Photographing Flowers in Nature

Poster Project

For this project I created a poster advertising an gallery opening for a macro photography exhibit entitled "Elements of Texture." I used several macro photographs of natural elements on the foreground and used a live trace of a photograph to create texture in the background. I used two different fonts, and one of the logos created. I used some feathering and drop shadows to create depth and highlights.

Flower on Film Logo

For this final version of the logo I simply took the graphic flower drawing and put it in a box made to look like a film negative. Again the up close flower represents macro and the negative frame represents photography. Creating a very simple logo which I am pleased with. I kept the logos simplistic and mostly in black and white because most logos need to be used for various reasons i.e. on products, business cards, clothes, brochures etc. Keeping them simple ensures that can be used for several mediums.

Flower and Camera Logo

For this version of the logo I added a graphic drawing of a flower up close. I put this side by side with the camera graphic which created sort of image sentence with macro represented as flower and photography represented as a camera.

Eye and Camera Logo

For this logo I decided to keep with the eye theme and delve a little deeper with the idea of the camera/eye connection. So I added a logo of a camera where the iris/pupil would be. I also added some triangular lashes to spice it up a bit. I struggled during my first attempt with how to represent macro photography as a logo - but I feel this one is a better representation.

Eye Logo

For the logo project I struggled in the beginning to come up with a logo that represented macro photography as a whole. The first thing i thought of was an eye because the camera mimics the eye and it is our eye that allows us to look through the camera and view the world with a macro lens. So my fist attempt was this eye.

Anything Goes - Crudo Corazon

I used several photographs for this project to make a photographic collage entitled - Crudo Corazon or Raw Heart. To create this image I started with a picture of an open book. Then I found a drawing that I really liked from Leonardo's notebook. I put this image on top of the notebook and made it transparent. The image from Leonard's notebook fit with the theme of macro photography because it is a drawing of something up close something not usually seen. Then I found a macro picture of raw t-bone steak and I made a copy of it. I made the steak layers transparent and messed with the hue/saturation of the whole image on an adjustment layer. I also used the burn tool to make the crease of the book show up more and made some final adjustments using the blur tool to make things blend a little more. To top it off I added the text Crudo Corazon to the bottom left corner.

Perspective Project - Breath of Fire

To create this image I started with an up close image of fire and used it as the background. Then I found an image of a man breathing fire and decided to use his face several times to create perspective and depth. I used the magnetic laso tool and the selection tool to select the fire breather from his original background. Then I cut and pasted his face into the fire layer. Then I adjusted the size and placement of each face creating the illusion of perspective. When I first placed the faces against the background the edges of the shapes where too harsh and did not blend well into the background which is want i wanted. So I used the blur and smudge tools to create a softer more blended look. I think it looks more like the faces are emerging as part of the fire.

I used two different macro photographs to create this new image. The final product isn't necessarily a macro photo but it's interesting to use up close images and collage them together - what emerges isn't always predictable.

The Flowering Woman

To create this image I used a google image search to find a pictures for the background and foregroud. I ended up finding this really striking black and white image of a woman in motion which i used for the background. Then I decided to use macro photos of flowers to cover her. I opened all the images in photoshop and used the magnetic laso tool and quick selection tool to define the flower shapes. I then copied and pasted the flower images into the background layer and resized and arranged their shapes until i came up with the final product. I am happy with the result and think it looks great.

I used macro photos of flowers to create a layered embellishment on an existing image. Using up close photos as elements of collage.

Macro Photography - "The World Up Close"

I have chosen macro photography as my topic because I am interested in the textures and patterns of the world up close.

I will use this project to find interesting macro photos by others and post them on the blog and in the zine. I will also post several of my own macro photographs. Finally I will research equipment used to take such photography and the techniques involved for the best results.

Closer and Closer - A Weekly Online Macro Photography Contest

Closer and Closer is a blog that posts the weekly top photos from the close and closer macro photography group on flicker. Each week participants can submit their photos based on a theme.

The most recent theme was repeating pattern, the subject could be natural or man made with no photo shop modifications.

This is a neat blog because you can stay current with the best photos on flicker and it's interesting to see the different entries based on the same theme.

Archives are also posted on the blog so you can also check out past themes and winners.

What is Macro Photography?

As many of us know Wikipedia is an open drafted online encyclopedia. The entry for macro photography details how it is defined, what equiptment is used, technical considerations, and gives examples of photographs that match it's definition.

Check out the entry for a run down of what it's all about.

Tips For Taking Quality Macro Photographs

The Tamron online learning center for macro photography helps everyone get the most out of photography with tips, photo projects, interviews with famous photographers, on-line exhibitions, reviews of exciting new products, a Photo Help Hotline, and more.

I think this site is valuable because it gives clear and concise information about how to take quality macro photographs. It explains extreme close up basics as well as specific step-by-step instructions for taking macro photos of specific subjects such as: flowers, shells, mechanical objects, coins, etc.

Flicker Macro Awards - A Great Online Venue to View Macro Photography

The Flicker macro awards site is a great place to view macro photography because the photos displayed must have been invited and given a macro award to be added to the pool!

This award is given to photos based on photographic excellence, creativity, and artistry and all photos awarded must be worthy of any print publication. And although the award is supposed to be given to only truly inspirational photography some odd balls slip in.

The Flicker award page is also a neat arena to view photos because you can instantly find out more about the photographer by clicking on the photo, this brings you to the individuals flicker page where you can see their other work and find out more about them if you like.

Macro Art in Nature

Michael Brown - Photographer
South Carolina - USA

This is my blog journal, a journal about the art that can be found in nature, about macro photography, and other topics of interest! I’m just a typical American boy, from a typical American home in South Carolina, and one who enjoys exploring all the possibilites of capturing artistic abstracts in the world of macro. This journal has been created not only as a outlet for my thoughts about the world of nature photography, but hopefully as a place where others may visit, … and maybe learn something from it. Currently I am working with various clients and art buyers, finishing up a site strictly for sales, plus working on a area here at home for the new printer and other systems that I will be installing.

Photographing Flowers with the Bucket Method

Are your outdoor shots blurred by wind?
Do you want photos with black backgrounds?
Would you prefer to leave blooms alive?

With a minimum of cost and effort, you can shield your subject from wind movement, while providing a strong background contrast, and without having to pluck it and set up indoors. By surrounding a bloom, or lower stalk, or tree branch with a suitable bucket device, great photos will be easier to capture without damaging the plant (especially good if it’s not yours).

From simple to more complex, the usefulness of this method will be determined by your individual needs. The size of the container, the material of which it’s made, your choice of holding / mounting it will all play a part in its successful use.