I know it is strange to talk about spring blooms in the dreary days of autumn! I came across this picture in my collection taken earlier this year and thought it would offer a chance for us facing shorter days, cold and rain to cheer up with thoughts of spring!
Technical details:
Nikon D80 Sigma 105mm f/2.8 macro lens 1/3200 f/7.1 External SB-600 speedlight flash used. post-processed in Adobe LightRoom 4.1
This is part 2 of my series about photography using the iPhone. The pictures below were taken with just the phone, and attempting to reach the closest focussing distance. No post-processing of the images done to alter the images from the camera.
The first two pictures are those of comfrey flowers. Comfrey has known medicinal properties and generally tends to grow as a weed in the United Kingdom. One particular use of the plant is to soothe the skin from nettle rash, handy considering that these are invariably found growing close to one another!
The flowers range in purple to blue and seem to change colour with age of the flower.
The flower below is about 2 cm across and grows in the undergrowth. Unfortunately I’ve no idea what this flower is, so if anyone knows, please let me know :-).
Given that the iPhone can take really interesting photographs without having to use software apps (Instagram etc) if the lighting is good, I’m not going to have that awful moment of panic when I realise I’ve forgotten my camera at home!
Continuing with the theme of using the iPhone camera for some standard shots. The following pictures were taken using the Camera Awesome app. No post processing done.
I must admit that the iPhone camera is pretty decent and with a minimum focussing distance of about 3-4 inches, and with the Camera Awesome app I can adjust both the focus and exposure areas.
The problem with the iPhone camera remains that the lens is off centre and it takes a little time to get used to it. And in the absence of optical zoom, keeping the phone far away from oneself just increases the shake. But at the end of the day, its a phone with a camera, and a good one too!
I bought a bunch of fenugreek leaves yesterday from the market, and while stripping them, found a half-dead poppy bug with stalk. Within an hour of putting the stalk in a bowl of water, the flower had opened up.. This is that very same flower. Question is? Which country did this poppy originate from? It is too cold in the UK to as yet have fenugreek plants 🙂
1/1600 F11 with flash to keep background under-exposed.
Teasel fruits look good both in colour and monochrome. Choose for yourselves!! I personally find the monochrome to be more atmospheric.
Erysimum flowers and a ladybird beetle enjoying the sun…
Wallflowers (Erysimum) are small perennial shrubs that produce flowers in the yellow-red range. This one is an early bloomer in my garden.
I spotted this ladybird on a concrete brick last week, and couldn’t resist another opportunity to a take a picture using my macro lens. The background was dark and provided good contrast to the colour of the beetle.
Juridicious 