44 DIGITAL CAMERA^
1 ژ
Capture fantastic
ˢȒȸƏɎǝǣɀɀȵȸǣȇǕɎǣȅƺ
áǣɎǝǴɖɀɎƏǔƺɯƏƬƬƺɀɀȒȸǣƺɀًɵȒɖƬƏȇƫƺȸƺƏƳɵɎȒɀƺɎɖȵƏȇƳƬƏȵɎɖȸƺ
ǔƏƫɖǼȒɖɀǔǼȒȸƏǼȅƏɀɎƺȸȵǣƺƬƺɀǣȇɵȒɖȸȒɯȇǝȒȅƺًɀƏɵɀRoddy LlewellynSTAY AT HOME PHOTOGRAPHY44 DIGITAL CAMERA^ MARCH 2021
t’s always good to think outside the box.
Experimenting with different subjects you
wouldn’t normally tackle can enable you to
develop a concept you can make your own,
and stand out in this competitive world of
photography. Here we will explore the world of flora, where
you can buy flowers from a florist, or pick flowers from
nature (making sure they are not protected, and you are
allowed to). Pressing flowers enables you to have some
subjects constantly at your disposal. Using your imagination,
you can create unlimited compositions and shapes.
Placing a lightbox underneath your subject can help you
lift out the detail and colour in this subject. Use a wide
aperture like f/2.8 to let as much light in as possible.This is a really fun project to do indoors. There are lots
of things you could shoot, such as slices of fruit or
vegetable, leaves or microscopic slides. Once you’ve
got the hang of the basic technique, go mad and
see what unexpected items you can shoot with it!WHAT YOU’LL NEED
Camera with standard or macro lens
Trip o d
Lightbox
Flowers or petals
Flower press
Twe e ze r s
Time: 1-2 hoursI
Roddy^ LlewellynSetting up
Set up your camera on a tripod in a room
with plenty of natural light available. Place
the lightbox on the floor, making sure your
lens can fill the frame, and focus on the
area within the lightbox. I put thin layout
paper on the lightbox to protect its surface,
and to create a really light translucent
backdrop for the flowers. You could also
experiment with coloured tissue paper.Fabulous flora
With spring on the way, it is a good
time to get a flower press, and some
flowers, either bought or responsibly
picked. Place in your flower press
and leave for 2-3 weeks. If you have
an airing cupboard or a particularly
warm room, keep them in there to
dry more quickly. Collect different colours and press
separately, and you can create your own floral library
to experiment with. Lay out your flowers on the surface
using tweezers, as the flowers can be delicate.Consider composition and colour
Think about shapes and composition to
make different types of image, This is a
great way to enjoy the creative process,
and produce an array of different styles.
Using lines of symmetry of shapes like
hearts can produce interesting shots;
try arrangements of single
colours and mixed colours
for different effects.