Lens-Artists Challenge #301 – Floral
For this week’s Lens-Artists challenge, Sofia (of Photographias) has a winning proposition to all her blog readers: “Let’s have a celebration of flowers.” What a more opportune time for those who live in the Northern Hemisphere, where spring is in full bloom! If you are a nature photographer like me, you will likely have thousands of flower photos in your catalog. I have to exercise self-restraint and not bore you with endless flower photos. Luckily for me, Sofia offered some suggestions. She said, “Let’s find different angles, play with post-editing, get closer or further afield, find strange and unknown flowers.” You can head directly to the slideshow section if you prefer to skip my text and see only the photos I shared below.
One type of floral composition I like to use is to get low on the ground and capture the flowers from the ground up. That offers me a view that our eyes typically do not see. It also eliminates many distractions in my surroundings. Sometimes, I do not even need to get low. I looked up to see these Mexican Plum flowers. Mexican Plum flowers are among the first to bloom in the Spring in Texas. They have a noticeable aroma. The first time I saw them this spring was precisely because their scent was in the air before I even saw them.
Next, I got low on the ground and pointed my camera up for the Leavenworth’s Eryngo flowers you see here. I isolated my subject and also set it against a beautiful blue sky. I also knew there was a lot of pollinator activity. So, with some patience, I captured a couple of pollinators approaching the flowers, giving you a sense of dimension for those blooms.
I am also a fan of ICM and have a few in my blog. Using blooming trailing roses from our garden, I wanted to convey the idea of Spring rushing in after a cold winter. A little intentional camera movement helped me create that motion in the photo above.
One of the beautiful things about Spring wildflowers is that they keep appearing one after another. Here in Texas, in May, we have several wildflowers blooming in our parks and roadways. One of the nicest things about these flowers is they are entirely different in March and April. The three photos above were all captured this May. They should give you an idea of how colorful a flower field gets. Sometimes, you also luck out and capture a pollinator in action, such as that Fiery Skipper on the Texas Thistle. The next photo shows a Lemon Beebalm or Horsemint surrounded by Mexican Hats. The last photo in that set is the beautiful American Basketflower. Do you have a favorite in that set?
Besides ICM experimentation, I sometimes enjoy creating orbs with wildflower photos. The orb on the right in the set below comes from the Antelope-Horn Milkweed hosting a Gray Hairstreak butterfly feast. It may not be clear, but some other pollinators are also hidden in the middle of the flower. Did you count how many butterflies are in that tiny flower? Don’t miss the fifth one in the center. Click on each image to see its full size.
How about our 300th challenge celebration last week? Did you miss it? Ann-Christine asked us to think about delicate things. What a joy it was seeing all the beautiful responses you provided. The photos were beautiful and showed us how sometimes we overlook delicate things we do not usually consider delicate. Great job!
Be sure to check Sofia’s post this week. Her floral examples are eye-popping and beautiful. I am sure you will want to add your floral extravaganza. Please use the “lens-artists” hashtag when responding to her post so we can easily find it in the Reader.
Next week, our host will be John. What will he have in store? I suspect it’ll be a fascinating theme. Check his blog on Saturday at 12 noon (EDT in the USA). Please see this page to learn more about the Lens-Artists Challenge and its history.
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SoyBend
The orb effect really turned out well, Egidio!
Egidio Leitao
Thank you, Siobhan. The thing with orbs is that you have to experiment with different crops to finally reach that perfect blend.
Terri Webster Schrandt
I see you went the alliterative route as well with your post title, and righty so, Egidio! Flowers are fun to fotograph (LOL)! Wow, stunning, and unique angles. When we visited the tulip gardens in Portland, my knees paid the price for constantly squatting/bending to get those low to high shots! Your wildflowers are lovely–hope they keep on blooming for you 🙂
Egidio Leitao
Terri, others may have noticed it, but you’re the first to say it. Yes, I got some help from AI to come up with that title. I liked the alliteration. I liked yours in the reply, too. Thanks for the kind words about the post and photos. I hear you about the knees. I’ve been avoiding that lately unless I have my knee pad with me. The beauty of our wildflowers is that there are always new ones each month, even in the atrocious 100-degree temperatures in the summer.
Ritva Sillanmäki Photography
The glorious beauty of flowers is captured beautifully, details and colors shine. A fiesta to the senses. lovely compositions – basically I am saying, a lovely post. Rushing into Spring for some reason became my favorite. Spring this year came and went in few says and we landed straight into summer
Egidio Leitao
Thanks so much for the feedback, Ritva. It’s interesting how certain photos seem to connect with us more than others. I’m happy you liked that ICM. We are already experiencing hot temperatures here, too.
philosophy through photography
Love your take on this theme.
Such a lovely collection and explanation!
ICM my fav`
Egidio Leitao
I’m happy that you liked that one, Phil. Thanks for the feedback.
philosophy through photography
You are welcome, Egidio.
Anonymous
Wonderful work
Egidio Leitao
Thank you so much for your feedback.
Shelley
Egidio what a fascinating take on the prompt. I love how you took the challenge and played with various angles and options and editing techniques. I was intrigued by the Horsemint surrounded by Mexican Hats. The petals on the Mexican Hats look very similar to the Black-Eyed Susan that grows in my yard in the summer. Texas has a splendid mix of flowers to enjoy. I counted 5 butterflies – that flower was the spot to be! Well done! 🥰
Egidio Leitao
Shelley, I’m happy that you liked my approach to the challenge. Thank you so much for your compliment and feedback.
