This is my first contribution to the Rambler’s In a Vase for Monday meme. I promised a contribution before Easter and, as Easter is late this year, I’ve just scraped in. I like having a small posy of flowers in the house, so my tardiness has been a lack of flowers and foliage rather than commitment. Although there have been pots of bulbs flowering in the polytunnel, I decided to stick to the idea of using material from the garden. So this is my first posy of the year – a small glass of dwarf narcissi from the cottage garden.
I belong to the “a nice bunch of flowers in a vase with a bit of foliage” school of flower arranging rather than the floral art academy. Although with my shortage of material perhaps something more akin ikebana would be more appropriate.
So I have a “nice bunch of daffs”, which also have a lovely delicate scent, sheltering from the rain on my windowsill, the next step is the photography. It is far more difficult to take a decent photograph of a vase of flowers than I had imagined. I was so captivated by the individual flowers that it was difficult to concentrate on the vase as a whole. First a few trial shots and then a tweaking of the arrangement, followed by elevating the glass to avoid the window frame, then setting the focus so it was soft but not blurred and finally attempting to preserve the translucency of the flowers by adjusting the light. Sometimes reproducing simplicity can be horribly complex and I began to feel in need of a cup of tea.
Not bad for a first effort, but definitely could do better on all counts, although I did grow the daffs, which after all are the stars of the show.
These little species daffs are so dainty. I think putting them in a vase like this is the best way of enjoying them. Is that the sea I can see in the background?
I was quite surprised to see how eel they cope with our windy conditions but I still can’t resist having a few pots in the polytunnel. The sea indeed, in fact looking out of that window it’s next stop Newfoundland.
How amazing but no wonder it is so windy.
And now you are showing off about your photography – setting the focus …. soft but not blurred… preserve the translucency…..adjusting the light… blah blah….. Must have worked, as it is a brilliant result – not just the nice bunch of daffs but the rain on the window and the background of your estate outside. You do everything with such style, Christine – and now you have contributed your first vase on Monday I hope you are hooked like the rest of us, tweaking on a regular basis. It is a privilege to have you on board 😉
And do you want to add a link from my post, so others can see your nice bunch of daffs too?
Thank you, but no fanfare please.
I’ll graciously take the “lady has style” compliment if you’ll wake-up and take the subtle back-hander – I struggled for ages to take a photo on a vase of daffs on the windowsill using a digital SLR on a tripod and you produce something with a nod to a 17C Dutch painting with a “box brownie”. I rest my case.
It was fun doing the vase, so I’ll try and contribute a posy to the meme. 🙂
Doh! Too subtle perhaps….I know I liked that third picture, but it took me by surprise that others were so enthusiastic about it. Seriously, I could do with a good book or some tuition – or an SLR perhaps
I can’t recommend a book, but once you’ve got the basics, which you have, it’s a case of practice and experimentation. I also look at lots and lots of really good photos both for inspiration and to try and figure out how to do it. If you want a technically better camera, you might look at the “bridge cameras” which are an intermediate step to the full SLR. They produce great photos and have the advantage of less stuff to lug around. I use an SLR because I always have and couldn’t get to grips with a point and shoot – I like a view finder and knobs to twiddle. I’m also the gofer, so when we’re out I provide the second camera for the non-technical shots (really I just carry the extra gear).
So keep snapping and enjoy it.
Mine is meant to be a more than half-decent digital, so I do need to get to know its capabilities better and I am quite happy not having too many knobs to twiddle but perhaps I will be converted in the longer term 😉
If you like it stick with it, just use it more. Apparently you need 10,000 (or is it 100,000) hours of practice to become competent at anything!
I will keep practising – and read the manual again (well, print it off and read it) – but at least I must be a half-decent blogger then!! 😉
You must be a reasonable sort of blogger with your global audience 🙂
It looks that way, I am forced to admit….but I am managing to cut down the hours and post less often without too many withdrawal symptoms….
Nice daffs, and I really do like the effect of the raindrops on the window!
April showers – no shortage of raindrops of windows!
Yes, the raindrops on the glass really do make a perfect backdrop to the sunny, yellow flowers. And you’ve set a high standard for your first Monday – flowers and photo are lovely.
Thank you for your generous support.