I am not anywhere near a pro on such matters, but I love how unique all your flower shots are! I would recommend enhancsing the color and brightening it up a bit, but the subject matter couldn't be better. I love the perspective, but I wish the depth of field would ahve been just a tidge larger so the entire flower interior could have been in focus.

what a beauty this is!! Not only the shape but the wonderful green colour! Not many flowers on earth that are green. Is it tropical? I love the "swirtl" of the flower...I dont remember ever having seen your photos, so this is a first for me. I hope to see many more of yours. I love thsi photo..ten ten and into my favs....post more soon please?? smile

Very nice, Klas. Love all the subtle shades of green and yellow.

Thank you guys. Feedback is always welcome. :) I have fiddled some with color adjustments and light level like usual but I see what you mean Luke. I checked and I agree on that one could increase saturation rather heavily without disturbing the "natural" look much at all.

Brightening the image is another thing IMHO. I tried (again) more then I had done already (I usually does this as routine during my post processing just to see how much the image can take) and the result is that I lose some texture in the brightest areas.

It was a pretty shady and the sun was behind clouds when I shot the photo so the image straight from the camera was pretty dark to begin with.

I partly agree on the dof issue. I usually goes for even shorter though. ;) I was going for a larger depth of field in the image and I guess I could have done it differently. The flower was very large in terms of my close-up shots, it was about 20 cm high. With a smaller flower I would have gotten more of it in focus under these lighting conditions.

Verena: This calla is not native for Sweden. I shot it in a botanical garden in Lund. I don't know where it is from originally.

Klas, I believe almost every image can be enhanced to some degree and I have learned a lot in Photoshop. I am trying very hard to get my camera settings straight for doing macro shots. With all that said, this is still quite lovely and I would be thrilled to have images this nice! Ok, sometimes I do, lol.
JuneBug

Thanks June. :)

I did enhance it. (lol!) I just tried to stop before I over-did it. In other words I already did what was suggested above but only as much as I thought the image could take. I guess I could have spent more time on "real" editing, perhaps some with the dodge tool to make it lighter. I thought it was enough to spend an hour or so with the healing brush and blurring tool to make some minor adjustments... ^_^

Unusual flower...never seen one like this before and I don't know what it's called...but I like the angle and lighting on this...very nice work.:Pat.

Thank you. :) I liked the lighting too. It's a bit on the dark side I guess, but that's just how I want it...

I guess I rather expect (and enjoy) the dark woodsy feel of most of your florals. Overall, a really neat image. I like the angle you chose to shoot the flower and the fact that the entire flower is in the shot.

Unusual angle for a shot Klas, Well done. Is this the natural color or does the the lighting have an effect? Just curious.....thanks again my friend :))

Very delicate colors and superb lighting. Nice shot, Klas :-)

Thank you, BJ, Mimi and Pierre. Getting the whole flower in the shot was actually one of my priorities. It worked best in this "eagle perspective". Mimi: I've tried to get the colors as natural as possible. The lighting affects some naturally but all in all it looked pretty much as this. (At least on my screen... ^_^) When the flower is a bit more unfolded the yellow color is taking over though. It's only got this green hues the first days it starts to unfold.

Hello Klas. If you lived in the Western US, I would say your image is of a "Skunk Cabbage" - (Lysichitum americanum). It grows in swampy ground with upright stalks 4 to 8 inches tall. It gets its popular name from the smell the plant gives off. If you have never smelt a skunk you've really missed something. Let's put it this way: If your dog were to get sprayed, you just as well bury him. It stinks that much.
High score by me.
I really like your image and I hope it smells better than the skunk cabbage. They aren't all that bad smelling, only if you should happen to accidentally step on it.


There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.

Thank you for the input regarding the species. I think it may actually be the one. I did a quick google and it looks strikingly alike. I shot it in a botanical garden so I see no problems in that it is an American species. I read that it is found from Alaska south to Northern California so I think it would do fine in the climate in the south of Sweden.

I'm glad you liked the image. That means a lot coming from you. I'm even more happy that I've not been acquainted with a skunk (and that I didn't step on those flowers)... ^_^

Kameravinkeln och dunklet runt blomman är utmärkt...en bild med feeling...

Tackar och bockar. ^_^ Det blev rätt lyckat också enligt min ringa mening.

i love how the yellow on the inside glows.

Hi Klas
Nice this one.
i love the way the image slowly get blurred and almost dissolves in the background.
and the way you let the colors how the are..without giving then more brightness.
This in my opinion is an honest photo

Your photographies are always "stylistic", if you see what I mean ;-)
I like the delicate yellow/green on the flower.

Beautiful photo of a gorgeous flower. Love everything about this shot. Thanks for sharing :)

Auline

Thank you so much guys, that means a lot to hear. :)

This is a fantastic image. Works well as an abstraction. Wonderfully rich colors and terrific composition.

It can make me think more about it

A great macro of this divine looking flower. I love the color. Excellent work. :)

great macro and color too ! I never seen yellow calla before ! Great job!