A Flower's Life

Gallery: LandscapePosted August 14, 2011483 views30 comments

Made my annual trip to the Dunes to shoot the sunflowers this weekend. The extreme drought of the last 6 months meant not as many flowers, but a recent rainfall probably kept that number from being zero. I spent a couple hours in the afternoon and scouted for a suitable flower, then returned for sunrise after spending the night trying to catch the Perseids (moon was a bit bright...). I found this guy while returning from my hike to the one i had previously scouted. I waited for the shadows/light to hit just the right balance, so most of the fg was in shadow, the bg lit up, and just a hint of light on the bloom. Ive done similar comps in the past, but there's always a new combo to come up with and it never gets boring! Tilt-shift really helped here so that i could keep any movement in the flower at a minimum. I thought about including some of the base of the flower, but that would have required a stitch at 24mm (i was backing up here already) and there were some minor distractions around the flower base that I wanted to avoid.
5Dmkii; 24mm TS-E at f/9 1/125s ISO 400
C&C welcome!

Comments

30 comments

Comment posted by Nick Bristol on August 14, 2011 at 11:18 AM

Fantastic shot Stan. This was good planning and really well done. The flower getting some light and then the background dunes lit up looks wonderful to me. Nice textures and detail in the shadowed sand too. You are getting good use out of your tilt-shift lens, and getting good with it! Really nice work, Stan.

Nick Bristol
Lone Rock, WI

Registered on February 1, 2004, 752 Posts, 14140 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on August 14, 2011 at 11:23 AM

That light is really sweet! I love the richness of the color in the sand here too. That lens does make a beautifully crisp and clear image. Not including the base of the flower is kind of an issue for me.

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on August 14, 2011 at 11:26 AM

While I like this Stan. The flower without a base and growing out of the edge is odd. Are you adverse to cloning your photos? I like your work hugely and always think your philosophy on photography is well woth considering.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Lotito on August 14, 2011 at 11:27 AM

Stan there is something really cool about this shot!

Registered on June 26, 2009, 181 Posts, 1558 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on August 14, 2011 at 11:39 AM

Charlie, im not averse to cloning minor things, in fact i cloned a small stone out here (and left another intact) But if i had left the base here, it would have meant more cloning than im comfortable with--basically altering the scene/changing the reality. I had about 5 seconds tops here to consider whether i should include the base--I literally didnt even have time to set up the shift on my lens because the light was changing so fast here and another second would have meant a different comp. So, it became a quick balancing act. On the plus side (for me), the flower appearing out of 'nowhere' made it look odder, which is ok with me--i want odd! The only negative i could come up with (in those 5 seconds

) was that i would get a few folks asking me if I 'added' the flower later. Since I have about 12 shots of the same flower that clearly show it wasn't added, that becomes a non issue for me. Hence, the 'odd' flower stays!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on August 14, 2011 at 11:46 AM

Great! NPN again comes through as providing art and explanation of artist methods. This image is stimulating as, I think, all of yours are.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Charlie Baugh on August 14, 2011 at 11:47 AM

Oh, and I would not have suspected you of adding a flower.

Registered on April 18, 2011, 329 Posts, 1985 Comments

Comment posted by Chris Chamberlain on August 14, 2011 at 11:50 AM

Hey Stan, if your are odd to the second power, does that make you normal?

Chris

Registered on March 13, 2007, 500 Posts, 8365 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on August 14, 2011 at 11:50 AM

Charlie: I doubt anyone would on NPN--i was actually referring to the public, since i get those sort of questions all the time (So, is this photo real or is it Photoshop??)

Chris, I only deal with natural logs, since this was shot with my TS-e. That, and Pi, cause i like Pi, specially blueberry

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Joseph Campisi on August 14, 2011 at 12:25 PM

I was wondering why you left the base of the flower out of the shot Stan. Thanks for the explanation! I think it still works as is.

It's amazing how light can change so rapidly sometimes...literally in seconds. Sometimes you just have to catch it quickly before it's gone! Very nice contrast and juxtaposition of elements here!

Registered on November 24, 2008, 304 Posts, 3211 Comments

Comment posted by Hamed Musharbak on August 14, 2011 at 1:42 PM

cooooool

what about sunset

Hamed

Registered on June 1, 2009, 372 Posts, 2282 Comments

Comment posted by R.Bill Moser on August 14, 2011 at 2:31 PM

Stan I love this shot. Well done

Registered on January 29, 2010, 285 Posts, 4281 Comments

Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on August 14, 2011 at 2:35 PM

I really like the concept and light, but sort of wish for more flower and less middle-ground.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments

Comment posted by Nancy Lea Sandy on August 14, 2011 at 2:38 PM

Very nice and refreshingly unusual. The light/shadow ratio is about perfect and the fg texture is fascinating.

