Fuji X-T1, XF 18-55mm @ 42.5mm, f/5.6, 1/100 sec, ISO 800
I simplified this image by isolating one clump of blossoms and shooting against the deep green grass background. I used Color Efex Pro to extract detail in the blossoms without affecting the background. I finally used a simple texture on the background.
Fuji XT-1, XF18-55mm @ 35.8mm, f/3.6, 1/480 sec, ISO 500
What would spring be without cherry blossoms. This image was taken on the first day that the blooms popped out of the tight buds. We have seven flowering cherries in our yard. They are my favorite spring highlight. When the cherries bloom, spring is really here. I worked the aperture setting to come up with the optimum setting to capture the sharpness of the first group of flowers and blur the background flowers. They were hard to separate with a standard length zoom lens.
Fuji XT-1, XF60mm F2.4R Macro @ 60mm, f/4.0, 1/210 sec, ISO 400
We have had a downpour of rain for the past two days. One good thing about rain is raindrops. So, this mornings shoot focus was to try to capture them. The day was cloudy so I could not capture the sunlight starbursts or the bokeh. It was still a nice morning walk and shoot in the garden. It was a gift.
Fuji XT-1, XF55-200mm @ 156mm, f/5.6, 1/75 sec, ISO 200
Experimentation … does this work? I am not sure. The intended subject was the trunk of the Japanese Maple as viewed through the emerging red leaves. The RAW image was very flat. When I added contrast, the colors of the leaves and grass made the overall image look gaudy. I toned it down with a B&W layer at about 50% opacity. It still looks too busy for me. Next time I will try a shorter depth of field, get closer to the leaves and focus on a smaller area of the trunk.
Fuji X-T1, XF55-200mm @ 200mm, f/4.8, 1/1500 sec, ISO 200
This image follows the approach shown in my last two posts. Here I used the bright yellow of the flowering Forsythia along the back fence line as a background to force the viewers eye to the small 1/2″ Dawn Redwood Cones. There is something interesting around every turn in our garden.
Fuji X-T1, XF55-200mm @ 50.5mm, f/11, 1/340 sec, ISO 200
The pink of the Red Bud always attracts me. I used the emerging buds to frame our white garden shed. I used NIK software to add additional blur and defocus the foreground while leaving the shed “as shot”. Typically I focus on the details of individual flowers or plants. This and my post from yesterday, I focused on using spring color as a foreground or background to frame and bring focus to another object.
Fuji X-T1, XF55-200mm @ 55mm, f/5.0, 1/400 sec, ISO 200
This post will start a series on Spring as it comes into our garden. This image is a composite of two images. The first is a straight image of the garden bench against a red Weigela. I then overlaid a C-blur of the Weigela on top and adjusted the opacity to my taste. I can never pass by an opportunity to capture red!
Spring has come slow to SE Pennsylvania this year. The plants and trees are now rushing into bloom before we can catch up cleaning the yard. Each new day is a gift that we very much appreciate. So here’s to 27 April 2014 … it is a beautiful day!
Fuji X-T1, XF55-200mm @ 58mm, f/5.0, 1/55 sec, ISO 400 (hand-held)
As new growth emerges from the ground, the flora from the previous year stand above protecting it. It is a natural progression. But now is the time when all “good gardeners” remove the old in preparation for the new. My preference is to let the old and new coexist in a natural environment. But in our garden, I don’t vote. I just need to spend more time in the natural areas close to home.
This spent cone flower caught my eye. I minimized the DOF to keep the focus on the flower head and blur out the ground. I converted to B&W to further keep the interest on the spent flower.
Fuji X-T1, 60mm Macro
One day makes a huge difference as nature moves forward. Two days ago, the crocus blooms were all closed. Yesterday it was 60 degrees and they just burst open in full glory. I enjoy watching as Spring evolves in our garden. I just received my 60mm Macro lens for the Fuji X-T1, so I thought I would give it a try. I definitely could use a tripod …
This image is processed in Topaz Simplify using a impressionistic painting style. This type of processing hides my lack of sharp detail.
Fuji X-T1, 55-200mm
No, it is not April Fool’s, we really do have bulbs sprouting up.
These little white crocuses are our first bloom of the Spring. The blooms remained wrapped up. It seems to be too cold for them to open up to the sky. Maybe tomorrow. The shadow cast by the bare flowering pear tree gave the image a little balance to fill the void of the brown winter grass.