Ann’s Orchid 2
Ann really loves orchids. Particularly the odd, one might say eerie, looking ones. This orchid certainly falls into that category. It is beautiful though.
During the week after we bought the orchid, Ann kept mentioning she might want to photograph it before we left, while it still looked good. I kept sayin, “OK.” One morning she was looking at how light was falling in a nice corner in our dining area, and then she set up a potential makeshift-studio and called me over. I agreed that we should spend part of the next Saturday morning photographing her orchid, and we did. Here’s Ann’s studio!
And here are her photographs. She didn’t make many images. She just wanted to show off certain aspects of the orchids and to do them in a well composed photograph. The light was certainly favorable, soft low-sun light filtered through a tree supplemented by a small hand-held light we use for photographing in the filed when needed.
The orchid was so complex that it took quite some time to compose it in a way that presented some of the interesting qualities of the blossoms, yet didn’t have any visual distractions. It’s a lot easier than it sounds. Me? I played the roles of flower-pot rotator and moving light assistant (and the focus checker).
Ann has never been totally satisfied with using focus stacking, so each of these photographs are one-shot images, which means depth of field throws parts of the plant, even parts of the same flower, out of focus. That’s ok, because it was the overall impression that Ann was going for.
As I told Ann after she thanked me for helping her out, far be it from me to discourage someone from photographing something they feel compelled to photograph. Even if it’s entirely outside of the realm of what they usually photograph. I certainly force others to wait for me when I “just have” to make an image.
I think Ann did a mighty fine job with this session. Well worth an hour or so on a Saturday morning, even if we were preparing for a trip. It all got done, and we had an enjoyable break from the tasks on that morning’s to-do list.