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The Flower Galaxy
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The Flower Galaxy

by Tony Kuyper

Gallery: Photo ArtPosted July 12, 20182,773 views4 comments
I think this is an Echinopsis cactus flower, but not completely positive.  It was growing along my driveway.  It's a night-bloomer, and this was taken in the morning before the sun came up.  It's a white flower, but there was a clear sky that created a strong blue cast on the petals, which I liked and enhanced during development.  However, it needed contrast, so I shifted the stamens/anthers to the warm side.  It started looking like a galaxy viewed through the HST (Hubble Space Telescope), so I nudged it in this direction to get the final image.  I'm sure I'm not the first person to look into a flower through a camera who ended up seeing the larger Universe.  Hope I'm not the last one either.

Nikon D7200, 18-300 mm @ 122mm, f/16, 2.5 sec, ISO 500, 3 images focus-blended

Comments

4 comments
Comment posted by scott lanz on July 13, 2018 at 11:54 AM
Very interesting, unique, and artistic take on this cactus flower, Tony. Pretty photoartish, but definitely cool with the contrasting colors and the structure of the inner parts of the cactus flower. I like the result. Very cool. laugh
Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments
Comment posted by Tony Kuyper on July 13, 2018 at 12:59 PM
Thanks for your observation, Scott.  I really didn't set out to create a "Photo Art" image when I started working on this, but can certainly see how it might be interpreted that way.  I'll try to move it over to that gallery.
Registered on November 1, 2003, 364 Posts, 22328 Comments
Comment posted by scott lanz on July 13, 2018 at 2:01 PM
Tony, when I described it as pretty "photoartish," I did not mean that I thought it needed to be moved or belonged in that gallery. I was just offering that description of the colors. Personally, I think it can go in either gallery. After all, what can be more photoart than making a color image B&W, and I've posted a few B&W floral images here (in flora).   
Registered on November 14, 2003, 840 Posts, 12902 Comments
Comment posted by Allen Brooks on July 16, 2018 at 7:37 PM
I like the detail and contrasting colors.  
Registered on July 27, 2011, 262 Posts, 2597 Comments