Flower and Water

 

Canon 5D Mark II camera and Canon 24-105mm f4 L series USM lens @ 105mm Exposure Details: 1/160 second @ f7.1 ISO 400

Here’s a wee detail of a tiny flower lying on the surface of a birdbath. I found rendering the original color image into black-and-white emphasized the luminous qualities of the scene as I’d perceived it. I love the way the abstract qualities within the sunlit water add a sense of mystery to the image.

A very simple image, most would simply pass by without a second thought. I’ve always believed it important on one’s perambulations to pay as much attention to what’s going on around as to what’s immediately in front of you. And, when the world seems particularly mundane, simply turn around to see the world in a different light.

Nature’s beauty is as evident in a small flower as it is in a classic sunset. It’s a matter of perspective and the ability to perceive grandeur within the minute.

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Glenn Guy, Blue Sky Photography

Flowers Up Close

 

Leica R8 camera and Leica 90mm f2 Summicron R series lens with Kodak Ektachrome Elite 100 Extra Color film

This was a very easy photograph to make. I spotted the flowers on a nature strip in Maldon, an historic township in Central Victoria, Australia. To make the image work I had to simplify a relatively complex scene down to its key elements. In this case that included subject, color and the feeling of springtime.

I identified the flower to which I wanted to direct viewer attention. I separated the flower from its surroundings by laying flat on the ground, thereby monumentalising it, and employed a very shallow Depth of Field (DOF) so as to remove it from its surroundings. The combination of a moderate telephoto focal length (90mm), a wide aperture (f2) and very close camera-to-subject distance produced the very shallow DOF.

The image was made with a Leica R8 camera and Leica 90mm f2 Summicron R series lens with Kodak Ektachrome Elite 100 Extra Color film. This image has sold well which proves the point that when it comes to content and the ability to successfully communicate a feeling or message, less is more.

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Glenn Guy, Blue Sky Photography 

Rain Drops on Rose

 

Canon 5D camera and Canon 180mm f3.5 Macro lens

Here’s a very simple image that illustrates a range of quite different elements, some obvious, others less so.

Let’s look at the obvious elements of the image. It features a flower, which happens to be a rose; that rose displays a pinkish-red Hue (color), that is relatively high in saturation (pure in color); and is a close-up photograph that displays a shallow Depth of Field (DOF) and water droplets. That’s already 7 rather unique aspects associated with this image, and we haven’t explored the background, or its relationship to the subject. And with the addition of one more letter to the title, I would have established a connection with the film ‘The Sound of Music’. Fortunately, sanity prevailed.

Now for the more powerful elements being explored in this image. What might the raindrop on the rose indicate to you? Such delicate beauty only lasts a few short moments. One moment the raindrop comes into contact with the flower, the next it’s gone. Might that suggest both the beauty and transient nature of our natural world and, by implication, of our own existence? There is life within every flower and a world within every raindrop. It’s during those fleeting moments, when the two come together, that the nature of existence is revealed. We are connected to each other and to the natural world. By concentrating our attention on the more simple aspects of everyday life we will be able to block out worldly distractions. This will enhance our focus and lead to insights as to the nature of our true reality and our life’s purpose. To begin the search for such inner truths we would all do well to “stop and smell the roses”. 

By keeping an image simple it’s easier for the viewer to connect with it. The importance of simplicity within our complicated world cannot be understated. With the initial connection made the technical, aesthetic and spiritual aspects in our images will emerge. We should never forget the power of metaphor and symbolism.

The image was made with a Canon 5D camera and Canon 180mm f3.5 Macro lens.

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Glenn Guy, Blue Sky Photography