What's the greatest asset in your toolbox?

Your camera; maybe but I have seen some great pictures taken with rubbish cameras and some terrible pictures taken with great cameras

You; personally I think the photographer has more influence than the camera

.... but I think the most important is LIGHT

Outside of my bedroom window I have a superb magnolia. I take lots of pictures and have never bothered posting them because they are OK but nothing more. Great subject but I can never do the subject justice. Walk into my garden in late March and you will say wow! but I have never managed to duplicate that wow factor on a photo..

About 5pm this afternoon, the sun setting, (a few days before the equinox) and there is a lot of heavy dark cloud to the nirth and suddenly there it is what I have wanted to capture.

You didn't need to have a great camera although my FZ50 is pretty good. You didn't need to be a great photograoher, although I had one solitary skill in spotting the opportunity. But it is totally down to the light. Hope you like them.









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eFZed50, Oly TeeCON17, RaynoxDCR150 DCR250
My Galleries are at
http://picasaweb.google.com/trevorfcarpenter

Absolutely lovely light. The dark heavy sky combined with the sunlight on the flowers definitely makes a special light here. Would not be the same with a clear blue sky. Yes, spotting the right scene and the right moment is a huge part of a good photo

--
http://www.backpackerinfo.net (travel) and http://www.flickr.com/photos/ngari (photos)

Completely agree.....if you haven't read a book called Mountain Light by Galen Rowell (wonderful outdoor photographer and writer who unfortunately was killed in a plane crash a few years ago), you would probably enjoy it!
Gerri
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http://www.flickr.com/photos/phxgal
When possible, crop with your camera, zoom with your feet.

Beautiful shots, Trevor. You are so correct about that - lighting is an incredibly crucial element in the creation of a great photograph. I love shooting during that golden time of the day, early morning and late afternoon, for just that reason. I hope the fragrance from those flowers are as pleasant to your olfactory senses as their beauty is to your visual senses.
Regards,
Daniel
--
http://danielsonkin.smugmug.com/

wonderful colour and light which indeed make the shots special, my favourite light is a black cloud lit by sunlight, it makes the best background, and creates a drama in nature

thanks for sharing these lovely shots

dov

Absolutely stunning. I like them asll but I love number 2!
--
Bob Corson
Some of my photos:
http://bcorson.zenfolio.com/

Hi Trevor,

It is true that most every quality picture should credit the light no matter the format regardless digital, film, still or video. That is not to say it has to be brightly lighted or whatever, just "well lit" given the scene and equipment. The greatest night shots seem to have little overall lighting yet some are most spectacular. It really is all about the "right" light for the scene and format. With that thought in mind in your set I like shot #1 the most because of the way the highlights and shadows are randomly strewn about the leaves and flowers. All of the shots are very well done but #1 seems to me to be most challenging to get right, and right you did.

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TWiCS
FZ50, TZ3, and lots of old useless darkroom junk.

""Outside of my bedroom window I have a superb magnolia. I take lots of pictures and have never bothered posting them because they are OK but nothing more. Great subject but I can never do the subject justice. Walk into my garden in late March and you will say wow! but I have never managed to duplicate that wow factor on a photo..""

WOW! ....beautifully captured in that wonderful light! The saturation of color as a result is just beautiful as well! They are gorgeous!!

Robin-Lee :O)



'Keep a song in your heart & a camera in your hands'

I think the next two in order are:

• seeing the pic; and
• getting it right.

You did both those as well.
--
Rafael (eFZed30)
http://rafael.zenfolio.com/ (referral code on my page)

I'd still think it's the sensibility that comes before the light.

Even with perfect light bad pictures can be taken by people without ideas or knowledge.

Just like in the art of illustration... (my line of work), no matter how accomplished the execution or style... it all begins with the lowly pencil and an idea to empower that pencil.

:0)

...not trying to sound to "sucky", but the examples, critique and encouragement here are probably the most impotant, and that is then closely followed by a big lump of glass called the TCE17ed! Cheers RonS

Trevor, I think we are in agreement. I can take loads of flower shots that are utter

c r a p because the light wasn't just right. I like to use the light when the sun is just rising or setting to my advantage, often I like to even shoot into the sun and have the flower in the foreground.

Lovely shots by the way.
--
Oll an gwella,
Jim

http://www.flickr.com/photos/50073525@N00/

FX07

FZ30 * IS/L B-300 * IS/L B-Macro * Minolta No. 0, No. 1 & No. 2 * Sunpak 383 * Benbo Trekker

Wow! you have certainly captured the wow factor Trevor, they are superb!!

I would love to see it, I have always thought they are gorgeous and your shots have really bought it to life.

HeatherV....in the county of Dorset UK....Panasonic LX1, FZ7, FZ18 and FZ50. Tcon 17, Raynox DCR250 & DCR150



http://www.heathersgallery.fotopic.net
http://www.flickr.com/photos/heathervhogg/

Beautiful shots!

The 2 things I find most important in photography are:

Light
Composition

Simple as that.
--
Having Too Much Fun !

I agree wholeheartedly! The light on your magnolia tree is perfectly subtle and yet strong. If I didn't have to work, I'd spend the day roving around town to get the shots I've always wanted to get -- but at the approproate time-of-day so the sun (whenever it shows-up around here) is hitting the subject from the optimal direction.

The other day, walking around the house in my slippers, I looked over to the east and saw the sun was peeking out from the clouds in a very focused area across the lake -- which highlighted the downtown Bellevue buildings against the darker foreground and background. Ran downstairs and grabbed the FZ30. This is only a quick snapshot (sun was gone seconds later) -- but just like you, I thought -- wow, the "light" makes all the difference.



--
JF

What's the greatest asset in my toolbox?

My almost five year old Panasonic FZ10.

I carry an Oly E-510 DSLR with two lenses and an FL-36 flash, Panasonic FZ50 and FZ10 along with a Fuji A825 P&S in my LowePro Magnum AW camera bag (my toolbox, if you will).

I've taken most of my favorite digital photos with my 4MP FZ10.

Here are just a few:

























--
J. D.
Colorful Colorado

Remember . . . always keep your receipt, the box, and everything that came in it!

1971_M5 wrote:
-up

1971_M5 said:

around here) is hitting the subject from the optimal direction.

The other day, walking around the house in my slippers, I looked over
to the east and saw the sun was peeking out from the clouds in a very
focused area across the lake -- which highlighted the downtown
Bellevue buildings against the darker foreground and background. Ran
downstairs and grabbed the FZ30. This is only a quick snapshot (sun
was gone seconds later) -- but just like you, I thought -- wow, the
"light" makes all the difference.

Click to expand...

A great example of great light

--



eFZed50, Oly TeeCON17, RaynoxDCR150 DCR250
My Galleries are at
http://picasaweb.google.com/trevorfcarpenter