People tend to associate dew with freshness and morning breeze. Micro-sized water droplets resting on the meadow and hanging on the leaf to moisten the trees are the greatest blessings to witness every morning. But due to the fast-paced environment in our modern concrete jungle, scenic wonders like these are now rarely appreciated.
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/3.5; 1/5000 sec; ISO-100
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/2.8; 1/2000 sec; ISO-100
I find myself reminiscing at beautiful childhood memories, when we would play on the misty lawn and get our feet in dirt from running across the damped field. I'm reminded of these memories, simply by admiring the stunning images of morning dew displayed at the city gallery. This was in 2010, when art exhibitions and social media started focusing on macro photography.
EOS 5D Mark III; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/5.0; 1/400 sec; ISO-100
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/2.8; 1/640 sec; ISO-200
I started photography at the end of 2011 and was hypnotised by the magnificent photographs of morning dew drops taken by the master of macro photography in Indonesia, Teguh Santosa. He is also an author of “Down on My Knees to The Finest Details of Your Creation” (“Bersujud Aku dalam Detail Cipta-Mu). When he joined Macroworldmania in 2012, he created dew drop shoots as a new line in macro photography.
In a photo competition, dew drop images are classified under Still Life photography since it has to meet three conditions in the category of ‘water droplets on the grass.’ The three conditions are: perfectly captured of round-shaped droplets with the clear reflection of the background; the composition of the droplets; and the clarity of the foliage or the grass as the backdrop of the image.
EOS 70D; EF50mm f/1.4 USM; 50mm; f/1.4; 1/2000 sec; ISO-100
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/2.8; 1/100 sec; ISO-100
Similar to 'Ndlosoran', an Indonesian term for macro photography, dew droplet style of photography is best characterised with a hint of sunshine, rising up in clear sky with a gathering of dew drops on the green meadow. Armed with the Live-View function, my favourite EOS 70D has enabled me to view the scene in real-time and at my desired angle with its flexible screen. This is best for shoots in awkward positions when I'm lying down or in prone position on my forearms.
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/5.6; 1/500 sec; ISO-100
The sharpness of Canon macro lenses is unbeatable. It also has a sensor that is able to produce a copy of colourful reflection. The narrow depth of field (DoF) drove me to explore more on the beauty of the leafage and tiny flowers that are not easily visible to the naked eye.
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/2.8; 1/125 sec; ISO-100
Flowers and the clarity of the sky reflected on the water droplets and the images of foliage with bokeh effect in the background have led me to earn the nomination of Best Macro Photographer of The Year in 2013 and 2015. I am humbled to be the only female nominee in the top 10 of Best Photographer by Macroworldmania. Feminine style of macro photography is a signature in my featured works across multiple media and international galleries. I was honoured to join several national macro photography competitions as the judge, specialising in the still life category since 2013.
EOS 70D; EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM; 100mm; f/4.0; 1/250 sec; ISO-100
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About the Author
A photographer whose interest is taking pictures of the morning dew, which creates a refreshing and beautiful morning macro world. The uniqueness and magic always make life more enthusiastic. The passion to take pictures of the morning dew and spread the morning spirit through social medias, and photo galleries have made people acknowledge me as Indonesia’s Queen Dew by fellow macro photographers.