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Danutza88

Dana is a nature lover.
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Dear friends,

It's springtime again and, as you know, some of us love taking photos to flowers, but do we know all the rules we have to follow to end up having pieces of art in our gallery?

Below you have some ideas taken from digital-photography-school.com… that you might be interested in.


I hope this journal's going to be useful!:heart:

Enjoooy!:aww:


~~~

1. Highlighting subjects

Let's start with a question: "What distractions are there in the background and foreground?"

Gardens are filled with all kinds of potential distractions. They might be the tool shed, a fence, other flowers, the clothes line etc. A decision needs to be made whether you want to include these elements or remove them from your shot. Either option is legitimate but in most cases you'll probably want to remove them unless they in some way enhance your shot.

There are a number of options open to you if you want to remove distractive elements:

:bulletred:move them – some distractions can be moved pretty easily so that they're not in your frame

:thumb290888272: Spring Has Returned by JustinDeRosa

:bulletred:move yourself – find a new angle to shoot from that has a less distracting background

:thumb293676561: Spring 2012. by drop-of-imagination

:bulletred:crop them out - go for a tighter framing of the flower either by using a zoom or moving physically closer to it

:bulletred:use aperture to narrow depth of field – if you choose a wider aperture (small numbers) you'll decrease the depth of field. As you do this you make elements in the foreground and background more and more out of focus.

:bulletred:move your subject - Some photographers will move the flower to a new location for the shot. This might include getting someone to hold the stem on a different angle or could even mean picking the flower and taking it elsewhere. If you're going to do this make sure you are aware of the environmental impact of your photography.

:thumb277167346: spring's here! by BlackDennie
~~~


2. Don't ignore the dead, marked or dying flower

Sometimes carcasses of flowers can present you with wonderful subject matter. While the perfect flower is the one you'll probably be drawn to first sometimes the more interesting shot is the 'ugly duckling' beside it.


3. Identify a focal point

As in all types of photography you need to think about where you want your viewers eye to be drawn. Consider setting it off centre using the rule of thirds – but do find something in your frame that will grab your viewer's eye and carefully think about how to position it.

:thumb215382206: everything is possible by ivadesign
:thumb292955477: forget me. by simoendli
Hepatica nobilis 2012 III by Aphantopus Can't catch me! by PhotoTini
Imperial Lily by iustyn Dancing in the Field by Oer-Wout


4. Go abstract

Sometimes going in extra close and focussing in on a part of the flower can create wonderful and unusual images that take on an abstract quality. Look for contrasting colors, patterns and textures.

:thumb119123080: Flower macro by royho:thumb71206044:
:thumb84426511: Square Edition: Fire Flower by Mimado
Flower Chakra by not-in-my-lifetime:thumb161532878:
:thumb288932764: Macro Paperwhite Narcissus by chris-stahl


5. Focus is Key

Sharp focus is important in all forms of photography but in flower Macro photography it is crucial and even a tiny adjustment can have massive implications for your shot as the depth of field is so small. In macro photography your depth of field is a game of millimetres so attention to detail in focussing is something to be worked upon.
Identify the point of interest that you want to be in focus and then work hard to ensure that it's as sharp as possible. This can be a real challenge, especially outdoors on breezy days where you'll probably end up taking a lot of images and relying on luck to some degree! You can improve your 'luck' a little by photographing in a more controlled environment (taking flowers inside for studio shots, shielding them from wind or just choosing to do your photography on a still day).



6. Lighting

Ideally your subject will be wonderfully lit without you needing to offer any assistance, however the world of outdoor macro photography is often far from ideal and there might be a need to intervene with either artificial light or some kind of reflector.
Using a flash is something to experiment with. Generally you'll find that direct flash on automatic mode might wash photos out a little so consider using a flash diffuser and/or bouncing your flash off another object. The more subtle and indirect the flash is the more natural your shots will look.
Reflectors can also be handy in shooting flowers as they give a nice, natural, diffused light into areas of your subject that might not be getting natural sunlight. Experiment with different colored reflectors as they can really impact the colors in your shot.

