The Essentials Of Good Photo Composition

The ingredients that make up composition that interests and engages viewers of photographic images is a subject that has received a lot of attention by some of the best photographers out there. But if you look at many of the photos that are shared online, it is not hard to pick out major weaknesses that could of been improved immeasurably by simply composing the scene in a different way.

So why is good composition so difficult for many photographers to grasp? Sometimes it just hasn't been explained in a clear and understandable way. I often see articles on composition that focus almost exclusively on certain basic rules of composition that are accepted as conventional wisdom. But the problem is that art does not always conform to rules. It's not that easily defined.

Instead, those who teach the art of composition well, teach guidelines that can be used in a flexible way and adjusted according to the artistic eye of the individual photographer. One of the best teachers of artistic composition that I have seen lately is Robert Rodriguez Jr. He is a professional photographer that also teaches subjects like artistic composition and how to be creative, But he also can be very helpful in practical areas like how to print and display your photographic work as well.

Recently he was invited to give a class on composition at the 2016 B&H Optic Conference, and it has been placed on YouTube to be able to be viewed for free. I enjoyed many of the points that he shared in the class and he helped me expand my understanding on the subject of what makes for good composition in a photo. I highly recommend watching the video as soon as you can. You can find the video here.

While you are on his website, be sure to sign up for his newsletter and read some of the articles on his blog that he has posted in the past. If you are interested in taking your photography to a higher level artistically, it will be very helpful.

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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Anthuriums As Photo Subjects

When you are a nature photographer, there is always more to add to your list of photographed subjects. And when it comes to flowers, it seems like there is a never ending stream of plants and flowers that have interesting shapes, or colors that grab your attention.

Recently, I came across another group of flowers that had not made on my list so far while I was visiting the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota. I have made a couple of earlier posts about the bromeliads and orchids that you can find in the main greenhouse of the botanical gardens after paying your entrance fee.

But while I was in the greenhouse I also came across some especially colorful and interesting flowering plants called anthuriums. Anthuriums are also called by other more common names like Painter's Palette, Flamingo Flower, Laceleaf, and Tail Flower. They usually have a heart shaped colorful leaf that has a kind of waxy appearance, and it surrounds a central spike called a spadix that can be very long. In many ways it looks very odd, but in the right light and composed correctly, they can make for some beautiful images.

Here are a few anthurium shots that I got while in Sarasota:

Red Anthurium

Red Laceleaf flower 

Anthurium macro shot

I love the bright red colors of the leaves that are usually contrasted with another bright color on the spadix. It's tempting to to try to get the whole flower in the frame, but don't be afraid to get in tight to get some more unusual close-up shots as well as I did in the last shot above.

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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Nature Photography With Smartphones

If you are like me, you are always trying to think of ways to improve your nature photography. And there are so many new and different techniques to use when shooting wildlife and nature. In addition to that, you can change the entire look of your images by learning new skills in post-processing or by purchasing a lens in a different focal length, or maybe even a camera body that has the capability of high-speed shooting, etc.

But just recently a situation presented itself that reminded me of a very important lesson about how to improve my photography skills and it didn't require that I spend a single dollar on additional equipment or training.

Here is what happened - I was shooting a sunset on Captiva island and thought I had gotten all the shots that I wanted. So I packed up my tripod and digital camera and headed back to the car. After packing my gear away, I looked back at the sky and as often happens, it had opened up and unexpectedly bold colors were shining through from the sunset. At the same time, a small group of people just happened to be taking a walk down the beach by the spot where my car was parked.

I could quickly see that a really nice shot was shaping up, but it would most likely be gone by the time that I unloaded all my gear and got set up again. So what to do? Well, I don't usually think of using my smartphone camera for nature shots, but it occurred to me that at this point it was my only option. Within just a few seconds it was in my hands and the image was taken.

What is the lesson to be learned here? Simply that even the most expensive and high quality gear won't help get the shot you want if you don't have them with you or can't get them set up and ready for the shot in time. But I usually carry my smartphone almost everywhere, and you probably do as well. And modern smartphones are capable of very good photographs too, much better than the quality of phone photos that we used to take. So get familiar with your smartphone camera and how to use it easily and quickly, because you never know when it may be the only way to get the image that you want.

Here is the shot I took with my smartphone that day:

Beachgoers taking a walk on the beach during sunset on Captiva island 

So don't be a camera snob! Keep your smartphone handy just in case.