Shelley
You’re welcome. I always learn something from your posts too! Someday maybe I’ll get brave and try some of the editing techniques…until then, I’ll be wowed by you posts!
Egidio Leitao
Shelley, that is so kind of you with that compliment. Thank you.
Shelley
You’re welcome!
solaner
Very nice, Egídio. How do you create those orbs?
Egidio Leitao
André, it seems like my reply disappeared. I wonder if you saw it. If not, you can see the post I have on how to create orbs. It’s at the bottom of that post.
solaner
Yep, I got it. Thanks, Egídio. I already tried a first one, but I wasn’t happy about the outcome. I have to try a few more 😊
Egidio Leitao
I’m having issues with my website, and somethings got lost. Orbs are that way. You just have to keep trying different crops until you get one you like. I have found that simple compositions with blank spaces lead to better orbs.
solaner
Thx. I have to re-try it.
I. J. Khanewala
Lovely. Especially that icm is beautifully exacuted
Egidio Leitao
Thank you very much for the feedback.
PR
Awesome flowers shots, Egidio 😀. The ones with so many butterflies on them – very cool!
Egidio Leitao
PR, I’m happy you liked these. I was so surprised when I stopped to photograph that flower and saw the number of butterflies enjoying it, too. Thanks for the response.
Tranature - quiet moments in nature
Beautiful images Egidio, I especially love the way you captured the wildflowers and orb is magical too 😊
Egidio Leitao
Xenia, many thanks for your kind words.
Sofia Alves
Thank you for introducing me to so many beauties, Egídio. This is exactly what I hoped for, different flowers, unknown to me and perhaps so many others. Your photos are so vibrant, even when capturing flowers your personality comes through.
Egidio Leitao
Sofia, your theme is wonderful. In selecting my photos, I tried to choose some that were more common to this area. It seems to have worked. I’m happy you liked the response.
Rebecca Cuningham
Great looking wildflowers, Egídio! I like the flower’s ground facing up view.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for the feedback, Rebecca.
photobyjohnbo
Egidio, your post entices me to try ICM and to experiment with some different processing toys. I better get started, though, Thursday (my response deadline) is coming soon. >grin<
Egidio Leitao
Thank you so much, John.
Anne Sandler
Beautiful! Beautiful! Beautiful! I especially like your ICM photo. I’m going to have to try that with flowers. I also like the varied colors in this post. And I can’t forget to mention your orbs. I’ve never attempted that either. This is just a wonderful post.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for your support and compliment, Anne. I appreciate it more than words can express.
Tina Schell
An incredible array Egidio, Ladybird would be proud 😊. Rushing into spring is so creative and your orbs remind me I’ve not played with them for a long time! What a catch to find all of those butterflies on one flower!! I think you’ve outdone yourself on this one…superb!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks so much, Tina. Ladybird was a special woman. I’m so happy for the legacy she spread around this country.
Anonymous
These are gorgeous Edigio!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks for the compliment.
Leanne Cole
These are so wonderful, bright and really gorgeous flowers Egidio.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks a million, Leanne.
Marie
Beautiful, as always. And a perfect combination and composition for the collage.
Egidio Leitao
Thanks so much, Marie.
Tra Italia e Finlandia
Che bellezza!
Egidio Leitao
Grazie mille!
restlessjo
I obviously need to go to Mexico, Egidio, because my favourites are the Mexican flowers. That plum is so delicate, and I love the colours of the hats.
Egidio Leitao
The Mexican plum flowers are probably available closer to you. Those I photographed were right here in Texas. The Mexican Hat flowers are indeed so colorful. Thanks for the feedback.
restlessjo
🤗🌸
Leya
Gorgeous, Egidio, just gorgeous! The spring ICM was clever, coming in horizontal, and orbs are delicious things…I had almost forgotten about them,. Getting in low is perfect, but it has to be dry weather…
Egidio Leitao
Ann-Christine, first of all, many thanks for your comments. I agree with you about the dry weather comment. I also need to have a knee pad with me. Sometimes the soil can be so hard.
Writing to Freedom
What a beautiful display of color, flowers, and spring’s exuberance! I like your ICM images too Egidio.
Egidio Leitao
Brad, I am so glad you liked this post and photos. Thank you.
Writing to Freedom
My pleasure.
Ingrid
Beautiful photos. I especially enjoyed the ICM image… something I plan on experimenting with sometime.
Egidio Leitao
I really appreciate your comment, Ingrid. ICM can be really fun. It’s always unpredictable.
Dawn M. Miller
These are incredible!
Egidio Leitao
Thanks so much, Dawn. I value your feedback.
margaret21
Some great hints here about how you achieved your lovely results. Mind you, I used to be a fan of throwing myself on the ground to get nice low shots. These days, that ain’t so easy (aka impossible).
Egidio Leitao
Margaret, thank you for the feedback. I’m happy you liked the hints and photos. I have to be careful when I get low on the ground. When I get up quickly, I sometimes feel a bit dizzy.
margaret21
Aagh! But at least you can get there!