Last Bloom (in the Rain)

Gallery: FloraPosted October 7, 2010189 views20 comments

The Jerusalem Artichoke (actually a North American wild sunflower despite the name) is the last large, showy flower to bloom during the year in my neck of the woods. I thought it fitting to include a lot of the environment to set the season and habitat, since it grows in clearings and on roadsides. I like the way the falling rain helps isolate the flower from the old silo in the background of this Autumn shot.

(I posted a wider, horizontal shot of this in Man and Nature that includes even more fall foliage in the background.)

Canon 50D
Canon 100-400
1/125 sec. @ f/5.6
Tripod; Mirror up via LCD focusing

Comments

20 comments

Comment posted by Mauro Pasquero on October 7, 2010 at 12:24 PM

Very nice shot, Wayne. I like the "romantic" mood under the rain. I like the shot you posted in the M&N gallery as well.
Cheers.
Mauro

Registered on January 21, 2010, 650 Posts, 2500 Comments

Comment posted by Carol Hyman on October 7, 2010 at 12:28 PM

Wayne, I really like this. I find the background every bit as fascinating as your subject. I like this far better than the M&N contribution. This is more intimate.

Cheers,

Carol

Registered on January 18, 2007, 597 Posts, 8062 Comments

Comment posted by Giuseppe Guadagno on October 7, 2010 at 12:38 PM

Wayne, I love this very creative image. I feel emotion and mistery in the dim and soft scene in the background. Excellent.
Cheers.

Registered on February 3, 2007, 827 Posts, 5052 Comments

Comment posted by Derek Yow on October 7, 2010 at 1:41 PM

This is fascinating Wayne! Love the colors and the shutter speed you chose captured the rain drops perfectly.

Registered on May 18, 2010, 26 Posts, 655 Comments

Comment posted by Bruce King on October 7, 2010 at 3:21 PM

I like the bg and the subject Wayne but I'm undecided about the SS you chose for the raindrops. Maybe something faster to show them as suspended in air? I don't know, just a thought. Very nice image overall though. It's good to see you out shooting.

Registered on January 14, 2010, 276 Posts, 2212 Comments

Comment posted by Nathan Buck on October 7, 2010 at 4:37 PM

This is great Wayne. I love the rain, love the colors, and love the bloom. Had you not told me that it was a silo, I would have thought that it was an arched window on a home or an archway to a garden. Either way, it makes a nice backdrop to the photo.

Great shot.

Nathan

Registered on November 1, 2003, 1101 Posts, 13589 Comments

Comment posted by Morris McClung on October 7, 2010 at 5:12 PM

I'd like to borrow a little bit of your talent for one day! Exceptionally creative and simple a remarkable image.

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

Comment posted by Soubhik Patranabis on October 7, 2010 at 5:32 PM

This is awesome.

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

Comment posted by Ramamohan Pai on October 7, 2010 at 7:14 PM

Wayne, I thought the backdrop would be a small waterfall from the thumbnail but then silo it is. I like the avoidance of the corner entry for the flower.

Rain drops are a huge plus and so is the autumn colors in the background. Do I see a Bee in one of the blooms ?

Registered on November 1, 2003, 550 Posts, 9037 Comments

Comment posted by Wayne Jones on October 7, 2010 at 7:56 PM

Thanks everyone.

RAM: Good eye! Yes there was a poor little Bombus on the lower bloom that was completely drenched. It could could not fly, and could barely even move. Not at all like the insects we see with pretty dewdrops. This one just looked like a drowned rat. Must have been clinging to that flower for at least 40 hours, until the rain finally stopped today.

Registered on April 18, 2007, 953 Posts, 6435 Comments

Comment posted by Gary Yeoh on October 7, 2010 at 8:15 PM

Wayne:
Love the rain effect, very well done.

Registered on September 1, 2009, 588 Posts, 8184 Comments

Comment posted by Pat Sampson on October 7, 2010 at 8:35 PM

I grew up on a farm Wayne. I know a silo when I see one. I love this image. About as fine a floral image with human encroachments as I recall seeing. Beautifully composed and perfect dof decision for my tastes. Exceptional image.

Pat

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

Comment posted by Krunal Janani on October 8, 2010 at 1:14 AM

I love to see floral shot with their surroundings but it's really hard to get compelling compositions like this one Wayne!
nicely done!

Registered on September 16, 2010, 60 Posts, 1370 Comments

Comment posted by Alessandra & Rocco on October 8, 2010 at 3:21 AM

Nice! With raindrops is more three-dimensional

Registered on March 3, 2007, 122 Posts, 778 Comments

Comment posted by Brigitte Lorenz on October 8, 2010 at 3:21 PM

Nice effect with the rain...I love it!

Brigitte

Registered on January 10, 2009, 187 Posts, 1507 Comments

Comment posted by Muhammad Zaid Wani on October 9, 2010 at 10:00 AM

Beautiful shot, Wayne. Wonderfully executed!

Registered on August 18, 2005, 23 Posts, 1406 Comments

Comment posted by Bill Fach on October 9, 2010 at 12:29 PM

Wayne: Oh what a treat this was when it opened! Major

-meter spike for me on this one. Superb vision and capture. >=))>

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

Comment posted by Angela Classen on October 9, 2010 at 2:29 PM

Wayne, this is simply outstanding. Great job isolating the blooms and capturing the falling rain to boot. Superb

Registered on June 13, 2007, 434 Posts, 2742 Comments

Comment posted by Ellen deBoer on October 10, 2010 at 10:15 AM

A little bit of sunshine in the rain! This is very nice, Bill! I think the comp and DOF work very well here.

Registered on March 16, 2006, 419 Posts, 2076 Comments

Comment posted by Ian Wolfenden on October 11, 2010 at 5:21 AM

Very beautiful image, Wayne ! Wonderfully conceived and executed to bring out the loveliness of the flowers and set a mood.

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