Early...sunflower repost

Gallery: FloraPosted August 7, 201063 views9 comments

I took this recently, just after sunrise. The bees were working the sunflowers heavily, and it is interesting to me in progressive photos to watch the available pollen disappear. This is one of the early images in the series. I felt I could have posted this in any of 3 galleries, but chose Flora because the focus that morning was on the sunflower. I find the insects an added bonus, but I also don't take many flower images. What do you who shoot flora regularly think/prefer? 7D, ISO 400, 1/1000, f/11, 220mm small crop

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Wayne Rhodus on August 8, 2010 at 9:11 AM

Given their plight in recent years I'm encouraged to see bees in numbers pollenating the fields. I like the sunflower as you caught it in it's prime and I also like seeing the accumulation of pollen on the bees. There may be to many bees in this image for most as they do compete with the main subject. I'd be interested to see this brightened a little bit too.

Glad to see you posting to the Flora forum Rob. Stop by often.

Registered on November 16, 2003, 157 Posts, 3326 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on August 8, 2010 at 10:00 AM

Rob: I agree with Wayne on brightening this a bit but I like the find and the comp. We often comment on whether party crashers help or hinder a shot and here I think they tell a real tale. This is one well attended flower! Great to have you aboard and looking forward to more. >=))>

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1805 Posts, 26981 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on August 8, 2010 at 12:42 PM

A good documentary image Rob. I suppose I agree that I'd brighten it some as already suggested. A polarizer might have helped with the reflections on the bees, assuming you want to de-emphasize them Looking forward to seeing more in the series and welcome to the gallery.

Pat

Registered on May 19, 2007, 953 Posts, 15989 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on August 8, 2010 at 4:56 PM

Rob, I think you've got a great idea here but not sure if brightening the image is the answer. I do especially like the DOF and the deep green in the BG. Possibly the answer likes with selecting luminosity masks in the most appropriate channel. I think the something needs to be done with the center of the flower.

And I definitely think this flower image with the ants and bees is well worth working on.

Cheers,

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by Rob Graham on August 8, 2010 at 10:05 PM

Thanks for the welcome and the suggestions. You'll get real tired of sunflowers if I post to often :).

I reworked the center of the image, and I think this brightened the whole image a bit.

Registered on August 22, 2006, 842 Posts, 2824 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on August 9, 2010 at 9:53 PM

Welcome to the forum! I like it for the story it tells. I agree maybe a touch of brightening.

Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on August 10, 2010 at 3:23 AM

That's a lot of "party crashers," Rob. And I'm still finding bugs on the flower. Love the spots of iridescence on the bugs and the flower center. Pretty fun shot and a great capture for color and detail and comp. Maybe just a little cloning of some of the spots is all; other than that, this is really cool. I think it's a tie between flora and fauna with so many critters there.

Just saw the repost. Fine job and an improvement.

Registered on August 16, 2006, 603 Posts, 9192 Comments

Comment posted by May Haga on August 10, 2010 at 12:42 PM

That flower has a lot of visitors. Neat image.
May

Registered on February 22, 2007, 714 Posts, 8470 Comments

Comment posted by Albert Darmo on August 11, 2010 at 10:06 PM

Hi Rob

The repost is just right. Very nice color and detail. love the action in this image. Wouldn't change a thing. except the title. My version"sunflower pollen production"

Albert Darmo. Canada

Registered on November 25, 2008, 1386 Posts, 11978 Comments