Narcissus Jonquilla by Moosplauze Spring 2012 01 by FrozenMelody Spring Flower by TomKilbane
golden day. by simoendli Shirayuri by LuciaConstantin
A day at the farm13 square by MacsBlack
Spring. by Me-Myself-And in union flower and snail by christinegeier
:thumb160066902: fragile reality by nessie-x

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Dear deviants,

(Man, I haven't done this in a while, heh:D) Last Sunday, 14 deviants and awesome people, now, all part of a big family, have gone in the woods, near Cluj-Napoca for some nature photography (Destination: Faget Forest).

Here's the list of participants:
:icondanutza88::iconcorsico::icondiangos::iconghost3k::icontreemurici77::iconalex-trl::iconthebluedeer::iconmariussyka::iconmoisedy::iconreversed-singularity::iconseptemberdawn::iconmanequeen::iconcosminart: and Sabina

What happened?
Ohhh, many adventures, starting with a message written on a sheet of yellow paper saying "Free photo shooting in the forest", and continuing with walking along a street with cars passing by, watching peacocks, crossing a river, snow fight, photoshooting snowdrops and frogs, slippery hill climbing, arriving at the destination, sharing food, singing while alex-trl was playing the guitar, more photos taken and then ending with the way back home through "a tunnel" and getting in the mud.

It was awesome:D

Wanna see photos? Here you go:

To many more devmeets!:D Who's in for the next nature devmeet?:D

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Dragi devianti clujeni,

Daca nu aveti planuri pe duminica aceasta, 18 Martie 2012, va invit cu drag sa veniti la ora 12 sa ne vedem cu mic cu mare in capatul liniei troleibuzului 6 din Manastur. Se merge la o sesiune de fotografie in natura, cu destinatie finala Padurea Faget.

Deci:

CAND? 18 MARTIE 2012, ORA 12
UNDE? In capatul liniei 6 din Manastur, CLUJ-NAPOCA


Sper sa ne vedem in numar cat mai mare,
Dana

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Dear friends,

What separates a simple snapshot from a masterpiece is the story the image portrays. The more emotional the shot is, the more it appeals to our senses. So, today we'll talk about EMOTIONS: how to capture them in our photos. In the next journal we'll try to see how to induce different emotions using colors.

