Honeysuckle: Lensbaby Velvet 56 f/4 ISO 6400 1/60 second reflector to light inside of flower laying on the ground shooting up into the bell of the flower low light, but the sky was...

Nightski

Lensbaby Velvet 56
f/4
ISO 6400
1/60 second
reflector to light inside of flower
laying on the ground shooting up into the bell of the flower
low light, but the sky was still bright coming through the tree branches, thus the specular highlights

RedIris Loc: MN, USA

I'm pretty sure that's a Columbine.

Nice bokeh background. Focal point is nice. Composition good, but could use some shifting to the left, it needs some room in front of it. The stem leads your eye to the flower. Lighting is great. I like the soft edges. Delicate.
Could use some contrast or not, since the edges are soft, and depicting delicacy.

Nightski

RedIris wrote:

I'm pretty sure that's a Columbine.

Nice bokeh background. Focal point is nice. Composition good, but could use some shifting to the left, it needs some room in front of it. The stem leads your eye to the flower. Lighting is great. I like the soft edges. Delicate.
Could use some contrast or not, since the edges are soft, and depicting delicacy.

Thank you, RedIris. I was told as a child that it was a honeysuckle flower and I guess I never questioned it. LOL I appreciate the information.

RedIris Loc: MN, USA

Nightski wrote:

Thank you, RedIris. I was told as a child that it was a honeysuckle flower and I guess I never questioned it. LOL I appreciate the information.

You're welcome. I do a lot of flower gardening. Honeysuckle is a vine. The flower is white. Columbine grows directly out of the ground on a stalk from the central plant. This is a Common Wild Columbine. There are many hybrid colors, but the flower in the wild is red/yellow. Hummingbirds love them.
Perhaps your folks called it that since you can snip the bulbous end of each funnel and suck out the honey from the flower. We used to do that as kids.. I taught my kids and Grandchildren to do that too.. ;)

Nightski

RedIris wrote:

You're welcome. I do a lot of flower gardening. H... (show quote)

Yes, that is why. I am attempting to grow some flowers in my garden this year. I have always just grown vegetables, so it's a new experience. I did find that columbine in the wild, but when I looked it up after your comment I found out I can actually buy columbine seed. One thing I would really like to grow is Calla Lilies. I live in Minnesota though, so I don't know if they will do well. Going to get over to the garden shop soon and find out.

jayway55 Loc: Philadelphia Area - USA

Simply stunning, Sandra. I love the details, lighting and of course the dreamy background. I think I'm going to ask Santa for a Velvet 56!
Jane

Uuglypher Loc: South Dakota (East River)

Nightski wrote:

Lensbaby Velvet 56
f/4
ISO 6400
1/60 second
reflector to light inside of flower
laying on the ground shooting up into the bell of the flower
low light, but the sky was still bright coming through the tree branches, thus the specular highlights

Absolutely lovely. A well conceived and accomplished image, Sandra!

The sharply focused pistils and stamina qualify it for that class of botanical portraiture a friend of mine, a fervent fan of Georgia O'Keefe's, calls " botanical soft porn"

Dave

Meives Loc: FORT LAUDERDALE

It's best to click on "store original" when advising. Better download and all camera settings are there.

Nightski

Meives wrote:

It's best to click on "store original" when advising. Better download and all camera settings are there.

Yes, Meives. But even if I had done that you wouldn't get all the settings. I used a Lensbaby Velvet 56 which is a manual aperture, manual focus lens. It does not speak the same language as my Canon camera. I believe I did share the settings though.

Nightski

Uuglypher wrote:

Absolutely lovely. A well conceived and accomplished image, Sandra!

The sharply focused pistils and stamina qualify it for that class of botanical portraiture a friend of mine, a fervent fan of Georgia O'Keefe's, calls " botanical soft porn"

Dave

Thank you, Dave.

Country's Mama Loc: Michigan

Nicely done. I love the ethereal feel that it has. I would love to see a full size version of this one.

jackm1943 Loc: Omaha, Nebraska

Nightski wrote:

Lensbaby Velvet 56
f/4
ISO 6400
1/60 second
reflector to light inside of flower
laying on the ground shooting up into the bell of the flower
low light, but the sky was still bright coming through the tree branches, thus the specular highlights

Absolutely beautiful Sandra. I used this technique (reflecting warm light from below and shooting upward) for photographing mushrooms on film when I was much younger. It's too damned hard getting back up now.

Terrym9 Loc: Hillsboro, Oregon

Nightski wrote:

Lensbaby Velvet 56
f/4
ISO 6400
1/60 second
reflector to light inside of flower
laying on the ground shooting up into the bell of the flower
low light, but the sky was still bright coming through the tree branches, thus the specular highlights

Sandra that is one of the best looking flower pictures I have seen on UHH. The colors are perfect. It very much rewards the effort you put into it.

Terry

AzPicLady Loc: Behind the camera!

I think this is a delightful image. The colours are very nice. It's soft where it should be and sharp where it should be. My only thing is the big circle in the background just below the flower. Not sure what that is.

RedArrow Loc: Coastal Louisiana

I normally do not comment on flower images but this one does stand out. The upward view with the sky halos in the bokeh gives a extra touch. The use use of a reflector aiming upward to give the flower a soft defused light to illuminate the inter-parts of the columbine worked. Overall a very nice portrait of a columbine flower.