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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Sunsets On Captiva Island

My wife and I took a little vacation in the Fort Myers area a couple of weeks ago and one of our favorite spots in the region is Sanibel and Captiva Island. When you drive over the long bridge connecting Sanibel to the mainland, you just know that you are stepping into a different world.

The only problem is that a lot of other folks have discovered Sanibel too and getting around on the island is a lot more difficult than it used to be due to the steady flow of traffic even in the heat of summer. But it's still a unique place and there are plenty of nice beaches to enjoy.

But if you travel all the way to the end of Sanibel on the Sanibel-Captiva Road, you cross a small bridge called Blind Pass and you are now on Captiva. It's a much smaller island than Sanibel and doesn't have nearly the amount of shopping possibilities as Sanibel offers, so it doesn't get nearly as much traffic. The good news for photographers is that Captiva offers some of the best beaches for sunsets that I have seen in Florida.

In fact, right around the Blind Pass bridge there are several great places for getting a great sunset shot without a lot of people around to spoil it. The Fort Myers area has some nice beaches but it can be hard finding a good place for sunset shots due to the amount of people that are visiting there. But once you get to Captiva island, you are sort of at the end of the world and some nice sunset photo opportunities open up on a daily basis.

Here are some shots that I took at Captiva Island over a few days:

Sunset over the sea grass on Captiva

The sun setting on the horizon at Captiva Island

One important point that must be mentioned for any nature photographers who want to get sunset shots on Captiva is to be sure to wear some kind of spray to repel the sand fleas. They are unbelievably bad on Captiva, much worse than anywhere else I've seen and they start really coming out right around sunset. You have been warned!

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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Photographing Orchids At Marie Selby Botanical Garden

In my last post, I featured the wide variety of bromeliads that can be found at Marie Selby Botanical Garden in Sarasota. And to be sure, it is home to some of the most colorful and photogenic bromeliads I have seen.

But the real star of the show in the main greenhouse is the collection of orchids in all sizes, shapes and colors. It's the best overall orchid display I have seen in Florida. Of course, orchids need hot and humid conditions to grow since they are air plants, so expect your time in the greenhouse during the summer to be uncomfortable at times. But if the heat and humidity start to get to you, there is a door that leads back into the climate controlled entrance area of the gardens, and you can cool off before returning to the greenhouse for more great orchid photos.

Inside the greenhouse, it is obvious that a lot of work and effort is being put forth to grow and display some of the best varieties of orchids around. I highly recommend that you bring a tripod and a macro lens to capture the real beauty of these special flowering plants. The light in the greenhouse will be somewhat soft which is a bonus for beautiful images, but it may also require higher ISO's to make sure that the exposure is right on cloudy days.

So here is a few shots from my latest trip to the orchid greenhouse at Marie Selby Botanical Garden:

A smaller orchid with purple and white flowers

One of my orchid favorites - big petals of purple passion

A close-up shot of a purple and yellow orchid flower

I have been to Marie Selby Botanical Garden twice now and both times the orchids have been stunning. So if you are in the Sarasota area, I highly recommend paying a visit, if for no other reason than seeing the beautiful orchid collection in the main greenhouse.

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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Bromeliads At Marie Selby Botanical Garden

Last week I visited the Marie Selby Botanical Garden in Sarasota along with my wife who often accompanies me on my photo adventures and even assists when needed.

The Marie Selby Botanical Garden is located right on the water in Sarasota and has some very nice grounds that contain beautiful flowers and plants that are a great attraction in their own right. But the real magic of these gardens is in the greenhouse located in the center of the garden and accessible on the right as you enter the garden area after paying your entry fee.

The greenhouse is the home to some stunningly well kept orchids, but in this post I am going to give the limelight to their bromeliad collection. Bromeliads are a unique group of flowering plants that can exhibit some very colorful features, but they don't really have petals or blossoms like other flowering plants. They have a more rugged and beefy appearance to them. But when you catch them in the right light, they can provide some really beautiful images.

Here are a few shots of the bromeliads I found at Marie Selby's last week:

Bromeliad plant in dappled light

Really unique bromeliad with colorful offshoots

I call this the "red blade". Front lighted by the sun leaving the background in dark shadow.

Backlit red bromeliad with a bright green center

Since we have an annual membership at Bok Tower Gardens we were able to visit Marie Selby Botanical Gardens for free as part of a reciprocal arrangement, which I think is just a great deal. I thoroughly enjoyed the visit and got some great flower and bromeliad shots in the bargain. I will posting more about their orchids at another time.

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See my latest nature and wildlife images at:
www.duanelipham.com
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