Pushing your gear to different subjects can lead to more creative images. I started with photographing birds in my backyard. Got bored waiting. Ended up with some interesting plant images. See those original results. See below where that bit of experimentation with a long lens ended up.

Gear

I used the OM-1 camera fitted with 150-600mm f/5.0-6.3 OM System lens. To that I added one to three extension tubes to be able to fill the frame with the subjects. Kenko is a top name for extension tubes. If you are using them a lot you might want to invest in them. I’ve had solid results with Vello. If you just want to try it out and occasionally play you can use the lower end brands.

The resulting images contain very soft bokeh and shallow depth of field.

Iris flowers

Iris flowers are one of my favorites to photograph. The willowy petals and intricate shapes and form never cease to amaze. Photographing on the edge of sunshine with the subject in the shade worked well for this image. A spray bottle set to mist was used to add the water droplets. Adding droplets adds just a bit of interest and the feel of morning mist. Here in Sedona, in the high desert, that is a rare sight so a little help is in order. When adding droplets, set your bottle to the finest mist possible. Then, spray with lots of passes to build up the drops. If you try to use larger drops right away they will slide off your subject quickly and you’ll loose the effect.

iris photo with long lens
Made with a 10mm extension tube on the 150-600mm. 400mm f/5.4 1/180th sec ISO 3200
iris photo with long lens and extension tube
Made with a 10mm +16mm extension tubes on the 150-600mm. 400mm f/5.4 1/125th sec ISO 3200

Iris buds

This is my favorite shot of the morning. Diagonal lines in parallel with the foreground bud in sharp focus, with a secondary bud in the background. The rest of the image falls to soft pastels with a blend of color and tone. Sunlight in the background with main bud in the shade helped with the look. I have a feeling this will be printed quite large and be hung on my wall in the not too distant future.

Iris bud with long lens and three extension tubes
Iris bud captured with 10mm and two 16mm extension tubes on the 150-600mm. 900mm f/6.2 1/125th sec ISO 3200

Try it with your long lens

Give this technique a try. It can push your image making to a whole different level. Here’s the recipe. The longest lens in your quiver. A set of extension tubes. A tripod. And a solid subject such as yours or a neighbor’s garden with blooming flowers. Or maybe, your subject will be totally different. Let me know how it works out.

Yours in Creative Photography,

Bob