Blog with a Photograph on the Side

Usually when I blog I sit and write post-event. Whatever the subject is about it has already happened and I am commenting on the event or product or image. Today I decided as I was about to sit and write that I would reverse the process and photograph for the blog.

Last night I picked up a dozen roses with baby’s breath for my wife while we were shopping. Yeah, I know, the ladies think I’m wonderful and the gentlemen think I’m spoiling life for them. My wife comes from a family that farmed flowers, so she loves to have them–especially with the brutal winter we’ve had this year. But I digress.

I find that photographing flowers in winter can be a frustrating activity. There seems to be a great deal of damage to the blossoms. Sure you can spend time in Photoshop to retouch the images, but that’s not why you want to photograph in the first place. I try to photograph flowers which have bloomed from a bud while we have had them in the house. I find there is much less damage to flowers in a closed system.

Baby's Breath from a bouquet of roses.
Baby’s Breath from a bouquet of roses.

The fun of photographing in the condo rather than in my office is that I am photographing with the barest of equipment: camera, tripod, cable release. The light is daylight from the wall of windows streaming into the kitchen. Just simple photography.

While the roses didn’t impress me with their various markings, the baby’s breath were delightful. I switched from the roses to the little white flowers that offer the accent to the bouquet. I started to play with changing the background, reflectors to bounce light back into the shadows and the flowers glowed.

We should always be open when we photograph. Sometimes the original subject just doesn’t work. That’s fine. Unless you are doing a commercial shoot where the client is paying for shots of “the roses” then let serendipity be your guide. Have fun photographing whatever your final subject.

Next time I may buy just the baby’s breath. Naw, that’s not such a good idea. I may as well get the brownie points for the roses, but I could move directly to photographing the little white flowers. Always look at your opportunities.

Enjoy,
Bob