Spring

I love plants and flowers, and for me, spring is a great time to focus on the small things, like trees budding, delicate spring flowers coming up, and the raindrops on leaves from the spring / April showers.

Depending on where you are, the spring air is often clean and crisp and this translates into really good light for a photographer.

I like to focus on one or two of the flowers or buds, as that is how my eyes and mind works. I am drawn to small details, like the raindrops on the petals of the Geum, or the way the light hits the fuzz on the leaves of the backsippa anemone, and the light play on the cherry blossom. I am also drawn to natural symmetry, like the two peony buds in the picture above.

Settings and Approach

I mostly use my 50 mm lens (f/1.4), as I don’t have a macro lens or lens with macro capability.

Aperture Priority, at f/1.4. Spot focus, with spot exposure.
Exposure compensation set to -1 stop.

Challenge: Getting the focus point right for what needs to be sharp. Light direction