While on a recent garden tour, someone stood next to me in the garden as I shot some photos. She told me she was bound and determined to follow me around and take the same shots I took so she could learn to photograph daylilies "better." She enjoys reading this blog and really likes the way I frame daylilies.
She asked for one tip. If I could only tell her one thing to do, what would it be?
Um. <Quick, Nikki! Say something intelligent!>
I said - look at your viewfinder as the final picture. Look at the edges of the frame, not just the center.
She seemed happy with the answer and I didn't notice her stalking following me in the garden again.
I got to thinking about two people, with two cameras, taking the exact same shot.
One of us would take this first shot.
The other would take this one.
Looking at the two pictures side-by-side, with the second shot you see:
1. I removed the dead bloom. (Do not deadhead in anyone's garden without permission.)
2. I brought the angle of the shot up about 3 inches to do a few things: One, show off the colored buds, and also to catch the green throat of the bloom in the background. Bringing the shot up a few inches also minimizes the form fault of the lower petal.
So, its one daylily, H. 'Brookwood Hiawatha' seen by two photographers. I think the photos look very different.
Before you click that shutter, relax your eye and see what is in your viewfinder as the final photo. What sticks out? Is it your focal point? Sometimes an inch or two - up, down, left, right - can make a difference.
I am off to the AHS National Convention this weekend in Columbus, Ohio. This is the premiere event for daylily folks and I am looking forward to seeing 600 of my closest gardening friends there! Please say hello if you see me!
2 comments:
Thanks for the tips and for sharing the beautiful photos, Nikki! Photographing daylilies can be a lot like photographing people, can't it? The best angle can make a huge difference.
Love your tips, Nikki. I, too, have been striving to take better daylily pics. You're so right, a different angle will make all the difference, and so will removing dead buds, if you can do so.
Karen
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