“Iris 2018”

“The world is indeed full of peril, and in it there are many dark places; but still there is much that is fair, and though in all lands love is now mingled with grief, it grows perhaps the greater.” 
― J.R.R. Tolkien

I’ve always loved this Tolkien quote, and I’ve now found an image to pair it with. Given all the dark news we hear about in our world, the brightness and beauty of flowers is a welcome reprieve.

As I noted in yesterday’s post, I’ve strayed away from this technique over the past few months, but find myself being drawn back to it, for the sheer pleasure of the results. Making these photographs is second nature to me and so satisfying. Even after months not using my studio setup, I had success after only a few shots, using just a simple velvet background.

I did find, that even thought the images are beautiful, they do not sell as larger prints, unless they are printed, VERY big, on canvas, as statement pieces. Those are quite stunning. Imagine this image over a fireplace as a 40″ x 50″ piece! So, for most of my photo sales of these “isolated” flowers, I stick to 8x 10 or arts cards.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mmm
2 sec, f/25.0, ISO 100 

For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com

Hi resolution image on 500px: https://500px.com/photo/257918717/iris-2018-by-ed-lehming

“Blue Flag Iris” – Marble Lake

“While there is perhaps a province in which the photograph can tell us nothing more than what we see with our own eyes, there is another in which it proves to us how little our eyes permit us to see.”
― Dorothea Lange

I find myself working with photos that did not quite communicate my vision as intended. I see so much more in my composition, but struggle to articulate just what that is. When that ‘something’ does not present itself, or can’t be extracted in the final product I call these my ‘seconds’. I don’t delete them, but rather, I hang onto them with the intent of revisiting them at some future date as my editing skills grow or I am better able to extract that ‘essence’ that I first saw or felt when I made the image. There are also some great plugins out there that enhance the image enough for me that I get closer to what I wanted.

My recent go-to is Topaz Impression, which allows me to create painterly effects that are closer to how I imagined the image when I composed the shot .

The irises pictured above grow along the shores of a small lake where our family spends much of the summer. My days are generally spent reading, canoeing, and photographing. I do like combining the latter activities and find some nice images offered me as I glide slowly along the shore.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/160 sec, f/13.0, ISO 5600

For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com