FLORA THEME

Gallery: FloraPosted July 3, 2010134 views11 comments

Mercer Moments

On your posts this week please add some natural history info about the subject and/or the location.

Sony A700
Minolta 200mm macro
ISO 200, 1/100 @ f11

Besides our own garden my favorite place to shoot around Houston is the Mercer Arboretum. Located in the Northeast side of town its about a 15 mile drive for me. Mercer was hit really hard by Hurricane Ike in 2008. Lots of large trees fell into the garden areas and many of the flower beds were severely damaged. One thing that came through pretty much unscathed was the water lily pond near the entrance to the park. The crop this year is one of the best I've seen. This is the first of a series I'll do on the Flora at the arboretum which is diverse and fascinating on many levels. The cleanup and restoration efforts are really bearing fruit and the arboretum is looking better by far than before the storm. All comments welcome.>=))>

Comments

11 comments

Comment posted by Philip Southard on July 3, 2010 at 11:36 PM

Nice shot Bill. I like the delicate pastel coloring in the water lily petals. The Mercer Arboretum sounds like a neat place.

Registered on July 15, 2007, 258 Posts, 3892 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on July 3, 2010 at 11:59 PM

Strong comp Bill. I really like those pods on the side. Beautiful work, fine start to the series. I'm looking forward to it.

Pat

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

Comment posted by Miro Susta on July 4, 2010 at 4:54 AM

Interesting story Bill. I like the overall composition. Is it the natural color? I my place the same violet water lilies are bit darker.

See attachment.

Miro: This may be a different species than the one you're showing. I did see and shoot one almost identical to your example but the center details on mine are slightly different as is the color. . . Bill

Registered on August 18, 2006, 719 Posts, 3736 Comments

Comment posted by Patricia Brundage on July 4, 2010 at 6:28 AM

As you know these are one of my favorite subjects and each flower is a little bit different in coloration, size and height. The height of the stem, the buds and flower are unusual and set a different scene from the ones intermingled with the pads. I like this perspective. Well done!

Registered on March 23, 2006, 1111 Posts, 6531 Comments

Comment posted by Doug Benner on July 4, 2010 at 7:40 AM

Really nice, Bill. I like how the buds contribute to the composition.

Registered on December 8, 2003, 482 Posts, 1868 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on July 4, 2010 at 8:10 AM

The perspective on this works so well , Bill - a really lovely shot with the buds offsetting the flower beautifully. A very good theme, by the way - thanks for that.

Registered on May 18, 2007, 1108 Posts, 7647 Comments

Comment posted by John&Patty Benway on July 4, 2010 at 8:58 AM

Very nice indeed Bill, really like the color of the Lily, and the way it sits so high off the water. Beautifully presented.
John

Registered on May 12, 2006, 626 Posts, 8700 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on July 4, 2010 at 10:26 AM

Another outstanding comp by the master! Superb shot, and the story is well done too.

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

Comment posted by Steven M Kahn on July 4, 2010 at 11:01 AM

Sweet post of a lovely subject Bill. I take it you were not being tongue in check when you said the restoration effeots are really bearing fruit.... Being the cynical sarcastic warped personality I am, I saw the pun, and wondered intended?

Yesterday as we were going marketing, I have been more observant of roadside conditions this year and thought a good theesis project for someone would be a long term study of plant population changes along primary and secondary routes of travel. I believe I have seen a great variation in populations and species over the past three years in areas I have photographed, and it owuld be interesting to see what cycles, if any, are at work. Your comment about the crop this year being the best you've seen brought this thought back to mind. But I digress. Sweet capture Bill! And I hope the arboretum not only fully recovers but goes on to bigger and better.

Registered on July 20, 2009, 140 Posts, 1198 Comments

Comment posted by Mike Gallo on July 4, 2010 at 5:12 PM

I particularly like how you included the pods and the buds in the composition Bill...it tells more of a story..............well seen and captured

Registered on September 14, 2005, 182 Posts, 1471 Comments

Comment posted by Catherine Reilly on July 8, 2010 at 4:15 AM

Ah, what a super shot, Bill! I really like the "habitat" feel to this, with the buds, pads and all. Great water tension lines around the pads, too. That's one of my favorite things (other than the flowers, of course) about water lilies.

(Did you ever find/look at my description of "focus with the toes?")

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