Our Jane Magnolia tree is full of blooms but most of them are too high for me to get to. This bunch was close enough to the ground that I could get an angle. There was a strong wind yesterday and the ground beneath the tree is almost covered with petals. Glad these weathered the storm. All comments welcome. >=))>
Bokeh too distracting?
Is this a composite: No
Sony A7RIII
Minolta 100mm macro
ISO 1600, 1/320 @ f5.6
I’m glad they did, too. A little window into spring. It’s 8 degrees right now so it’s a welcome sight. I think if you have some petals cut off at the bottom, might as well go all the way - right now two are on the edge and it looks awkward. Maybe a tiny more room at the top, but it could be too messy up there. Great job with battling the wind for sharp focus though! Maybe lighten the center of the flower just a little? So refreshing.
Awesome hint of spring, Bill. Well seen and captured. I agree with @Kris_Smith that the center of the flower could be brightened up a tad.
Gorgeous blossom and buds, Bill. Certainly a reminder that spring has arrived, at least here in Texas. The composition works so well, going from the largest blossom to the smallest bud and the OOF soft background makes the flowers pop. Wonderful capture, especially considering the wind factor.
A very nice composition of a VERY frustrating tree to shoot, with so many busy blooms! And an extra 100 points for doing it in the wind! I agree about lightening the center. Had a look at the crop and smoothed out the specular highlight on the left with some partial opacity cloning. In a way I like BG highlights, but the quality of the edges showing the shutter blades is something I don’t care for.
Just had to have a play with it as I’m very frustrated that I missed the assorted Japanese Magnolias here with bright sun and wind. One more chance in about a month with a magnificent specimen of Magnolia obovata at a nearby botanical garden!
Diane: Really like what you did with this. 
>=))>
