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Roundleaf trillium (Trillium petiolatum) is a plant we’ve enjoyed seeing on the trails on our explorations of the area. I transplanted this one from a huge cluster we found many years ago. It’s always a joy to see as it’s early to bloom as the snow melts back. I mistakenly planted in one of the windiest places next to the house. It’s good and moist for the plant but difficult to make good images of from the constant movement. Yesterday I created a light modifier to focus electronic flash into a narrow beam of light. Using high tech materials ( a Pringle’s chip can) I was able to freeze the blossom with the fast flash duration and give a look of low morning light
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I like the contrast in he light, Michael - it doesn’t always work for flowers but here I think it really does, the deep red of the flower looking nice as your eye moves from the shadow to the light. I might clone out what looks like a stick running across the lower frame, but that’s maybe not something you would wish to do - only a slight nit anyway,
Michael: Made me grin when reading about the Pringles can. Necessity is the mother of invention and you did really well. I took this for direct sun. I very much enjoy the challenges of directional light and again this is excellent. My only suggestions are for comp mostly. I would crop some off the bottom and I made the small leaf top on the right side go away. A tip o’ the to you sir! >=))>
Very nice, and I’m always looking for an excuse to buy Pringle’s! With the contrasty light, a simplification of the comp works well, and I like Bill’s suggestion.
Our Trlllium are generally pinkish white in Oregon, but we saw red ones like this when we lived in Illinois.
Never would have guessed any artificial/flash used here. Kudos on creating such a natural look.
Just the notion of this bloom hiding behind the surround leaves, combined with the directional light makes this capture work quite nicely.
I like Bill’s crop, removal of the bit of something on the right coming out of the left. I would even take the reason for the crop idea a little further and darken or otherwise mitigate the bright orange/brown diagonal across the bottom. Not a huge deal, but I think darkening or something will help keep the eye where it needs to be - up top.
Thank-you so much Ian for your comments, I agree on both points as I usually prefer these subjects with softer lighting to open shadows and give a viewer a more soothing feel. In this case a somewhat experimental lighting for the scene I wanted to see how the Pringles can with soft silver lining would give to my speculator highlights. I had on site some diffusion material in case I wanted to soften the light but on review through the camera i enjoyed the more contrast.
On the old stem running horizontal across lower frame this caught me quite by surprise as I didn’t see mush of it in camera and only presented itself in post processing. I deliberated on removal and was leaning toward doing just that but was looking for some additional feedback from the group. Its pretty obvious almost everyone agrees with me the distraction should be removed or at lease managed in post to reduce the draw of the viewers eye. Interesting to note the plant has been in our front yard for over twenty years and with out exception something eats at the leaves almost nightly. The plant rebels and caused a deformed leaf with doesn’t show the flower of well. In placing the shadow in front left of frame it hides the deformity somewhat and moves your eye to the brighter part of the scene enhanced from the snoot lighting effect.
Thank-you so much Bill for your comments, I agree on your points In this case a somewhat experimental lighting for the scene I wanted to see how the Pringles can with soft silver lining would give to my speculator highlights. I had on site some diffusion material in case I wanted to soften the light but on review through the camera i enjoyed the more contrast.
On the old stem running horizontal across lower frame this caught me quite by surprise as I didn’t see mush of it in camera and only presented itself in post processing. I deliberated on removal and was leaning toward doing just that but was looking for some additional feedback from the group. Its pretty obvious almost everyone agrees with me the distraction should be removed or at lease managed in post to reduce the draw of the viewers eye. Interesting to note the plant has been in our front yard for over twenty years and with out exception something eats at the leaves almost nightly. The plant rebels and caused a deformed leaf which doesn’t show the flower off well. In placing the shadow in front left of frame it hides the deformity somewhat and moves your eye to the brighter part of the scene enhanced from the snoot lighting effect. I have used other snoots in the past but all are either black interior or harsh white I thought this softer silver interior along with the 1/2" hole i drilled in the bottom of the can may give me another tool for lighting. I have some other ideas on the technique and will share when i get to making those images.
Thank-you Marylynne, Yes this Trillium is somewhat locally common around Eastern Washington/Oregon, and I believe you have a rare Giant purple wakerobin (Trillium kurabayashii) in Sothern portion of your state.
Thank-you Kathy, Yes I agree on the removal of the old stem and will put efforts to doing this soon. Its interesting I do a bit of “gardening” on some scenes like this but failed to see this in camera. My thinking is that perhaps some spill of the speed-light over shot and illuminated this stem and… my new two week old Laowa 100mm may show more detail in the areas out of focus as to my Canon 180mm. Something i will be looking out for in the future.
Thank-you so much Shirleyl for your comments, I agree also with Bill’s points In this case a somewhat experimental lighting for the scene I wanted to see how the Pringles can with soft silver lining would give to my speculator highlights. I had on site some diffusion material in case I wanted to soften the light but on review through the camera i enjoyed the more contrast.
On the old stem running horizontal across lower frame this caught me quite by surprise as I didn’t see much of it in camera and only presented itself in post processing. I deliberated on removal and was leaning toward doing just that but was looking for some additional feedback from the group. Its pretty obvious almost everyone agrees with me the distraction should be removed or at lease managed in post to reduce the draw of the viewers eye. Interesting to note the plant has been in our front yard for over twenty years and with out exception something eats at the leaves almost nightly. The plant rebels and caused a deformed leaf which doesn’t show the flower off well. In placing the shadow in front left of frame it hides the deformity somewhat and moves your eye to the brighter part of the scene enhanced from the snoot lighting effect. I have used other snoots in the past but all are either black interior or harsh white I thought this softer silver interior along with the 1/2" hole i drilled in the bottom of the can may give me another tool for lighting. I have some other ideas on the technique and will share when i get to making those images.
to you sir! >=))>
