Not sure just what exactly I am supposed to be looking at here?

... ...

I keed, I keed.

:oP


Nice shot, Russ.

You dialed in the focus rather spectacularly.

And great colour(s), too.

Thanks for sharing this one with us. The added information (EXIF, et al) is muchly appreciated.

I give this the wow factor, very good close up, with superb details.
tigs=^..^=

Thank you both for the compliments, I really appreciate them. This picture was shot on a hot, dry day, so all the visible moisture is coming from the flower. Also, there's an old webpage detailing another fellows attempt at mastering the MP-E65 lens and it's incredibly shallow DOF here:
http://www.waynesthisandthat.com/macro.html

Here yous go..

The clicky click from Russ' comment above:

"Canon MP-E 65 mm 1x-5x Macro Lens Guide"

I have never seen a pepper blossom before - you captured a fine macro !

Thank you for the nice feedback. If you like peppers and might try growing some, I have one recommendation - the Manzano pepper. That name means 'apple' in Spanish, but it's mostly used in Mexico, where they're highly prized. In South America the same plant is called a Rocoto. The pods are juicy, thick walled and crunchy, like a small, spicy bell pepper. Some can be as hot as a Habanero, but usually less. Highly recommended for salsas, omelettes and sauces. The red variety has been the earliest and heaviest producer for me. They're a thirsty plant and need regular watering in hot weather, but they're also more cold tolerant than most peppers.They can also live a decade or more and become huge, if given support. Last, they're just lovely plants, with stems and leaves covered in a fine, soft fur.