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From Portraits to Gardens - part 3 of 1 2 3 4

by Michael Turner Published 01/01/2014

Kit - Keep it SimpleMy lifestyle kit and flower photography kit requirements are very similar. For both kinds of photoshoot I prefer to travel light and remain adaptable to quickly changing conditions. My favoured lens is a 105mm VR micro-Nikkor on a Nikon D300s, backed up by an 18-50 macro zoom and a Sigma 10-20mm for grand vistas. Polariser and graded grey filters, cable release, assorted reflectors and a collection of mats and bags to lean on, complete the outfit.

The single biggest difference between my approach to the two different subjects is that I almost always support my camera on a tripod for flower photography but rarely use one for lifestyle photography.

So why use a tripod for flower photography? The primary reason is that it enables me to slow down. It gives me thinking time. Flower photography is a waiting game and after I've composed my shot I may need to wait a while for the light to change or the breeze to drop before firing the shutter.

There are also technical considerations. Although I enjoy shooting at wide apertures for individual flower portraits, there are occasions - shooting the full length of a flower border for instance - when I need maximum depth of field and my shutter speeds are consequently too slow to hand hold. Shooting macro details is another situation where focusing is critical and camera shake is highly likely without the aid of a tripod.

It's worth adding that I do use a quick-release adaptor so that I can work free-hand when speed is of the essence or I have to lean over a flower bed at an acrobatic angle!

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1st Published 01/01/2014
last update 09/12/2022 14:54:29

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