Spring Lupin Photo

Photographer’s Note

Hi all.
I’ve been experimenting with my old Cokin ND Grad filter on my new(ish) Ziess lens. Unfortunately it seems to smudge the fine detail usually captured by the lens. This shot on the other hand doesn’t need any fine detail. There is an awful amount of flare caused by the filter but in this shot I quite like it.
These are Lupin flowers and they are in full spring bloom. Taken on the banks of the Rangitikie River.
Bonus in WS.
Enjoy, Paul.

jimkil, subhendu_bagchi, belido, ktanska, gervaso, Kielia, phwall, papagolf21, jafadabret, riclopes, denisn72, ChrisJ, JCG, xuaxo, lucasgalodoido, pablominto, josepmarin, stego, jusninasirun, plimrn, siolaw, jhm, axiotea, gunbud, Cretense, Vato_Law, Docarmo, Bluejeans, jmcl ha puntuado esta nota como útil.

Critiques | Translate

jimkil (614) 2009-10-30 0:15

Hi Paul
The glow is hard to control at best but you have done very well here IMO!! The light on the lupin flower is tremendous and 3D like. Flares are annoying but the light has brought the FG to life indeed. Have you any instead of shooting into the sun?
Regards
Jim
PS - Love the golden hues also.

Giorgio (8726) 2009-10-30 1:07

- It's a superb composition that we present you here Paul, thank you to Cokin filter but on top of that your idea of framing is very good, the incredible warm light, well, it's very successful, bravo!
Have a beautiful weekend.
giorgio

Budapestman (42188) 2009-10-30 2:50

Hi Paul,
what a mood, you took a beautiful and original photo with spectacular composition, the colours and lights are amazing, fabled impression with beautiful details, Congratulations. Have a nice day!
George

subhendu_bagchi (3209) 2009-10-30 2:57

Hello..... Paul,
yes it looks like 3D image. You have captured it in the way which increased its beauty. Nice sky and the sun beams really glittering. Great photojob. Very well done.
Congrats.
Subhendu

yquem46 (8098) 2009-10-30 3:03

quite an original shot paul! Not very often that one dares to include flares in a shot but the result here is amazingly good with this light taken in the lupins
very well done
regards
patrick

belido (16627) 2009-10-30 3:29

Hi Paul,

very original composition. For the first time I see the flare in the favor of a photographer. It works perfectly in here creating a nice effect. Very moody one. I like it a lot!
Regards,
Carlos

ktanska (16621) 2009-10-30 3:45

Hi Paul,
The effect is indeed special, those spots of glare seem to be almost randomly placed. But the ambience is just great, it gives an idea of waking up very early on a summer morning and looking at the sunrise with sleepy eyes. And those lupins, they literally glow.
Kari

eversmile (6221) 2009-10-30 4:16

Hi Paul

I like the surprising athmosphere. Much more, from far, than the image in WS. The meadow of lupin flowers looks mystic, very alive, and the flares add a lot of charm. The soft light is beautiful. Congratulations.
Regards
Marine

Dyerco (9126) 2009-10-30 7:42

Hi Paul
I like the back lighting here and the flares don't bother me except the yellow one at the top centre. The flares appear to be dancing around the lupins like fireflies.
Phil

gervaso (5304) 2009-10-30 7:55

Hello, Paul!

The plants shining under the sun are beautiful, really standing out in the composition, which also has a wonderful sky! Beautiful job! Very well done!

rodgerg (24323) 2009-10-30 8:35

Hello Paul,

An astonihing and curious shot! Astonishing nad curious but too very creative, very efficience and very nice. I like especially the beautiful harmony of the colors, the great depht and the very graphic FG full of rythm and dynamism. Good photowork.
Have a nice WE,
Roger

hardyuno (2387) 2009-10-30 11:19

Hello Paul,
it is very difficult to make such a picture, but despite of these difficulties you have made a very good picture. I've seen many fields of lupins in NZ, mostly at the south island and i like it very much. Thanks a lot for sharing
Have a nice day
Hartmut

chpp (3995) 2009-10-30 11:32

hi Paul
excellent composition and idea. It really looks like golden drops falling on the golden lupins. the light is spectacular.good DOf as well
TFS
C

