Lens-Artists Challenge #304 – Behind
This week’s Lens-Artists challenge is all about what happens behind the scenes. More specifically, Ritva asks us to think about how we compose our images by paying attention to what goes behind our subjects. She wrote, “The background serves as the canvas against which the subject stands out.” So, I will show you how I work my backgrounds to make my image subjects stand out.
Dragonflies are beautiful insects to photograph as long as you are patient. They are habitual creatures that enjoy returning to their favorite location. So, if you see one hanging onto a branch, you can try to get close. If they fly away, rest assured they will come back. That gives you time to consider your composition and choose your background, as I did in this photo. I positioned myself so my background would be blurred and dark when I captured the image. The next photo also took advantage of my proximity to the insect to blur the background.
As Ritva pointed out, simplicity is another way to bring your subject to your image’s spotlight. When you couple that with a serene background, your eyes cannot run away from the subject. My subjects were evident in the following two photos by keeping the background uncluttered. The serene water offers a perfect background in the Morning Stretch photo. I put my camera on the ground for the Texas Thistle and used that vantage point to highlight the flower against the blue sky. The color contrast accentuated my subject.
The following two photos use a technique some photographers call “see-through.” The idea is to look for your subject through a blurred background and/or foreground. I “found” the Bluebonnets in the first photo by staying low and having the foreground blurred. The dark background also served to highlight the Bluebonnets‘ bright colors. In the other photo, the foreground and background were blurred, and the complementary colors of the Prairie Verbenas stood out against the yellow flowers.
Finally, I want to show a landscape scene where the background is the main subject. In this case, I made sure the foreground was blurred. The light in the background helped accentuate my subject.
Last week, Donna (of Wind Kisses) got us all to think about our “Connections.” The responses we saw here covered many topics, and some were very personal. In all of them, though, your photos took my breath away. They were such beautiful images.
I look forward to seeing how you respond to Ritva’s background challenge this week. Be sure to check Ritva’s post for more information and inspiration, and don’t forget to use the “lens-artists” hashtag when responding to it so we can easily find it in the Reader.
Next week, I will be your host. I hope you will join me in that challenge. Check back here on Saturday at 12 noon (EDT in the USA). Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.
I leave you with John Ruskin’s words: “Nature is painting for us, day after day, pictures of infinite beauty.” All you need to do is have your camera to capture that beauty and share it with us.
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Egídio, your images are beautiful and you explained the technique you used so well that this could be part two of the challenge. I am always in awe when someone captures dragonflies, loved how you gave guidance as how to take the shot and how work the background to it
Loved these, commented directly to your page.
Ritva, thank you so much for your support and encouragement. I appreciate that.
Thank you for making this Saturday an excellent day. I appreciate your comments. Thank you.
🙂
Wow, Egidio what a great response for this challenge. Your images are beautiful!
Excellent photography and explanations, Egidio. You master all kinds of photography – always a treat coming here.
Thank you, Anne. Ritva’s examples and directions were so clear.
Ann-Christine, your encouragement and support are wonderful. Many thanks!
Great selections well photographed. ‘The stretch’ and landscape pathway are among my many faves. 👏
These are great. You were lucky (or thoughtful more likely!) that the backgrounds obliged by keeping themselves simple.
You always bring it my friend. I love the way you organized your thoughts to give us additional guidance to Ritva’s theme. Your photos, stunning! I learned that little tidbit about dragonflies when I was on Oak Creek in Sedona one day with my camera. It just kept coming back. I have so many photos of that day, thinking I was lucky, but realized it is their habit. A great image of yours. My favorites are the prairie verbena, because your technique does make it pop, and the Fall light, just because… Well done, Egidio.
Beautiful images (especially the flowers) Egidio and great demonstration of focus and backgrounds to highlight your subjects.
Thank you, John. I love watching turtles, too, but they tend to be very suspicious of humans.
Thanks, Margaret. Sometimes, we can control how much we include in the background, but not always.
Donna, you always raise me up with your kindness and compliments. Many thanks!
Brad, I appreciate your kindness. Your feedback is much appreciated. Thank you.
Beautifully shown and well-explained Egídio. The dragonfly is fantastic as is the bug that follows it. And I loved the flower image with blur in front. Very clever!
I’m so happy you liked them, Tina. I appreciate the compliment. Thank you.
Wonderful images and great examples of background mastery, Egidio.
Thank you for sharing your thought process in making these shots.
You’re most welcome!
Great images and wonderful example of the importance background.
Nes, thank you for the detailed response. It is good to read the thought process helps. I appreciate your feedback.
I.V., thank you so much for the feedback.
Beautiful images! Such vibrant colors.
Many thanks!
Excellent shots for the challenge!
Many thanks, Rebecca. I appreciate the feedback.
Beautiful images and insights Egidio, I especially love the way you captured the wonderful dragonfly 😊
Egidio, that last image is stunning, but I got the most from your tip about dragonflies returning to a spot. I’ll remember that the next time the little bugger flies away just as I get ready to shoot. >grin<
Thank you, Xenia. I enjoy chasing dragonflies and damselflies.
Thank you, John. I attended a workshop from a Houston photographer. He taught me how to photograph dragonflies in flight. It was fun doing it.
Wonderful images, Egídio. Well done 👍
Another terrific post, Egidio! Lovely examples and descriptions of your technique. I love your insect and flower images and the “morning stretch” made me smile. Well-observed and beautifully captured–all of them!
Lovely macros. And as for that last one, just lovely
Beautiful images, Egidio. The one of the dragonfly is stunning. My husband has been posting bamboo poles in our yards for the dragonflies to use as “hunting perches.” It’s fun to watch them.
Thank you so much, André.
Thanks, Patti. I had a great time writing this post.
Thanks for the compliment, I.J. I appreciated it.
Marie, you’ll have a great time with the dragonflies in your yard. Thanks for the compliment.
You‘re welcome 😊
I especially liked the one of the fence and fall leaves, Egidio. Lovely lines and color.
That was a special view, too. Thanks for the comment.
Wonderful Egidio. I love the macro shots with the blurry background, they are fantastic.
Thank you, Leanne.