HOW–TO

Be Abstract

The flowers that bloom so profusely in the spring give you a chance to create otherworldly images of color and shape. It’s photography that’s beyond the ordinary.
Text And Photography By Anne Laird

This Article Features Photo Zoom

Raindrops on the petal edge of this Camellia blossom are captured using a 105mm macro lens, shot wide open so that the background falls off. To enhance this effect, add a small extension tube.

Lenses
In addition to my 50mm lens, I use macro lenses like the Nikkor 60mm ƒ/2.8, 105mm ƒ/2.8 and 200mm ƒ/4. I use these lenses with combinations of close-up diopters and extension tubes. This gives more softness to the image than when using a macro lens alone.

Since macro lenses contain extension within themselves, magnification is enhanced with the addition of these other pieces of equipment. I often use one of these lenses with several diopters and extension tubes to achieve a total abstraction. That way, the viewer can no longer see the reality of the subject. It’s literally transformed into something resembling a modern abstract painting you’d see in an art museum.

Inspiration
Inspiration for my own art has come from many artists, like Georgia O’Keeffe, Monet and, especially, my mentor and friend, photographer Mary Ellen Schultz. Always a positive person, she’d instill in me the desire to always try something new, which I encourage you to do as well.

With the options I’ve discussed to get you started, it’s time to begin your own journey. Let curiosity reign supreme, and take a moment to escape into a world of unfamiliar imagery, which actually has been there right before your eyes all the time. You just need the tools to see it and the freedom of your imagination to pursue it. And don’t forget to “Focus with your toes!”

Anne Laird is a nature and wildlife photographer based in the foothills of the Beartooth Mountains in Red Lodge, Mont. To see more of her work, visit www.annelairdphoto.com or www.corbis.com. She also can be contacted at alaird51@yahoo.com.

What’s In Anne Laird’s “Flower” Camera Bag?
Nikon PN-11	Nikor TC 1.4x	Nikkor 200mm ƒ/4
Photoflex Reflector Translucent, Silver And Gold		Nikkor 105mm ƒ/2.8
Camera: Nikon F4 Lenses: Nikkor 20mm ƒ/2.8, Nikkor 24mm ƒ/2.8, Nikkor 50mm ƒ/1.8, Nikkor 50mm ƒ/1.4 Macro Lenses: Micro-Nikkor 60mm ƒ/2.8D, Micro-Nikkor 105mm ƒ/2.8, Micro-Nikkor 200mm ƒ/4 with lens collar Teleconverters: Nikkor TC 1.4x, TC 2x, TC 16A at 1.6x Extension Tubes: Nikon PK-11A (8mm), PK-12 (14mm), PK-13 (27.5mm), PN-11 (52.5mm) Close-Up Diopters: All two-element Nikon 3T and 5T (1.5 diopter strength) 52mm mounting threads, and Nikon 4T and 6T (3 diopter strength) 62mm mounting threads Other Gear: Bogen 3221 modified by Kirk Enterprises to go to ground level, with Tri-Pads by A. Laird Photo Accessories attached, Studio ballhead with Kirk Enterprises plates, focusing rail by Kirk Enterprises, Laird rain hood, Laird macro ground cloth, Photoflex 12-inch reflectors in gold/silver and white/white

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