Pixiq

 "There are no rules!" This is Harold Davis' favorite exclamation. His extraordinary closeup photographs of flowers and water drops inspire Harold's books and workshops. 

In this up-tempo interview, Harold explains the best time of day for macro photography and if it is okay to alter natural world images for optimum results. We learn about histograms, black and white conversion, light box photographic methods, and focus stacking.

Have you ever used LAB color mode? It is Harold's favorite way to manage color in Photoshop. 

How about intentional out of focus image making? If there are no rules, how does a photographer stay in focus?

Harold Davis

Nemo encourages all Pixiq listeners and readers to visit Harold's Digital Field Guide portal home page to see examples of his work and follow his links.

NOTE: Our Skype conversation has a few strange sounds. Please ignore them and listen to Harold's words of wisdom.

Listen to the new photography podcast Click with Nemo!

Click With Nemo 006: Interview with Harold Davis | Subscribe to Click with Nemo on iTunes

Harold provides, as promised in the interview, the following resource information:

Tripods, lowboy tripods for shooting close to the ground, quick real plates, ballheads, and various macro gear: Really Right Stuff, and Kirk Enterprises

Lightweight tripod solution is the Gorillapod

I mentioned using macro telephoto. Here's the Nikon 200mm version, and here's the Canon 180mm version.

Here are some software tools I frequently use, the Color Efex Pro and HDR Efex Pro from Nik Software. I frequently use LAB color effects in my work, these are best explained in my book The Photoshop Darkroom from Focal Press (Focal site also includes a free download of the LAB action I wrote, and you need to create a login to see it).

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 Harold's publisher, Focal Press, has graciously provided a copy of of his jaw-dropping book, Photographing Flowers — Exploring Macro Worlds with Harold Davis for a giveaway in conjunction with our sixth episode of the Click with Nemo Photography Podcast.

Giveaway:

Win a copy of Photographing Flowers — Exploring Macro Worlds with Harold Davis. 

Our simple Google Plus giveaway rules are below.

Here’s how to enter.

- Visit Harold Davis' web site http://www.digitalfieldguide.com/

- Visit our Google Plus giveaway post for details here  - Win a Copy of Photographing Flowers by Harold Davis 

- The winner will be contacted via Google Plus. In order for us to be able to contact you you must have the Pixiq Google Plus fan page circled.

Photographing Flowers — Exploring Macro Worlds with Harold Davis 

Capture stunning macro floral images with this gorgeous guide by acclaimed photographer Harold Davis. You'll learn about different types of flowers, macro equipment basics, and the intricacies of shooting different floral varieties in the field and in the studio. 

Harold also shows you techniques in the Photoshop darkroom that can be applied to flower photography to help you get the most out of your images. 

Beautiful and authoritative, this guide to photographing flowers is a must-read for every photographer interested in flower photography. Photographing Flowers will also win a place in the hearts of those who simply love striking floral imagery.

Photographing Flowers — Exploring Macro Worlds with Harold Davis

Giveaway Rules:

1. You must be 18 years or older to enter

2. You must be following the Pixiq Google Plus fanpage.

3. The prizes will be announced after June 8, 2012 by Pixiq via Google Plus. The book will be shipped directly from Focal Press to the winner.

4. USA only shipping is possible for this giveaway.

5. Entry deadline: June 1st, 2012 Midnight EDT.

6. We are collecting entries as they come in and will use randomizer.org to choose the one winner at random.

7. By entering into the giveaway you agree to our standard terms for Sweepstakes giveaways.

Music on the Click with Nemo podcast is provided via Creative Commons from Löhstana David.