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Health & Fitness

Photographing Flowers and your surroundings

Erin Drallos professional fine art photographer

This is my first blog post, so as it morphs into whatever it is going to be, please give me feedback of you would like me to answer or anything you are interested in that you would like included in the blog. 

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While getting ready to start this new photography blog, I thought spring would be a great first theme. Many of these flowers have come and gone, however, new flowers are coming in fast. So I will share images from last years gardens as well.

Almost my entire life I have been viewing my world from behind a camera.  My mother used to speak all the time about the beauty God put into this earth.  I never knew how much her words stuck until I lost her 15 years ago. She was an avid gardener.  She would work hours in her gardens and I would watch her thinking that there is no way I am ever going to do that, I will hire someone. And then I bought my first house. I soon learned that gardening was more like therapy. I would work for hours, sun up til sun down, and thankfully my children enjoy it as well.

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I like to walk around my property and photograph what is there that maybe wasn't there last year, or whatever has changed. I want my children to remember and be able to share with their children. Like Ruby, the truck. I was looking for another truck to place in my yard.  I wanted an old farm truck and Ruby wasn't exactly what I had planned on, but she looks so cute out there in all seasons sitting under the apple trees. This year I will be planning out family sessions and senior portraits to be taken around her. They must all be different while using the same prop.

When photographing spring flowers, I like to go out early in the morning.  When it is bright, but not too bright. Spring flowers in my mind have a whole different feel. I love the crab, red bud and magnolia trees.  All of which you will see in the gallery. I try to keep the images dreamy so I concentrate on focusing on one part and having everything else fade into the back ground. I want the images to look like they belong on a greeting card.

I tend to see summer in a more vibrant way. I guess you could say I see spring flowers as sweet and soft, like a newborn. Summer flowers are vibrant and loud like an elementary school child. :) Maybe I should have said "fun". So I shoot them differently. I go out in the bright daylight when the flowers are reaching for the sun, I get as close as I can for details and zoom out for a garden view. 

My plan every year is to walk around my yard and photograph from every angle.   Sometimes you have to get down and lay on the ground to get the ultimate shot.   Watch your backgrounds.  Is there a car, or garbage can in view?  Then shift to another angle.  Not all images need to be centered.  With flowers you can really get creative. I love to make my own greeting cards for family and friends, they appreciate them so much. I often see the cards I have created framed and showcased in their homes. Such a wonderful compliment

Till next time....

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