Today I tried to grab a few good flag shots. This proved harder than I thought it would be - the wind has to be blowing enough to billow the flag but not too hard, as the flag just snaps and ripples. The sun needs to be bright enough to bring out the colors but not so bright that the light blasts through the fabric. And the timing and framing need to add some value as well.
I visited Marye's Hill in Fredericksburg, where a large flag flies above the cemetery and battlefields. I snapped over forty shots of the flag from different angles and in different styles. Here are a few results.
The flag photo below is a decent shot, but lacks a few things to make you want to look at it. The sky is bland, the flagpole is not vertical and distracts the eye, and the flag itself is not fully presented to the viewer. Overall, a very 'deletable' photo.
The shot below is a bit better. The sky has a bit of depth that is provided by the use of a polarizing filter. The polarizer does rob the flag of it's bright colors. I probably could have adjusted the settings to make up for the polarizer. The perspective is more interesting with just a bit of the flagpole showing, but the flag has too many shadows across it's face from the wind rippling the fabric. Overall, a possible 'keeper', but still no wow factor.
The last photo is my favorite. The flagpole has been removed completely by zooming in tight with a telephoto lens. The sun and wind combined in just the perfect fashion at the precise moment the shutter was released, allowing the motion of the fabric to be wavy and without shadows. The colors are bright and the lines are sharp. This picture is a definite winner in my book! Feel free to comment or criticize if you agree or disagree - I need the feedback!
Circular polarizer? Shoulda been able to rotate it so that the sky was tamed and the flag still popped.
ReplyDeleteYou're right -the last flag photo is the better one. I've found that flag shots are difficult and patience-testing.
You were at a cemetary? I wanna see the photos of headstones and your perspective on that subject....
I didn't get any pictures of headstones. The majority of the markers in this cemetery were 4"x4" blocks with numbers scribed onto the surfaces. I am curious how some of my ideas would work with headstones... -more cemeteries are on the list!
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