#5: Iris in the Dark | Favorite Shots of ‘09

This series of shots really transformed the way I think about light and dark shooting. It took me a long way in understanding how to capture an image by keying in on the lighting and using the proper shutter speed and aperture for the best effect.

This out of all of these is my favorite, and that is why it makes the list. The coloring against the black worked perfectly. For this shot I set the flower in a glass and framed it so that the glass did not show. I took a small light and flashed it on the flower after I opened the camera shutter with my wireless remote. For this particular photo I flashed the light from the left, from bottom left, and then finally from the top briefly, all while the camera shutter was open. The result is this very unique lighting effect on the flower.

Click through photo for large version