Tag: Macro Photography

Iowa State Fair Photography Salon

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This was my fourth year entering the Photography Contest at the Iowa State Fair. And the fourth year of having at least one photo on display. In fact, three were chosen for display this year. I was in complete shock when the infamous yellow card from the Iowa State Fair Photography Salon arrived. None of my photos received an award this year, but an amazing accomplishment all the same. Especially when there are not separate divisions for professional and amateur photographers. I am the latter. The Iowa State Fair Photography Contest is quite a challenge.

The odds of having a photo chosen for display are tight. This year a total of 2,536 photos were submitted for both adult and youth. Only 801 were chosen for display, 32%. Of the 801, only 176 received a ribbon, 22%. The stat they don’t share, 176 out of 2,536 received a ribbon, just under 7%. There were 802 photographers who submitted photos this year and only three had all four images chosen for display and received the Superintendent Merit Aware for Photographic Excellence. Yes, I was close, but so were many other photographers.

Enough about the stats. Well, except one more, and it’s quite interesting. All three of my photos chosen for display, were made in my home! Many people think they have to travel to make a great image. You don’t, and my entries prove that point. Do I enjoy getting out in nature to shoot? Absolutely! But sometimes I don’t have time and other times ideas pop into my head and I’m able to make images at home.

When I moved from Phoenix back to my home state of Iowa, I added many plants and flowers to my yard with photography in mind. The only problem with that is the amount of time it takes to maintain my yard. I do enjoy gardening, however, it takes away from my photography time.

The first image chosen for display, Peonies, was in the Adult Division, Black & White, Class 25 Plants, Flowers & Trees. Peonies are one of my favorite spring flowers. There was already a large pale pink peony bush in my yard when I moved back to Iowa. This photo was made in my living room with natural window light. The dramatic light called for a black and white image.

Next up, Framboises, in the Special Division, Black & White or Color open to both adults and youth, Class 41 Anything Goes! (for dramatically computer enhanced or radically altered photos only). The raspberries are from my garden and the original image was high key, a white background. I added two images on top of my original photo to add color and texture. I used my Nikon 105mm, Nikon macro lens to make the original image. Could I have entered the original image in the macro class? Yes, but I chose a different image for that class.

The third and final image Frozen Lace, in the Special Division, Black & White or Color open to both adults and youth, Class 46 Macro (close up photography of small objects that are magnified to “life size”. Animals, insects and flowers are not eligible. The image is frost that was on one of my windows on a very cold morning. The pattern reminded me of lace that might be on a wedding dress. Some people think it looks like a forest. What do you think it looks like? Leave me a comment!

Two of my favorite photography genres are macro and floral. Usually using my macro lens for my floral photography. I have had two images chosen for display in the macro class, but still strive to receive an award. There are two classes for Plants, Flowers & Trees. One for color and one for black and white. I have yet to have a color image chosen for display in Plants, Flowers & Trees. And I really want an award in this category! My image Peonies was the first black and white image chosen for display in the class Plants, Flowers & Trees. What does this mean to me? I have to work harder to achieve my goal of having a color image chosen and to receive an award in this class. And yes, I’m already working on ideas for next year’s Iowa State Fair Photography Salon.

Desert Globemallow

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Of the four images submitted to the 2022 Iowa State Fair, this is the image that I was hoping would had been selected for display. Desert Globemallow, a wildflower in Arizona.

Desert Globemallow blooms in a variety of colors, orange, red, white, light pink, hot pink and lavender. Orange is the most common and can be found throughout the Sonoran Desert.

This particular image was made along Highway 79 between US 60 and Florence, Arizona. All colors of globemallow can be found along the roadside of Highway 79. This two lane highway is quite busy with trucks en route to Florence, Arizona and you have to be careful. Photographing flowers along a highway can be quite challenging. As the large trucks whiz by, the flowers are anything but still, even using a plamp. Not only do you have to watch for traffic along this highway, but also rattlesnakes.

Being mindful of traffic and rattlesnakes, I continued to photograph all the colors of globemallow. Macro photography is harder than people think and you have to have patience and be willing to twist, bend and sometimes lie on the ground. Waiting for the wind to die down after each truck went by and holding my diffuser and/or a reflector in one hand, my camera on a tripod and the cable release in my other hand I worked to make images of all the colors. Fortunately globemallow is on a bush and not within inches of the grounds like many wildflowers. Still, you have to twist and turn to get the right angle for the flowers with a clean background. It’s a good idea to bring along cardboard, paper, a jacket or whatever you can think of, including your shoe, to make a clean background.

The judges didn’t think it was worthy for display, but many people have given me compliments on this image. I’ll be writing about all the images submitted and the story behind each one.

Til I write about the next image submitted, please enjoy my image Desert Globemallow.