Whenever someone asks me about my favorite photographic discipline, I never hesitate with my answer: without a doubt, it is landscape photography.
However, as an amateur photographer, my chances of finding the best moments of light in those special locations are sometimes limited by a lack of time to visit them when conditions are right for getting the most out of them.
Practically 100% of my photography outings are geared toward finding that more or less special moment — from a personal point of view — that keeps me motivated in the landscape.
Unfortunately, or fortunately, these conditions do not always arise, and it is precisely in these sessions that Plan B is activated.
My misnamed Plan B allows me to quench my photographic thirst and try to turn a failed outing into an opportunity to enjoy photography in a more relaxed and improvised way.
A photograph in which any subject can create a strong visual impact without having to look for something rare or particularly beautiful — in this case, some simple daffodils in my neighbor’s flowerpot. For this image, I used an old Helios lens with the glass inverted, which creates the dynamism of the out-of-focus area and a dreamlike sensation in which the daffodil seems to dance.
Close-up photography, or macro photography, allows me to work in more contained settings where I have greater control over the light, and it is easier to find an element that allows me to develop a photo session.
In these sessions, I love playing with flares filtered through the vegetation and trying out different Kelvin temperatures until I find the right distance and final aesthetic for the image in situ.
My approach to photography is very simple, as I try to finalize my image in the field to avoid lengthy processing once the session is over. My processing usually does not go beyond contrast, sharpness, and adjusting the exposure. In this type of low-key composition, I really like using vignetting to focus as much as possible on the subject of the image and avoid bright areas near the edges that can draw the eye away from it.
Obviously, I do not always use the same type of adjustments in my images, especially contrast, which is so widely used these days.
Sometimes images suggest more subtle contrasts to me, in an attempt to convey the delicacy that the image suggested at the moment it was created.
Basically, in each photograph I am faced with the dichotomy of which expressive force to choose: contrast or harmony. Based on that choice, I select the most appropriate compositional values to try to convey the message in the most appropriate way possible. I usually work with natural light, and I like to put a great deal of care and attention into blurring — whether through the choice of depth of field or created deliberately — and I try to give composition paramount importance.
This photograph of the Mycenas is an example of that more delicate processing, once again playing with filtered light to create a somewhat dreamlike background.
A tiny flashlight helped me illuminate the mushrooms, and a lens-cleaning cloth conveniently positioned around the bottom of the lens provided that slight gradient at the base of the photograph, allowing detail to gently fade at the foot of the image.
The arrival of spring brings one of my favorite subjects for enjoying photography: butterflies.
Once again, I repeat, I do not care if the species is common or if I find the same species outing after outing. For me, the only important thing is that it provides an opportunity to enjoy photography.
My first step when creating the image is to assess whether it will be a contrasting photograph or whether I will try to enhance the delicacy of these Lepidoptera.
Another advantage I find in these impromptu sessions is the need to adapt to different situations as they arise. Since these sessions are not prepared in advance, I often miss elements I would bring if I were planning ahead, such as flashes, reflectors, or other items commonly used in this type of photography.
In my understanding of photography, any setting is an excuse to pick up the camera and stop to look around — an excuse to never cease to be amazed by everything that nature offers us day after day.
Even a simple stroll through any of the many parks in our cities can give us opportunities to work on our vision and develop as photographers.
In the first image, a tiny flower fallen on some leaves seemed to be the perfect element to break the pattern of lines and shapes created by the leaves and, in turn, create a powerful focal point in the photograph.
In the second image, leaves fallen on a puddle made me think of a kind of natural still life in which everything was already arranged and positioned, and in which it was simply a matter of finding the right viewpoint to give it order.
All these unexpected sessions ultimately give me the opportunity to practice my compositional and photographic skills in a somewhat different way, and with a fresher perspective than I might use when facing other types of sessions where I already have a rough idea of what the final result will be.
