The Story Behind... Bouton d'Or

The Story Behind... Bouton d'Or

I've just posted a new photo on my 500px portfolio, titled "Bouton d'Or" (http://500px.com/photo/62475749)

Bouton d'Or - (C) Gilles Royer 2014 - Nikon D200 / Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1

As for most of my images, this one was again captured in natural light. Those little yellow flowers (of which I don't know the name, actually) grow in a pot, in a bush. The flowers are quite small (only  2-3cm in diameter) but the colour is very nice and strong, and I find them very elegant.

I shot this one in the afternoon, but because they are in the shade of some much bigger trees, the light was more diffused, not too harsh. The 'dew' drops were conveniently placed with the use of a spray bottle! I found that having water drops really enhances the structure and texture, so if I'm not early enough to catch some dew, I use that little trick :-)

As for composition, I cropped the original shot, only by a small amount, to remove some of the green background (and let the yellow petals stand out more), and decided to place the flower just slightly off-centre (fully breaking the rule of thirds, but rules are there to be worked around in the name of art, aren't they?). I added a bit of contrast and saturation in Aperture, to see more of the details, and opened the shadows so that the bokeh in the background shows a bit more.

Happy Sunday!

The Story behind... Dew on Agapanthus

The Story Behind...

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