Nature Photographers Network
This is the preserved archive of the original Nature Photographers Network. The community continues at naturephotographers.network.
Shocking Sunflowers II
‹ Previous10 Years of NPN GalleryNext ›

Shocking Sunflowers II

by Stan Rose

Gallery: 10 Years of NPNPosted April 5, 2010654 views14 comments
When i was revising my portfolio last night, it occurred to me that this was a good example of the kind of shot I probably never would have capatured were it not for the inspiration and tips that I've picked up from being an NPN member; mixing artificial and natural lighting, and combining unusual subjects in the same comp. The ESS crowd is always taking landscape photography to a higher level, and it inspires me to keep pushing the bounds as well.
This was taken from my front porch (i let the sunflowers grow all summer :biggrin: ) using porch lighting for the flowers, and i think a 20 s exposure for the lightning. This was one of the last shots i got befgore the winds picked up too much to keep minimal blur on the flowers. (Don't try this at home!! It's extremely dangerous!!)

Comments

14 comments
Comment posted by mark cillo on April 5, 2010 at 7:00 PM
This is pretty intense! Awesome image! :wavey:
Registered on July 27, 2008, 143 Posts, 1483 Comments
Comment posted by Zack Schnepf on April 5, 2010 at 7:08 PM
Awesome image Stan, and great example of how this community of photographers helps each other push their limits.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 403 Posts, 2528 Comments
Comment posted by Jim Greenwood on April 6, 2010 at 8:13 PM
You’ve nicely captured the great tension between the energetic blue cloudscape and the yellow sunflowers. I'd only perhaps suggest about a 15% crop off the right to eliminate some of the negative space on that side.
Registered on November 9, 2003, 229 Posts, 1523 Comments
Comment posted by Wayne Jones on April 6, 2010 at 10:24 PM
Stan,
What a sight! It's so real that I feel like I'm on your porch, feeling the wind. Thanks for sharing your experiments as well as all those helpful comments.
Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments
Comment posted by Jack Graham on April 7, 2010 at 12:01 AM
Come on Stan... this ain't fair!
I am absoultly taken by this .all I can say is WOW!
JG
Registered on November 26, 2003, 158 Posts, 574 Comments
Comment posted by Bill Chambers on April 8, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Really neat shot Stan, and in this instance the mild blur really completes the story.
Registered on April 10, 2005, 753 Posts, 21216 Comments
Comment posted by Eva McDermott on April 8, 2010 at 9:14 PM
Shocking image! I loved this then and love it now Stan! Crazy you in a lightning storm!
Registered on January 4, 2009, 1015 Posts, 13229 Comments
Comment posted by Morris McClung on April 9, 2010 at 1:20 PM
So good, it's just sick!
Registered on May 7, 2007, 670 Posts, 19650 Comments
Comment posted by Paul Duval on April 10, 2010 at 10:01 AM
This would be calm and ho-hum for a tornado chaser, just an aperitif an appetizer before penetrating the belly of the beast. Honestly a striking image, but not one I would want to see from my front porch in tornado alley. Ominous and foreboding, the well lit sunflowers ever so slightly blurred by the rising wind take this image to the next level and tell the story perfectly. And as a example of how your peers on NPN expanded your vision for what was possible outstanding.

Paul
Registered on June 30, 2009, 508 Posts, 1907 Comments
Comment posted by Cheryl Molennor on April 11, 2010 at 9:16 PM
Stan this is truely a one of a kind ,super awesome image. i love the light on the flowers and the great sharpness of the bolt. :toast:
Registered on June 30, 2009, 300 Posts, 5051 Comments
Comment posted by Verena & Georg Pop on April 14, 2010 at 11:26 AM
very unique take. super. it can't get much more dramatic than this one here...
georg
Registered on July 5, 2006, 272 Posts, 2823 Comments
Comment posted by Buck Ward on April 17, 2010 at 2:35 PM
The detail in the lightning bolt is awesome. Whew!
Thanks for explaining how you made this.
Registered on December 8, 2003, 96 Posts, 1917 Comments
Comment posted by Gary Minish on April 27, 2010 at 12:26 AM
A spectacular treat for the eyes. The capture of the lighting is perfect, with amazing detail and the brightly lit flowers are a strong contrast in both light and color but complete the scene much better than I would have guessed it would. A great idea very nicely executed!
Registered on February 4, 2006, 625 Posts, 3583 Comments
Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on July 12, 2010 at 1:41 PM
Amazing - one of the best lightning shots I have seen. Great foreground and a superb mix of artificial and natural light.
Registered on January 25, 2010, 54 Posts, 610 Comments