PhotoGraphica Krohn

I think photographers, who are drawn to macro photography, can readily relate to the frustrations of attempting to capture botanicals up-close. At least that’s how it’s been for me.
So whether it’s the limitations of aperture/shutter speed combinations, setting up the tripod followed by adjustment after adjustment, an inadequate quantity and quality of light, and then the unpredictable, intermittent presence of a barely perceptible wind that results in a constantly “moving target”, macro photography is very challenging and frustrating at times. (It is important to acknowledge that modern day focus-stacking software helps to eliminate some of the depth-of-field issues).
Of course this is assuming that the desired outcome is to attempt to achieve tack-sharp focus, avoid blur and to obtain a decent depth-of-field. Now, some of these limitations could have been overcome had I decided to set-up an indoor studio with a larger format camera and a significant investment in lighting and other equipment. Clearly this was not a path that I personally wished to pursue.
And so, while I was in the midst of researching and enjoying other photographers’ work I received a postcard with a stunning image by Tim Fleming, a wonderful local artist. I visited him during an Open Studio and saw a collection of several images he had done on a scanner. He was very kind and generous enough to share his process and so I decided to make some attempts of my own. This eventually became a turning point in my work and allowed me to achieve the creative vision I had in mind, but struggled to achieve with conventional means. I will always feel grateful and indebted to Tim for his helpful guidance. Please read more on this blog about The Pros and Cons of Scanning and A Perfect Marriage between a Scanner and Dye Sublimation Prints.