Patty is the real flower and macro photographer in our household, but sometimes I tag along and give it my best shot. There is a large garden on the grounds of an old San Francisco Peninsula estate that is a favorite of hers — she has a membership and visits regularly to photograph whatever is in season. In early March that meant it was tulip season, so I accompanied her for a morning of photographing these (and a few other kinds of) flowers.
We had great conditions for this subject. Direct, harsh sunlight is not your friend when photographing the subtle colors, shapes, and textures of these flowers — and this morning featured overcast, a bit of light rain, occasional muted sunlight, and lots of shady areas. I photographed this tulip in wonderful soft light that tends to fill in shadows and reveal details that would be missing in high contrast light.
G Dan Mitchell is a California photographer and visual opportunist. His book, “California’s Fall Color: A Photographer’s Guide to Autumn in the Sierra” (Heyday Books) is available directly from him.
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