Flowers in the Rain

I have always been fascinated with macro photography, but given my predilection for photographing architecture and the Nude, I don't have many opportunities to explore close-up photography. With the weather being as horrible as it has of late (rain, rain and more rain seems to be the order of the days and weeks), I spent today working with a number of photographers in downtown Moncton, and testing the Olympus 50mm f/2 macro lens. My partner Joy bought an Olympus E-300 this spring, and the 50m f/2 lens would be a perfect addition to her system - both as a fast portrait lens and a good close-up lens.

Digital original

Though the day was heavily overcast, with rain spitting intermittently, and threatening a real downpour, we decided to head as a group downtown, to see what we could find to photograph. With the macro lens in hand, I was specifically looking for small things to photograph, and these little white flowers, covered with water drops from the morning's rain, seemed just perfect. The macro lens on the Olympus E300, combined with a flexible tripod and wireless remote, made the whole process simple and straightforward.

Digital original

As it happened, one of the other photographers had the extension tube for the 4/3rds system, so I was able to focus REALLY close with the macro lens - a total revelation. Once I'd set up the lens with the extension tube, I worked alternately between compositions that called for a deep depth of field, and those which would be more appropriate for less in focus. Close-focused images inherently have less in focus, but sometimes, more in focus, as opposed to less, is preferable.

Digital original

The explorations of the water-dropped flowers came to an abrupt halt as the sky opened above us and the real rain started. As nice as the flowers were, they weren't worth ruining any camera equipment.

All I can think of now is how much I want to work with rain-covered flowers again!