Diminuitive Beauty


© Shari Malin
Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic

Beauty is something that can be found all around us.  It's funny, but I don't think I really saw my world until I started looking at it through the lens of a camera.

It snowed recently.  Not a hugely earth-shattering event, but in North Carolina, it is at least uncommon.  The first thing I did that morning was grab my camera and run out the door.  I was headed for the small lake behind my apartment complex.  I wanted to get photographs of the water as the snow fell.  What I saw, instead, was the ducks who live on that lake.  I didn't get any good photos of them, but it was something to see ducks walking around with snow on their bills.

Later in the day, I came home from work and saw the trees with their coating of melting snow.  I decided to try for a shot I've been hoping to get for quite some time.

For all of these photos I used my Canon Digital Rebel on a tripod.  I also used my Pelican cover to keep the snow out :-).  I don't yet own a macro lens, so all of these were taken with the EOS kit lens that came with my Rebel.

This is the first of the series:

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel
1/100s f/5.6 at 52.0mm iso100

I really like the curves in this shot.  The bow of the branch very closely matches the bow on the bottom of the water drop.  It appeals to my sense of balance.  The other thing I really like about this shot is the reflection of the other branches in the water drop.   Again, the bow is there and you can actually see the individual branches.

Notice also the simplicity here.  No bright colors.  No action.  Just the simple bend of a branch.

This is the second shot:

Canon EOS 300D Digital Rebel
1/40s f/5.6 at 55.0mm iso100

I like the color of this branch better than the one above.  However, I feel like the first photo is definitely stronger.  The interesting detail in this one is the reflection of my apartment building in the water drop.  Unfortunately, the reflection isn't very clear and is certainly not as clear as the first photo's water drop reflection.

I know that personally, I find deep colors more pleasing than bright colors.  I like the depth of the red branch, as well as the blues in the background.  The combination of the two makes a nice contrast of warm and cool colors too.

This is my favorite shot of the day

Canon

Water Drop 1
Water Drop 2
Microcosm
   

Go To Page: 1 2


Post this Article to facebook Add this Article to del.icio.us! Digg this Article furl this Article Add this Article to Reddit Add this Article to Technorati Add this Article to Newsvine Add this Article to Windows Live Add this Article to Yahoo Add this Article to StumbleUpon Add this Article to BlinkLists Add this Article to Spurl Add this Article to Google Add this Article to Ask Add this Article to Squidoo


Here's the follow-up discussion on this article: View all related messages

10.   Feb 8, 2004 7:11 PM
In response to message posted by Rosee:

I really like my Rebel. I'm still learning things on it, but I'm getting better. ...


-- posted by sharimalin


9.   Feb 8, 2004 2:52 PM
In response to message posted by sharimalin:
Oh would I ever like to get a camera like you have been describing!! But this one I have ...

-- posted by Rosee


8.   Feb 7, 2004 2:21 AM
In response to message posted by sharimalin:

you posted this ages ago and I didn't see it.
Thanks this is a great topic,
Jo ...


-- posted by brisbaneartist


7.   Jan 26, 2004 4:34 AM
In response to message posted by brisbaneartist:

If you want a point and shoot style digital with good zoom (and stay with only op ...


-- posted by sharimalin


6.   Jan 24, 2004 7:09 PM
I know that you would never want the responsibility of recommending a camera. So this is just picking your brains 'so's to speak.'
I want a digital camera with a powerful zoom lens.
I want the pics ...

-- posted by brisbaneartist





Join the latest discussions

For a complete listing of article comments, questions, and other discussions related to Shari Malin's Photography topic, please visit the Discussions page.