Putting my money where my new role is. High summer is miserable with biting bugs in Northern Wisconsin, so I don’t do a lot of flower photography unless it’s from the kayak. But during my workshop last week, when we found some of these rare beauties after our sunrise shoot on Lake Superior, we all got down on our knees and shot them. Instead of going for macro and getting right on top of them, I chose to set up a ways off and use the long lens. The light wasn’t perfect, but I like the shade behind. Everyone contributed to the gardening around the flowers and so it’s pretty clean.
They really were this pink. I left the vibrance & saturation sliders alone. Only white and black point to manage color depth.
Specific Feedback Requested
I did a lot of work evening out the light as best I could, but I’m still not convinced it works.
Technical Details
Is this a composite: No
Lumix G9
P/L 100-400 f/4-6.3 lens @ 300mm (600mm equiv.)
f/5.7 | 1/160 sec | ISO 200
Tripod
Lightroom only to manage light, white balance & the crop. Added texture, reduced clarity. A little sharpening & nr.
I really like the beautiful simplicity of this shot, Kris. Though the bright spots do draw my eye, they are just a part of the forest floor we are bound to encounter. A really nice find.
You handled the lighting well. The inclusion of the ground cover indicates the preferred habitat of Cypripedium acaule, so it added to the narrative.
"Instead of going for macro and getting right on top of them, I chose to set up a ways off and use the long lens. " - wonderful! That’s an insightful photographic decision as well as a decision protecting the species. Getting close compacts the soil around the plant and can do damage. Thank you.
Lovely photo of a pretty rare plant. Lighting looks good. Colors look good. I can’t remember if you remove spider webs or not but I would remove the few strands. A small thing. Nice.
Thanks @David_Leroy, @terryb & @paul_g_wiegman - I used to see and photograph these a lot when I lived in NH, but here they seem to be thinner on the ground. The larger yellow lady slipper is common though and can be found just a little south of here.
Kris, Nice work on these flowers. Two of them together is a great find. I have never found these in Southern Wisconsin. Nice decision to go for the larger scene.
