PHOTO TIPS
Bleeding Hearts: 1/60sec f9 ISO200, 200mm Macro lens, Nikon D300:
I was out photographing spring wildflowers. I really like the bleeding hearts and worked with this set of white ones for some time.I had overcast light which helped reduce the overall tonal range of the image and helped me capture all the detail in the dark areas as well as the highlights. To expose the flowers properly I metered off the white flowers and opened up 2 stops, took a sample image and looked at my histogram to see if the highlights were overexposed. Next I adjusted my exposure so that my highlights (the white flowers) were 1/3 stop from being blown out (blinking on my highlight preview screen). I used ISO 200 and a tripod as this required a slower shutter speed. Luckily there was very little breeze that day. With the correct exposure locked in the camera all I had to do was wait for the flowers to stop moving in the breeze and position my camera so that my background was pleasing and there were no bright or dark spots behind the flowers. Using a medium aperture and a macro lens to move in close I was able to blur out the background enough. A gold reflector provided some front lighting and reduce shadows.
For more ways to help your photos look their best check out next "photo tip".
To understand more about using the histogram, exposing properly, other features of your camera, and how to take images like this one call me about taking a class.
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