As previously posted, I was/am struggling to get good photos of my bonsai, especially since I want to sell many of my trees.
The update: I got to borrow a Sony DSC RX10. Its 13 yo camera, but still worlds above my Samsung Galaxy A36 camera(s).
The sun was out today, so I tried to take a few shots. Regarding background: Wind made a cloth background unrealistic, and I couldn't put together a canvas on short notice. So green house wall it was.
I did almost no post-processing on the images above, only cutting away so the tree is center-ish of the image.
The lens isn't fixed, but I tried to take photos from like 1.5m to 2m away. The background is about 1m away most shots.
The sun made it impossible to know the shot results right then, as I couldn't see anything.
Lessons learned, for next time:
– shade the camera and operator
– mark out distances with tape or put a measure down
– unsure if I shouldn't spring for a variable lens so that I have range for closer shots.
So, what do you think of the photos?
by theonehaihappen
1 Comment
These look great! Very consistent and would be good if you’re looking to sell. As far as simple things you can do to elevate the shots without getting too complex or expensive:
– A black, dark grey, or white poster board for a background can work great when it’s windy. You can clip it or tape it to the wall. Find a more neutral color wall than the lime green. The green makes the photos pop, but some might find it a little distracting.
– in addition to composition and subject, most photos are all about lighting. If you don’t have photo or video lights, you can play around with taking your photos late in the day or early morning to get more pleasant light than midday. If you look at professional bonsai photos, most are lit from one side (think of the feeling of a forest early in the morning or sunset and how that makes you feel). Shooting at golden hour with nice light and pleasant shadows will bring a lot of character to the tree.
– once you get the front shots, play around with some detail shots: close ups of the foliage, trunk, etc. Play with angles and have fun here.