Throughout her photographer career, Leah McLean (@thesaltedimage) has photographed nearly every subject that is available. A few years ago she settled on the quiet and creative genre of floral still life photography, which she says is perfect for an introvert like herself, and now she has a photography business called The Salted Image. We caught up with McLean to learn more about how she creates her floral images and why she switched to a Sony Alpha camera and Sony sleeper prime lens. Keep reading as she shares what’s in her bag.
How this photographer uses a full-frame Sony Alpha camera, a single sleeper prime lens and off-camera flash to create stunning images of flowers.
I have a love for gardening, art and creating light with off camera flash, and this niche is the perfect combo of all three subjects. I love to be inspired by the still life paintings of the Dutch masters and I use that art as a source of inspiration for arranging my florals, composition, light and color choices. I also love nature and being outside in my garden where I grow my floral subjects and love to create my own light using off-camera flash for both indoor and outdoor locations. OCF is a major part of my creative process and I use one to three lights in virtually all of my work. My bag of gear is almost exactly the same for if I am shooting inside or out in my garden.
Camera
Sony Alpha 7R III: I chose the Sony Alpha 7R III because of the sensor that gives me the high resolution and large image size that I need for my floral photography. It captures the immense detail in my photos and allows me to create very large prints. It is also a perfect fit for my hand and I love the lightweight and mirrorless design. I shot with another brand of camera for close to 15 years and constantly struggled with focus issues. Because I had invested in so many lenses and camera bodies, I was hesitant to switch to a new brand. It took me several years of consideration and research before making the jump to Sony. The only thing I regret about that choice is that I didn't make it sooner! Sony erased my focus issues overnight and the clarity of each image is perfect for the amount of detail I want to capture. I am smitten by the A7R III's eye autofocus and I use that frequently when photographing people. I also love the video option and use it to create content for my Skillshare and online courses.
Photo by Leah McLean. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 55mm f/1.8. 1/60-sec., f/14, ISO 100
Lens
Sony 55mm f/1.8: This was the lens that I bought when I first got my Sony camera. I chose this because it is a great all around focal length that I could use for capturing both business and personal photos. At that time I was also shooting a lot of fine art portraiture and this lens did well in my small studio space. Even to this day I use this lens for the majority of my photography. I love that it is lightweight and can easily travel with me for outdoor hikes and garden photography. I often have to shoot with one hand while I hold a light with the other and this small but mighty lens allows me to do this without going into muscle failure.
Photo by Leah McLean. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 55mm f/1.8. 1/320-sec., f/11, ISO 100
Accessories
Vanguard Alta Pro Tripod: I use a tripod for most of my work so that I can easily make changes to my arrangement without changing my angle.
Phone & Phone Stand: I record a lot of my sessions so that I can easily share BTS info for social media and online education content. I also use my phone to trigger my camera and for on the spot image transfers.
Light Stands: I have a small light stand (pictured) that I use for short flowers in my garden and a taller light stand (not pictured) for my studio work.
Flashpoint Zoom li-ion Speedlight and R2 Trigger: I have several OCF lights of varying power and the small size of this speedlight makes it perfect for outdoor and indoor use.
Photo by Leah McLean. Sony Alpha 7R III. Sony 55mm f/1.8. 1/200-sec., f/8, ISO 100
Glow 28” Foldable Beauty Dish: This is my all around favorite modifier. It is lightweight and folds up to a nice size for outdoor work. It is also easily maneuverable for studio sessions and creates beautiful light.
Floral Design Supplies: I use a lot of floral wire and tape for my arrangements and these pack easily into my gear bag.
Gloves & Clippers: You never know when you may have to battle a thorny plant or clip a branch or stem.
Extra Batteries: You can never have too many batteries.
See more of Leah McLean’s work on Instagram @thesaltedimage.
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