Burning White Rose

I know this rose looks yellow, but it was actually snow white. You are looking at the color of light coming up through the rose bud. Phyllis helped me construct a small stage set for this photo (and the others in the series). We cut the stem close, and positioned the rose in a small, clear plastic cylinder. Next we lit the cylinder from the sides with LED lights. I covered the whole thing with black velevt cloth up to the edge of the rose blossom.

Finally, I made sure the room was entirely dark (except for the LED lighting from beneath the rose), and photographed straight down on the inside of the blossom.

Related image: Camellia Light.

[105mm f/2.8 macro lens (157.5mm in 35mm terms), extension tube, 30 seconds at f/36 and ISO 100, tripod mounted.]

Posted in Flowers, Photography

Camellia Light

This is another photo of a camellia blossom, lit from beneath with flat LED lights, and isolated using a black velvet cloth background.

[85mm perspective correcting macro, 4 seconds at f/54 and ISO 100, tripod mounted.]

Posted in Flowers, Photography

White on Black

Here’s a simpler version of the white rose on a black background. I think it might work better without the blue border effect.

Posted in Flowers, Photograms, Photography

Peony Revealed

I was surprised to see the core of the peony resolving itself within my viewfinder.

This is a tree peony flower, a lovely and exotic speciment that blooms once a year with exactly three wonderful flowers. There have only been three flowers in any years for as long as we’ve had this plant.

I have been spending a great deal of time photographing these flowers this year and their secrets.

Tree Peony Flower 2

View this photograph larger.

Less is sometimes more. I loved the way the drops of water came into focus beneath the cloud of peony petals in this photo:

Peony Revelation 2

View this photograph larger.

Posted in Flowers, Photography

Fairly Abstract Peony

This is a fairly abstract photo of the stem of a peony. I was experimenting with attaching both an extension tube and (old, manual) telextender to my 200mm macro lens. So the view is a pretty extreme magnification. It’s also rather soft focus and very colorful.

I like the effect, and am reminded that all parts of a plant can be beautiful and colorful–not just the flower!

Posted in Flowers, Photography

White Flower

This small white flower sits in a shady corner of my garden. It gives off a vague odor of garlic, weird in such a graceful flower.

What I like about this photo is the way the soft green background with dark lines contrasts with the firm white delicacy of the flower.

Posted in Flowers, Photography

Meadow Rue



Meadow Rue in the rain, originally uploaded by Harold Davis.

Yesterday it was raining. The kids woke early. They were playing downstairs: not fighting (a blessing!) but still making some noise. So I got up a little before 6:00 leaving Phyllis to catch a bit more sleep. It was still a bit dark out, partly because of the cloud cover. I cuddled with the kids a bit, then went out to get the paper. On my way out, I saw the meadow rue flowers with raindrops. Very cool pattern. The kids were wanting their breakfast — it’s “Daddy day care” when they get an ice cream sandwich (on real fried bread) and a chocolate sandwich, respectively. But I ignored them for a little, grabbed my camera and tripod, and snapped this picture. Sometimes you have to just focus on the beauty in front of you and ignore the chaos – or else there will be serious rueing later!

Posted in Flowers

Ducks

Who put these ducks adrift in a bathtub so wide?

Posted in Bemusements