I wanted today to write about my favorite image I have at this moment. I feel if I explain what I love about the images I feel are my best then as a viewer you may have a better understanding of my work and me. The photo I am going to talk about is one that I had created with an image in my head but when it came time to photograph it, well things weren’t exactly what I wanted. But that is okay because the image turned out much better than I anticipated. I could have waited for the right conditions but the subject matter had a short life span so it was a make the best of it situation, and I did.
So, what I love about this image:
The first thing that catches my eye is the soft light that wraps around the pedals of the flower. It is just the right amount so that the deals in the highlights are there. To many times I have blown out the highlights and the soft details are gone, spoiling the overall image but not his one. The softness of the light adds or enhances the delicateness of the flowers, even to the flowers that have expired. They too are soft even though their form has collapsed and dried up in their death. As soft as the highlights are so too is the shadows. I find the soft shadows of the blooms complement the contrast the highlights, soft and rich with detail. Had I used the sharp sun as I thought to, the harshness of the light would not have complement the softness of the subject thereby wrecking the whole concept of the image.
I also love how the darkness that frames the subject and gives an overall punch to the image. This is where the contrast is best as a frame and not in the actual subject. So many times, I have lost details in the shadows that could have made the subject more interesting but instead I used the dark or black as a complementing or secondary subject to give it a punch.
I love the shallow depth of field that I created with choice of lens. There is a vine growing in the back of the Yucca Flowers and in combination of defused light and shallow focus I got a modeled background that adds depth to the photograph. As the background is blurred so is the subject. The brightest and the blooms closes to us are sharp with the focus gradually softening the farther you look back. This to helps give a depth or dimension my subject that in concert with the highlights and shadows gives a feeling of realness to the photo.
I am also drawn to the fact that each bloom is not perfect. There are blooms at their best mixed with the ones that have expired. I see this as a metaphor for life for me right now. If I were to take one at either it’s best or worst, individually the image would fail but in combination it is successful. That is the way I feel about us. We celebrate and idolize the perfect person in looks or successes at that moment and not recognize all the failures and ugliness of what people go through to arrive to that moment. To even expand it further, as a collective we move forward and succeed no matter what stage of life we are in the group.
If you like this or any of my images and would like a print, please contact me and we can work out the details. And as always if you like the post please share. Thanks!