Kielia (8583) 2009-10-30 11:48

Hi Paul,
what I really appreciate is how you are explaining your experimentation. The result is fascinating, but I agree to Jim concerning the annoying flares. Actually, I think the photo in WS is fantastic! TFS!
Warm regards
Harriet

phwall (5644) 2009-10-30 19:21

Hi Paul,
The translucent Lupins look amazing. The backlight has really made them pop out from the shrubbery.
The flares don't worry me, to me they are part and parcel of the entire image, they fit into the scene as an added feature.
Nicely composed with a good mood to the shot.
Go the Wallabies.
Regards
Peter

papagolf21 (56483) 2009-10-31 1:25

Bonjour, cher Paul,
Regarder le soleil en face c'est fort ! cette composition est une sorte de réalisation artistique très originale avec ces fleurs au premier plan qui ressemblent à des lupins, ces "gouttes" de soleil éclaboussent notre écran de lumière bien agréable.
Une composition qui sort des sentiers battus.
Amitiés.
Philippe

Nicou (45101) 2009-10-31 4:11

Hello,

Fantastique vue du bout du monde pour nous, quel effet dans ces fleur, ce rayonnage, ces couleurs, image très originale ave une mangigique ambiance, superbe.

merci et amitié

Nicou

bracasha75 (22179) 2009-10-31 11:34

Helo Paul
Yeah,everithing wake up now on your side of Globe and it is excellent photo with this sunset over spring fields
Very well done
Bratislav

jafadabret (39825) 2009-11-01 0:12

Bonjour Paul.
Cette photo pourrait illustrer un conte de fées tellement elle est pleine de mystère. J'aime ces lupins qui deviennent comme des personnages fantasmagoriques à l'assaut du soleil.
Amicalement
Jacques

riclopes (33033) 2009-11-01 2:44

Olá Paul, this is a nice artistic image, indeed. The result is somehow surrealist and suddenly I imagine this could be a view of paradise. A sea of wild flowers full of solar energy contaminating everything. I'm sure you got more energetic after this shot ;-) The WS is a surprise. Completely diferent but no less beautiful in its normal approach. I can't even decide which one I like more...
Have a nice sunday,
ricardo

denisn72 (7019) 2009-11-01 13:59

Hi Paul,
It is interesting to see how is the distribution of the light on each lupin flower. Your experimentation is great. Contrasts and colours are very good! Well done!
Best regards
Denis!

ChrisJ (70335) 2009-11-02 2:19

Hi Paul

Wonderful repetition of the lens pentangles, with good fg sharpness & dof on the repetitive, yellow flower stalks. Tfs!

Urs (2970) 2009-11-02 4:23

Hi Paul

That really looks absolutely strange, the colors are completely off and as you wrote the flares are incredible. Possibly you got this result only because of taking the pictures against the sun, how does it come out with the sun? Personally I use a lot of Cockin filter or better I used to use when i worked Despite the shortcomings I like your shot, it is very different to what ever we can see. Well done

Friendly regards
Urs

jmdias (19461) 2009-11-02 5:08

paul

very nice compo. these flowers and other details distorted by the light created a sense of abstract. very beautiful mood, a really beautiful and creative job. congratulations

hugs

jorge

JCG (25469) 2009-11-02 11:32

Hello Paul,

Very astonishing this back-light, I like all this rain of octagones of light on the lupins which give a strange atmosphere to this landscape. A good photographic composition and thank you for the complementary photograph which I like much by its freshness.

With all my friendships and with soon,

Jean-Charles

anokutan (7726) 2009-11-03 3:29

Hello Paul,
Original photo with spectacular composition, the colours and lights are amazing, fabled impression with beautiful details.

