Flower Photography | FUJI X WEEKLY

Film Simulation Review: Planting Flowers with “Kodak Gold 200”

Posted on April 25, 2020 by Ritchie Roesch

White Tulip Bloom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Believe it or not, there are over 70 different film simulation recipes on Fuji X Weekly! That’s amazing! There are lots more than I would have guessed before I counted them. And I’m working on even more!

Something I’ve realized is that I haven’t spent all that much time on the practical use of these different recipes. You might not know which ones to choose, or when to use them, or maybe even how to use them. Perhaps you are overwhelmed by all of the options. Maybe you are not sure which ones can be used on which cameras. I haven’t done a great job with this side of it, the practical side. Moving forward I hope to make things easier for you by showing you the “what, where and why” of the different film simulation recipes.

This post is the very tiny tip of what I hope is a great big iceberg of information. I plan to publish many articles that I hope are helpful to you, that answer some of the questions you might have about these recipes. This article is a very simple one: an example of when to use my Kodak Gold 200 film simulation recipe. I get asked often, “What’s the best recipe for this situation?” Whatever that situation might be. I thought it would be helpful to showcase different recipes being used in various situations. I hope to do a whole bunch of these types of articles, and I’m calling them Film Simulation Reviews. You’ll be able to see a certain recipes used in a certain situation, and you’ll be able to judge for yourself if you like it or not. If you appreciate how a certain recipe looks in a certain case, for example Kodak Gold 200 with flowers and shaded light, which is what you see here, then you can use it yourself when in a similar situation.

My wife, Amanda, was going to plant some flowers in a pot on our porch, and I wanted to capture it. I grabbed my Fujifilm X-T30 and attached a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens to it. Why this combo? I like that camera and lens; I don’t have a profound answer. Initially I planned to use my Portra 160 recipe, but after judging the light, which was shady and flat, I decided to go with the Gold recipe instead because it has more contrast. I think it was a good choice for this scene. Actual Kodak Gold film was considered a good all-around choice for many situations, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that the film simulation that mimics it is also good for many different situations.

Pot & Soil – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Digging Dirt – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Planting Tulips – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

White Tulip Blossom – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Adding Yellow – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Adding Soil – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Potted Blooms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Just Add Water – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Wet Potted Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Wet Tulip – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Porch Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

Potted Blossoms – Farmington, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 & Fujinon 35mm f/2

The Diversity of Utah Landscapes in Color, Part 2: Flowers

Posted on August 22, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Part 1 – Water Part 3 – Trees

Utah is a beautiful state with a diverse environment. There are snow-capped mountain peaks, green forests, extensive lakes, snaking rivers, vast red deserts and pretty much everything in-between. This photoessay series is intended to exhibit that diversity through my photographs, and each part will have a specific theme. This article, which is Part 2 of The Diversity of Utah Landscapes in Color, is about flowers.

For some people, flower photography is the bread and butter of what they do. I’ve never considered myself a flower photographer, but in the spring and summer when there are beautiful blossoms all around, it’s hard not to find it an interesting subject for the camera. Utah seems like an especially good place to capture the blooming beauty, as there are many lush flower gardens and plentiful wildflowers to choose from, including sometimes one’s own front or backyard.

Flowers:

Vibrant Flowerbed – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – 4/29/2019

Little Blooms, Big Blooms – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 4/18/2017

Urban Flowers – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 4/18/2017

Summer Sun Blossoms – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X100F – 7/10/2018

At the Edge of the In-Between – South Ogden, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 5/28/2017

Dark Rose Blossom – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – 6/13/2019

Drops of Water on a Lily – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 7/2/2018

Yellow Tipped Petal Bloom – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 6/22/2018

Beeutiful – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 6/17/2018

Purple Flower Petals – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 5/28/2017

Purple Macro – Heber City, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 10/2/2018

Bloom Purple – South Weber, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – 6/1/2019

Butterfly Bloom – Heber City, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 10/2/2018

Red Tulip – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 5/4/2018

Tulips – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 4/18/2017

Tulip Bloom – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 4/18/2017

Tulips by the Creek – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-E1 – 4/18/2017

Blossoms By The Pond – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 5/4/2018

Flowers By The Stream – Lehi, UT – Fujifilm X-Pro2 – 5/4/2018

Field of Flowers – Salt Lake City, UT – Fujifilm X-T30 – 4/29/2019

Stay tuned for Part 3!

Salt Lake City: Temple Square Spring Splendor

Posted on May 7, 2019 by Ritchie Roesch

Vibrant Flowerbed – SLC, UT – Fujifilm X-T30

It’s spring, and of course that means spring blossoms. Flowers are in full bloom. Vibrant colors can be found everywhere. One of the more impressive places to see the spring splendor is Temple Square in downtown Salt Lake City. Temple Square is an icon of the city, and a tourist attraction, with visitors coming from across the globe. In the spring the grounds are covered with blossoming flowers.

At Temple Square you’ll find well-kept grounds and interesting architecture. It’s a religious site, and there’s a chance someone might approach you regarding that. I’ve had that happen a couple of times, but it was only slightly awkward and it only happened a small number of times compared to how often I have visited. In other words, most likely you’ll be left alone. This is the church’s property, so be respectful should someone speak with you. It’s usually somewhat crowded, so you’ll blend in with all the tourists snapping pictures.

When I captured these pictures last week, I used a Fujifilm X-T30 with a Fujinon 35mm f/2 lens attached to the front. This is a good lightweight combination that’s great for walk-around photography. I spent about forty five minutes strolling the grounds. Temple Square is a great location for flower photography in the spring. Being an urban environment, it’s a bit unexpected. If you find yourself in Salt Lake City, it’s worth visiting.