Honeysuckle photograph: Comparison to one by Steve Young

This photograph was taken by Steve Young and can be seen in his book ‘Photographing Garden Wildlife’.

f/4; ISO 100; 1/250 second; using Panasonic DMC-FZ18

It inspired me to take the following image:

f/6.3; ISO 400; 1/100 second; focal length 27mm

The photo was taken early in the course. The light was subdued, following a rain shower. I hoped to produce an image similar to Steve Young's, yet also showing the raindrops. The focussing of the image was good, especially on the raindrops.

Comparison of the two images.

Aperture: My image has less wide aperture than Steve Young’s image. My lens will not open to f/4. However f/6.3 has produced a narrow depth of field which is narrow, yet sufficient to enable the entire foreground to remain in focus.

ISO: I have had to use ISO 400, so my image will be grainier and less clear. With the available light this was an acceptable compromise.

Shutter Speed: At a speed of 1/100^th second my speed is much slower. Once more limited light meant that I could not increase shutter speed without increasing ISO. The speed used did produce a clear focussed image, so was an acceptable compromise.

Composition: In Steve’s photo the honeysuckle flower is the dominant impression, highlighted by the pink of the petals. My flowers were less striking in colour, and the image shows more of the flowers and the leaves. In addition my image has the accurately focussed raindrops, which add a separate dimension to the image. Structurally the flower is central in the professional image compared to mine being situated at a Rule of thirds intersection. However since I am showing a wider aspect to the image this is acceptable.

In Conclusion: I believe that my image compares most favourably with that of Steve Young’s. A similarly composed image taken in bright sun light would produce a different effect entirely – being more vibrant. The overall peaceful and respectful effect are similar in both photographs.