I have always been attracted to Black Eyed Susans, even though they are quite common, because they are such bright colourful flowers that pop out of every landscape.
Usually when I photograph flowers I use a telephoto lens and a very shallow depth of field to put all the attention on a single flower, or even just part of a flower, and render the rest of the image soft and out of focus.
But with the striking orange shade of the Black Eyed Susan, and the impact that a whole cluster of them can have in a landscape, I decided to take a different approach.
To make this image I used my wide angle lens and got close to the flowers. This perspective shows the flowers in the context of their environment and brings in the complementary shade of blue from the sky in the background.
Please click the image to view a larger version.
Every subject deserves a little forethought into the best way to show off it’s unique qualities.
Next time you are photographing, think about what it is about your subject that is special and what techniques can you use to convey that special quality in your image.
That’s how you make a photograph with impact.
Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge and beautiful images Anne. they are so inspiring! I’d love to know what settings you used for the Black Eyed Susan please. I have trouble getting the whole image sharp…All the best, Cecilia.
Anne,Very nice capture. 90% of my photography is Flowers and you really nailed it For me black eyes always leave me dealing that they are Asking Something? Best Regards, Walt
Love it! I’m going to work on some of your tips – my good flora shots are always accidental! -Veronica
Thanks Veronica, I hope you find the tips helpful 🙂
Wonderful photo! You are really good at this.
Thank you very much Laura 🙂
Beautiful image. Recently I’ve been using a 17-40mm lens to get up very close to flowers. Really makes them scream look at me.
Thank you Richard. I have heard that is a wonderful lens. I was going to buy it because it was recommended to me, but I found it heavy, so I opted for the 24-105. I’ll have to give that 17-40 a try sometime. Thanks again for your comments.
Love the clouds in the background, nice
Thanks Michael, the clouds do make a big difference!
Beautiful! There is something about this photo that keeps drawing me in, asking me to look closer, and to see more. The contrast is perfect as it draws the viewer first to the flowers and then to the contrasting sky, and back again and leaves the eye curious and unwilling to rest until the whole of the image has been explored in great depth.
Wow, fantastic comment, thank you very much for your insight Mary, much appreciated!!
Gorgeous image!
Thank you very much Laurie!