Sarah Clews Photography

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Photographing Snowdrops with a Macro Lens

Spending time in the garden an hour or so before sunset is one of my favourite times of the day- there is a great sense of peace. The natural world winds down as the birds become sleepy and the light begins to fade. Every February our garden becomes amassed with snowdrops springing up from their Winter hibernation. Ever since I can remember my mum has loved snowdrops- she is an avid collector, visiting snowdrop fairs to seek out new varieties to add to the garden. The differences in snowdrops can be very subtle, but they are a real delight to see and photograph.

I took these photos in the golden evening light waiting patiently for the sun to drop low enough to provide a back-lit effect. Lying flat on my front on the ground and using a beanbag to steady my camera, I must have spent about an hour just trying out different compositions, and waiting for the light to fall in the right place. I always find its invaluable to take your time- settle into your surroundings and your photos will ALWAYS reap the benefits. Rushed photography in my experience never ends well.

I am super lucky to have so many beautiful snowdrops in the garden to photograph, but you can often find them growing in the wild and weirdly, church graveyards are often a hotspot for snowdrops..

I’m now looking forward to the onset of Spring and more delights in the garden..

Sarah x

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F4-1/125 sec- ISO 200

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F3-1/800 sec- ISO 500

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F3.3-1/2000 sec- ISO 500

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F3.2-1/250 sec- ISO 500

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F3-1/200 sec- ISO 300

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F3- 1/200 sec- ISO 200

Nikon D5100- 105mm macro lens - F4-1/400 sec- ISO 500