Registered on January 24, 2011, 576 Posts, 6942 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Chambers on August 14, 2011 at 3:42 PM

Very nice concept and exposure, but the lack of the base is really hurting it IMO.

Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments

Comment posted by Floris van Breugel on August 14, 2011 at 4:14 PM

You know I love these sunflowers, Stan. I still really need to get out there to see them! I love the distant dunes, but find the cropped bottom of the flower and the vast expanse of sand between the flower and the background to be less than ideal.

Registered on December 19, 2008, 306 Posts, 4840 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on August 14, 2011 at 5:49 PM

Thanks, folks! Some interesting comments about the mid-ground...i can understand the critique about the flower, but it never even occurred to me to include less space here--the whole point/concept here revolves around negative space/isolation! But of course im not expecting everyone to love the idea

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Duval on August 14, 2011 at 6:35 PM

Choices, Choices,choices.....I think you did well Stan....It does have some negative space in the mid-ground but I don't know how you could have avoided that...Processing as always is great... Kinda lonely out there...

Paul

Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments

Comment posted by John Mumaw on August 14, 2011 at 7:49 PM

I for one like the negative space, but do wish that the flower didn't appear cut off.
Regardless, you got some wonderful light and an excellent composition here!

Registered on September 9, 2005, 62 Posts, 2289 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce Omori on August 15, 2011 at 3:46 AM

Cool shot, Stan. It does work as is, but my eyes keep wishing to see what it would've looked like with the base of the flower... or is it my brain? lol. Unique composition!

Registered on December 6, 2010, 6 Posts, 175 Comments

Comment posted by Kent Mearig on August 15, 2011 at 2:17 PM

There's a lot to like in the image, but I'm not into having a main subject so blatantly jutting from an edge like this. Love the colors and dark space though.

Registered on September 4, 2006, 237 Posts, 4748 Comments

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on August 15, 2011 at 3:33 PM

Nice shot Stan ! I remember similar shots from last year as well

Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments

Comment posted by Paul Marcellini on August 15, 2011 at 3:37 PM

Another very interesting shot for your dune collection. I wold have preferred the whole stalk but not a deal breaker by any means.

Registered on November 27, 2007, 250 Posts, 2468 Comments

Comment posted by Michael J Greene, on August 15, 2011 at 4:18 PM

Hi Stan,

I love the background of the image with the sky and dunes, but that's about it. The framing of the flower is an issue for me and it looks like you went a bit overboard with the luminance sliders as well. I could see removing a decent amount of negative space in the middle image as it plays too large a part in the middle of the scene. Your overall technical execution of the shot is very impressive though.

Michael

Registered on June 18, 2009, 86 Posts, 2317 Comments

Comment posted by Anil Rao on August 16, 2011 at 1:00 AM

I am enjoying this very much, Stan. Very unique composition and kudos for being brave enough to go for it.

Registered on November 15, 2003, 234 Posts, 4923 Comments

Comment posted by Zack Clothier on August 17, 2011 at 8:28 AM

I have mixed feelings about this one Stan, I saw it a few days ago and decided to wait to comment. I think the cut off stem is what's bothering me as the rest of the scene is really nice. It's certainly an interesting composition, kudos for thinking outside the box here.

Registered on January 28, 2010, 343 Posts, 2257 Comments

Comment posted by Stan Rose on August 17, 2011 at 9:51 AM

Thanks for the comments, folks!

Registered on September 15, 2005, 836 Posts, 17099 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on August 22, 2011 at 9:18 PM

Love the contrasts in this one. Beautiful, Stan!

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

Comment posted by Pavel Cakl on September 5, 2011 at 6:15 PM

Hello Stan, this is wonderful shot. But that flower just does not fit in there for me at all. I would like it more without it even it is supposed to be the main subject. So I am sorry I just like the lines and the light itself.

Registered on April 8, 2010, 7 Posts, 178 Comments

Comment posted by Pavel Cakl on September 5, 2011 at 6:23 PM

I am sorry Stan, I just found the "Survivor" shot on your website. So I have to say that that one is soooo amazing !! So maybe this shot is really just missing the base of the flower for me. Sorry for posting this comment here I just felt like it.

Registered on April 8, 2010, 7 Posts, 178 Comments