John_F_Kennedy (31609) 2009-11-03 3:43

Hello Paul,
This one is a fantastic image. I like everything about it. The idea is superb.
Best wishes,
Achim

xuaxo (5759) 2009-11-03 10:04

Hi Paul,
This is a very interesting photo with strong light. The effect resulted a kind of magic.
Greetings,
Francisco

lucasgalodoido (16605) 2009-11-03 10:50

Hi Paul,
beautiful shot here, the colors, lens flare, light and vegetatin are amazing. I like of the hot tones of capture too. Great job, my friend.
Regards,
Lucas

giorgimer (21322) 2009-11-03 13:24

Hi Paul,

despite what you wrote I quite like the result, particularly the way the sun hits the flowers.

Very well done!

G

ciakgiak (10868) 2009-11-03 14:14

Hello Paul,
the effect is absolutely extraordinary, what a splendid image with a super light and a lovely composition. Really superb.
Congratulations, TFS.
Best regards.
Giorgio

pablominto (40876) 2009-11-03 23:06

Hello Paul,

When I look out of my window these days I can see lupins too, but they are dry with seeds!
This is an artistic presentation of spring in the Southern hemisphere, with stunning colours...

Greetings,
Pablo -

Waylim (10909) 2009-11-03 23:40

Hi Pual,
Wow, quite a difficult shot to make, but you have done great here, I love the way the back light lited up the wild flower so well. They looks like loopines, normally in purple colors, but these are in gold plus the warm light illuminating them so well it glow against the dark background. Great shot, Love the golden speck of light everywhere. My complements.
Way

AiresSantos (42354) 2009-11-04 0:59

Hi Paul
Amazing light in foreground.
Your POV is good and also the 3D effect
Well seen and done
Have a nice day
Aires

josepmarin (33837) 2009-11-04 1:41

Hi Paul,
The difference in the light of the Sun in reference to the position of the photographer is obvious perfectly in both photos, because the WS has another luminosity and a nice color.
But your experiment with your old Cokin ND Grad filter in the main photo, does not give a bad result, I think that in spite of a few distortions in the lens provoked by strong cross-light, the image has a very interesting and very special effect on the flowers.
Good work.
Friendly regards from the antipodes,
Josep
PS: your grandsons in the photo intro are very cute, congratulations.

darek1978 (11365) 2009-11-04 10:12

Hi Paul,
I love the colours and the composition. Wonderful location and point of view. The control of the sun as it plays across the vegetation is fantastic. Well done!
Thanks for sharing,
Darek

stego (22374) 2009-11-04 16:49

Hi Paul,
So, you also have lupines in NZ... They make a really nice pattern, glowing backlit by the warm light of the sun. I like the abstract mood of the image and I agree that all that flare is actually nice here.
Cheers,
José

jusninasirun (10211) 2009-11-04 17:20

Hi Paul: This is a superb shot at the sun. You have controlled the exposure very well in bringing out the details of the beautiful foreground. Very artistic and thanks for sharing. Best regards. Jusni

plimrn (19686) 2009-11-04 21:38

Hi Paul,
The WS is really nice but it lacks the daring magic of the primary post. I love it!
HLJ, Pat

siolaw (25788) 2009-11-04 21:39

Hi Paul
The flare and frontal sun light in this lupin meadow gives a pleasant dreamy atmosphere. The colorsalso enhance the effect.
Greetings
Laurent

jhm (82759) 2009-11-05 5:07

Hello Paul,

Absolutely not easy picture for take, the glow is hard to control at best but you have done very well here.
I find your picture very nice; pleasant for look at.
Splendid detailed image, amazing colours too.
Very well composition and presentation. TFS.

