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.
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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.
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.
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.
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.
