donation), and wait your turn to get 2 or 3 giraffes popping their head over the platform's balustrade, and display a very curly tongue to grab some pieces of fruit - I'm sure they are well fed at any time, yet this must be a treat for them! 

If you have a chance to get there, this is a highly recommended family activity - plus the photographer in you will be spoilt!

Thanks for your visit and ongoing support