Best regards,
John.

axiotea (16145) 2009-11-05 10:56

Hello Paul
Beautiful color tones for this image, and I have to say that I also quite like those flares which are normally disturbing, but here have created a nice visual impact.
The BS is excellent! Love the light and the choice of selective focus.
Cheers
Marilyn

gunbud (27975) 2009-11-05 15:59

Hi Paul,
Love translucent lupines and dramatic sky.
The filter gives you a fine excuse to shot directly into the sun.
Very dream-like mystic looking image.
The lupines will not be out here until June.
Regards, Tom

john1 (2169) 2009-11-06 3:09

Hello Paul,

Wonderfull shot, I like the mood.
All the lupin flowers to the horizon, excellent light effect. The rays of the sun are magic.
Have a good day, great work.
John

Cricri (43220) 2009-11-06 5:12

Hi Paul
C'est un monde merveilleux comme dans Alice au pays des merveilles :-), j'aime l'effet des lumières et le ciel assez spectaculaire, très belle réussite
Good day for you
cricri

Longroute (9489) 2009-11-06 11:26

Quite an unusual picture: low pov and low sky!
Well the lupin grasses are worth while! (:-) a Photo difficult to forget. It puzzles me how you managed to do it, I mean I can't understand how the lupins are well lit being a contralight... perhaps you used a mirror or a flash?
Quite a fine idea anyhow.

Best regards,
Donato

Cretense (56326) 2009-11-07 6:39

Hello Paul!

What an impressive landscape photography, beautiful nature, captured in all its beauty by an excellent photographer! Very original photo, great composition and framing, very impressive light management! Congratulations!

Hercules

Vato_Law (11682) 2009-11-07 16:15

Hello Paul
I look and look at this and keep thinking what to say, maybe I shouldn't because there is not much that hasn't been said already but I cnouldn't let pass this gem without commenting.
So, I say that this is one of the most creative photos of nature that i've seen lately, and these golden hues arr fantastic and create an unreal but beautiful atmosphere.
Also the lenses might have something of a grease attached but these flares couldn't fit better here.
Wonderful work!!!

Cheers.
Paulo

Docarmo (8840) 2009-11-10 12:14

Hi Paul,
You used the lens flare very well here, it gave a beautiful effect! The spring in full sun.
Bravo!
Docarmo

molla (6885) 2009-11-12 14:35

You've seems to have a wonderful start of the down under summer. and I seriosly envy you a lot in our time of a sky that looks like oat porridge a temprature just above zero and the flue like the siege of Normandy
wonderfully present
TFS
Anders

Bluejeans (32547) 2009-11-24 5:32

Ola Paul ,
Bonita esta tua composição em tons dourados , ficou uma bela foto contra a luz , bonitas silhuetas ,gostei dos detalhes das plantas no primeiro plano , parabéns!!
Um abraço Gonçalo

sevy (13618) 2009-11-26 23:44

Hello Paul,

Very good idea this photo. The point of view against the light was perfect to put in evidence the flowers in foreground.
Even if the sun is a bit disturbing (but difficult to avoid) the idea is very interesting.

Yves.

ifanik (20542) 2009-11-27 0:16

Hi my friend
I like your photo very much
I like the light and the color
Very nice
Best regards
Nick

jmcl (13963) 2009-12-01 16:17

Hi Paul,

I hope this finds you and yours well .. striking tone ... great use of the brightness . I love how the "sunspots" and the lupins seem to dance together .. and the way the the sun gives such a translucent feel to the flowers .. I also love the sense of intimate closeness and vastness the image creates from the way the foreground and background interact .. you can feel the warmth .. very nice. take care, John

danyy (69029) 2009-12-05 13:07

Formidable contre jour photgraphié avec tous les aléas de ce genre de prise de vue avec les lumières de face, mais quelle efficacité dans le résultat, fabuleux et coloré, ces lumières qui rendent cet endroit si magique.
J'aime beaucoup.
Amicalement.
Daniel;

Angshu (33815) 2009-12-06 20:00

Hello Paul
You have done very well here handling the glow of light. Shooting into the sun is difficult, yet you did a fantastic job here as the lupins seem to jump out like 3D objects, with their golden glows highlighting the scene...that's a detail which makes this shot excellent
Regards
Angshu