Milkweed seed adrift

Gallery: FloraPosted November 23, 20034,649 views9 comments

Canon 10D, 300/4, F8, 1/60

Milkweed seeds are beautiful, but it's hard to get a good setting for them. So I set this one adrift.

I thought of this a while back when shooting floating leaves. I tried this with rippling water (slight wind) and still water, but I did better with a more stationary seed.

Comments

9 comments

Comment posted by Tom Webster on November 23, 2003 at 9:17 PM

Hi ya' Tom :-)

This is very elegant. Milkweed seeds are at the mercy of the currents, whether wind or water. The simple reflection and monochromatic background really emphasizes the elegance of this composition. If I had a nit it would be that the empty space above the seed is a little too big. A bit of a crop off the top I think would make the image balance a bit better. Very nice job, Tom.

(Now, I only wish I could get my dry flies to float this nice!

)

My best regards as always,

Registered on November 1, 2003, 73 Posts, 644 Comments

Comment posted by Michael Stolting on November 23, 2003 at 11:32 PM

Tom, this is wonderfully simple and thoughtful. I agree with Tom Webster about cropping a little (I do mean very little) from the top but not so much as to break up the off-center feel of the image. This shot caught my eye immediately and deserves more then faint praise for its lingering contemplative aura.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 56 Posts, 46 Comments

Comment posted by Marshall Black on November 24, 2003 at 7:02 AM

Very clean and simple. I don't mind the space as I expect it to be there, does that make sense?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 28 Posts, 180 Comments

Comment posted by Mark Graf on November 24, 2003 at 7:36 AM

This is sweet Tom. Shows the light and delicate nature of the seed. A simple and effective composition.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 39 Posts, 542 Comments

Comment posted by beth summer on November 24, 2003 at 5:46 PM

Ditto with all above

Looks like a ballerina dancing on glass.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 437 Posts, 5220 Comments

Comment posted by Ronnie Gaubert on November 24, 2003 at 7:57 PM

Tom,

I agree with all others about this shot. Very good use of your imagination with good choice of composition. This is a very pleasing image to view, great job.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 810 Posts, 3495 Comments

Comment posted by David Gottlieb on November 24, 2003 at 10:49 PM

Good idea Tom..I think this works well and isnt the jumbled bunch seeds you normally see

Registered on November 1, 2003, 436 Posts, 1790 Comments

Comment posted by John Fortner on November 25, 2003 at 12:04 AM

Cool shot Tom, not much more to add. Well conceived.

Registered on November 1, 2003, 15 Posts, 146 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on November 30, 2003 at 7:49 PM

Bravo!

I missed this somehow. Congrats on a well deserved Editors Pick. ><>

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