Enjoy!:sun:

~~~
How we should capture emotions?

There might not be a perfect answer to it. Emotions, by their very nature, do not follow fixed rules. They just happen, based on what a person feels at a given moment of time. And likewise, there're no fixed rules for capturing emotions, too. The same scene can evoke different emotions in different people, hence emotions are subject to personal bias.

Nevertheless, here's a list of indicators on the situations where one may come across emotions that can be captured:

1. Quit Saying 'Smile'...
...or 'cheese', or whatever it is you say to force people give a constant and similar expression. Be natural and capture people just before they're prepared for the shot. You can take two or three shots even during a 'posed' group photo, and the first will almost always be when the group still thinks you're adjusting your camera, and are busy interacting amongst themselves. The lack of being conscious makes them portray true and natural emotion. The third shot is usually just after you've taken the posed group photo, again when people have dropped their artificial smile and assume a more natural expression on their faces.



2. Photograph Babies & Children
Babies and children are a bundle of emotions. The little ones usually haven't still learnt the art of faking and you can literally see the 'truth in their eyes'. Try to fill the frame, taking care not to give too much prominence to the face. Capture the child in context to his/her surroundings. That makes the photo tell a 'story'. Another place you can try is the playground. Emotions run high in any sport, and trying to capture the expressions on the faces of the players whenever some event occurs during the sport makes wonderful practice.


baby d....02 by CreativeExpressions My dear plushie by Lionique Flower child by kittynn
Playground Punk by girltripped Baby Loves Kitty by girltripped
In search of the flower fairy by mechtaniya autumn pore.. eyes charm by mechtaniya
Baby Model by jessicalv:thumb81062253:
Baby Rock by SAMLIM:thumb206835915:
Happy Baby by Lady-Tori Kiss me by luvsinspiration



3. Capture the Eyes
The eyes are the window to our soul. And if one has to isolate any one organ to truly portray emotions, it's the eye. Human or animal, eyes usually always convey what the subject is feeling. The intense focus in the eyes of an eagle or the soft warmth in those of your pet Labrador, or the myriad expressions of a ballet dancer, the eyes are the key to capturing the emotions felt by the subject. A raised eyebrow can sometimes say what a hundred words cannot!


Dusky Eyes by zemotion:thumb265408990::thumb70536601:
sad story of her eyes by bitterev
cute Baby b n w effect by theicon92 green eyes by chelloveck
Self-Love 4: Eyes by my-goddess My Eyes by SkirtCt
The Night's Eyes II by sexties Big Blue Eyes by Lovely-Expressions
Eyes by Dfotografia Eyes by vejitatoja



4. Vary Lighting
Lighting affects more the 'mood' of the photo rather than help portray emotions. But the right lighting can surely enhance or make prominent the emotions conveyed by the subject. Light - or the lack of - can be used synergistically as well as in contrast to the emotion being portrayed. Illuminating just a part of your photo, with a flashlight or a candle can create a mysterious allure, and can work wonders in portraying sadness, fear or romance. Backlit images or silhouettes too can be tried. Especially in a high contrast image, silhouettes speak for themselves. Harsh lighting can enhance the emotions of pain, anger and depression, whereas soft diffused lighting enhances romance, peace and happiness. Additionally, color filters can also add to the emotions in a photo.




5. Try Different Angles for Your Shot
Try shooting from different angles. A shot of a person taken from a low angle helps establish authority, as it makes the figure loom large in the frame. Panning either alone or in combination with zooming in or out creates emphasis on a particular subject.




6. Break The Rules
Emotions are best conveyed by the eyes and face. That's the rule. So break it. Emotions can also be conveyed by other features. Say, sweat dripping down the face, the gestures made by hands and legs and other elements in the foreground or background.





Capturing Emotions

To conclude, I again reiterate that there are no absolute rules for capturing emotions with your digital camera. But if possible, try to get these things working:

1. Feel the emotion you're trying to capture.

2. Be at the right place at the right time.

3. Don't draw the attention of your subject. Be as unobtrusive as possible.

4. Try, try and try some more.


Info taken from www.brighthub.com/multimedia/p…

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Dear deviants,

Twenty days have already passed from the new year. The blank book still awaits to be filled with stories and memories collected from everywhere we've been to. Don't let dust cover it. Go out there and live! Enjoy life and experience a lot! Never complain,  know that everything happens with a reason and learn your lesson. Write in this year's book. Write your thoughts and your emotions. Then, try to understand them. Remember that with a thought you can change your whole world. Think positive!

It's been 5 years since I'm a deviant and I'm proud of it. Even if in the past year I haven't been posting so many photos like I once used to do, I still love photography very much and I could never let it go. It would mean letting go a part of me and I don't want that.

Enjoy 2012!

Peace and love,
Dana :heart:

P.S. Because I've always loved God rays and we all know how hard it is to catch them in our photos, here are some links than can help you photomanipulate the beautiful God rays:


... and some features with real God rays!:aww:

Rays of god by pestilence God? by agolam
god rays by JCapela Sun Rays by fahhhhh
Rays by Cussypat Rays of Light by avalonmoon13
God Rays by Killercone God's Palette by Kiprock
Shadows by Cussypat Rays by wubleduble
God Rays by Bunniesandsheep Crepuscular rays by johnchan
Sun rays II by Exeral God Rays Through Storm Clouds by SuicidalSmile
Proof of God by artsablast Golden Rays by Delusionist
:thumb98027916::thumb78886500:
God rays by mprox:thumb258471997: The Tree of Life by InLightImagery

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Featured

Flower photography tips by Danutza88, journal

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How to photograph emotions by Danutza88, journal

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