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going wild with editing
The Fascination of Flowers
As mentioned in my previous blog post, there is nothing more exciting for me than having a human in front of my camera. But not every time you feel like shooting, someone is available. While in Japan, I would go out and take pictures of my neighbourhood. Back home in Berlin, somehow this never felt as exciting.
So studio work it is regularly and one of my favourite subjects is: flowers.
Of course, like with every topic, it’s always possible to go really elaborate and create complex set-ups with highly complicated lighting. But for me, the fascination of shooting flowers lies in the little equipment it needs to capture their beauty.
Even the flowers don’t have to be expensive. Of course, buying some exquisite orchids from the flower shop can elevate the experience. Yet, some dainty flowers from the garden or a meadow can be equally fun to shoot.
I personally, like either graphic flowers, like gladiolus, or when I feel like splashing out those fantastic orchids, or those that come in clusters where I can focus on certain details.
(Disclaimer: when picking flowers, please make sure, they are not protected or poisonous in case you have pets around.)
Playing with Simple Equipment
To set up your shoot, not much is needed. A simple vase or holder to keep them upright, a table or similar to have them at a convenient height to take the picture. Some kind of background; I frequently use fabric for an easy change of background colour.
Some of my favourite flower pictures were created using just a table lamp and the in-build flash of my camera, with everything propped up pretty loop sided on the floor.
One of my most beloved accessories is a magnifying sheet. We bought it once on a whim on Amazon and I have been using it ever since for experimental portraits and my flower pictures. Depending on angles and where the light is coming from, it creates spectacular distortions and light fractions. All in-camera!
Another gadget I already mentioned here, is my extension tube for more close-up framing.
Used together, they offer even more intriguing anges to some otherwise simple flowers.
The Final Touch
All that said, the big fun for me comes once the pictures are uploaded into my editing software. The instrument of choice here being Capture One. Unlike with portraits, where the person in the frame usually still likes to see some resemblance to themselves, with nature objects, the sky is the limit. Although, some aesthetic coherence should always be applied.
As always, I look for that perfect framing, with the cropping tool being my best friend. Frequently, I just clear up the edges, since my current options of lenses don’t allow for the tight frame I prefer. Every so often, the framing is already perfect. And the rest of the time I play around searching for that balance of detail and magic of
The second step is a wild ride on my colours. I usually start off with an adjustment of the white balance followed by some correction of the highlights, midtones and shadows. This typically gives my pictures “my” look. Lastly, I do some fine-tuning of the colours, curves, exposure, and levels. (More on that in another post soon.)
All of this, plus the selection of the final images, are a part of the process that for me, turn a simple shoot of a few simple flowers into an expression of my artistic vision.
Equipment and Software
- Fuji tx-20
- Fujifilm Fujinon XF 56 mm f1.2 R
- Viltrox DG-FU Extension Tube 10 mm
- Magnifying sheet
- Studio lights
- Godox ms300 with 120 softbox with grid
- Godox ad200 pro with standard reflector and grid
- Capture One for final edit
More flower pictures can be found here.
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