Wrapped in Light
Hellebore
For the next few days I’ll be posting the results of an experiment using hi-speed sync in the garden. I prefer a very shallow depth-of-field for my flower photography, usually shooting around between f/2.8 and f/4. While this is fine for natural light, using flash at those wide apertures often requires a shutter speed higher than the standard 1/200th of a second. This was shot at f/2.8 at 1/1000th of a second. The speed-light was in a small (12×16″) softbox positioned a few inches out of frame to camera right and slightly to the rear. The background is simply our woods bathed in bright sunlight. The camera is hand-held and the soft light allows for a good deal of movement without worrying about shadows. Above all, I find the quality of light quite beautiful and fitting for flowers.