The photographer is looking for generalized feedback about the aesthetic and technical qualities of their image.
Description
We have a wild stand of yellow Mirabilis flowers growing right outside our garden. They are also called 4 O’clock flowers. A couple of days ago we had our first cool morning in a long time and I discovered this little guy designating the time. Actually, he was sitting at 1 o’clock but I used artist’s license to rotate him to the correct time. >=))>
Specific Feedback
Here’s an explanation of how they got their name courtesy of Copilot AI:
The nickname “four o’clock” for Mirabilis jalapa is all about timing and a bit of botanical drama.
These flowers have a quirky habit: they open in the late afternoon, typically around 4 p.m., and stay open through the night until the next morning. This unusual blooming schedule is what earned them their charming name.
Here’s why they do it:
• Pollinator strategy: By blooming later in the day, they attract evening pollinators like moths and nocturnal insects, which are drawn to their strong evening fragrance.
• Temperature and light sensitivity: The flowers respond to changes in light and temperature, which trigger their opening at that specific time.
Technical Details
Sony A7rIII
Sony FE 70-200 f2.8 GM-II, 2xTC @ 210mm
ISO 400, 1/60 @ f8, 9 shot stack in Helicon focus
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Dead on 4 O’Clock, Bill! I’m glad you took the liberty to rotate the image. Love your sense of humor. I appreciate you sharing how it got it’s name too. Tact sharp image of flower and the hoverfly. Well done!
Looks good and am looking at the image around 4:30 ETZ. DOF is perfect and you also captured a nice looking long-legged fly too. The highlights are delicate and well controlled with the exposure used for the image. My guess is that a variety of Lepidoptera may take advantage of that flower for nectar. Well done! When I had several active beehives, I planted buckwheat in the garden for them. Buckwheat releases its nectar around 8:00 am. First few days after the start of blooming, about a 100 frustrated bees at 10:30 am were looking for buckwheat nectar. In a few days, I went out to the garden around 7:30 am and there were 1000’s of honeybees taking advantage of the early nectar. Many pollinators will sample flowers and learn when the nectar is available just like my honeybees..
That a gorgeous image!! (I can smell it!) The yellows are perfect and I love the subtle BG. It was the perfect touch to rotate it. (The poor fly was probably confused about the time zone, and who can ever keep track of daylight savings?)
Excellent, Bill. I love the way you rotated it. And the stamens even lean in that direction. Nothing I’d change about this image except the photographer
Bill, this is lovely. The flower is perfect with the coating of dew adding well. It’s sure good that the small insects can read and follow directions…
The influence of time and temperature on flowers is pretty amazing. My water lilies (that open and close daily for 2 - 3 days) clearly need temperature and sun to open. In mid-summer, they are fully open by 9 AM and close by 4 PM. Now, when it’s cooler, they often don’t open until noon and start to close in the late afternoon, as the light fades.
