I am is a self-taught photographer from the central part of Slovenia. My passion for photography is deeply intertwined with nature, which manifests in a diverse portfolio – from landscapes and long exposure to macro.
Living in the suburbs of Slovenia’s capital, Ljubljana, I take many of my photos on the nearby fields and hills. To me, photography is a “serious hobby”. When I’m not not behind the camera, I study for my master’s in microbiology.
I often wanders around alone with my camera as a form of relaxation; however, I also enjoy the company of my family and our dog Poso.
My Best Photo
My best is the photo of a physalis plant seed I took in 2016. I took it in manual focus using the focus ring on the camera I had back then and was the best amongst the photos I took at that time. It stood out so much that it was my favourite for a long time. I still enjoy the colours on it, although it could be improved with higher aperture value and consequently more depth of field.
My current favourite photo is this stone bridge in the forest with a small stream I took in February. It’s a long exposure, but it was not particularly difficult to pull-off from a technical standpoint. I simply adore the scenery, because it looks like something from a fairy-tale (or Skyrim) to me. It’s one of those photos I can’t stop looking at, even if it’s my own.
I used the following gear:
- Camera body – Nikon D7500.
- Lens – AF-S DX NIKKOR 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR – this kit lens is my only lens for now, but it holds up really well.
- Extension tubes – I use a set of Meike extension tubes for macro and closeup photography.
- Tripod – Genesis base ABT and the Genesis ABH-36 ball head.
- Filters – Two ND filters: MarumiND 8 and Hoya ND200.
- Flash – Built in. I don’t use the flash all that much to be honest- I wish to get a flash just for macro one day though.
- Remote control – Pixel TW 283.
I’d say it only has a small impact on my photography, especially from a creative standpoint, since photography and nature have always gone hand in hand for me.
Timewise, most of my schedule is taken up by University-related assignments, so I have to adjust my photographic activity to it. That has taught me to be more spontaneous for sure, that’s why sometimes I grab my camera without any prior planning and just go out and shoot!
My settings
I shoot various motives and naturally always try to find the settings that work best, so I’d say that they are very versatile. The only thing I like to avoid is high ISO due to the noise it introduces. Long exposure is a technique that stands out to me – it takes some more planning, but is oftentimes the most rewarding.
Post-processing
I’m a big fan of open source software, so I use just that. The main program I use for postprocessing is Darktable. My editing process usually consists of adjusting the tone curve, local contrast, sharpening the image and fixing the colours a bit, and then just playing around with settings until I achieve what I think looks the best.
I’m not concerned about consistency all that much. I also find myself using masks in almost every photo, either to enhance the subject in some way or to remove disruptive background elements.
Sometimes I manually stack images or remove larger elements from the photo. I do that in Krita, which is primary a painting program.
Another fun fact is that since I’m left-handed, I can use a graphic tablet and a mouse simultaneously when editing, with a stylus in my left and a mouse in my right hand.
To beginners
Double check the settings.
Image quality and resolution were reduced for Web. To see Eva’s photos in full size, use one of the links.
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