Small Flowered Yellow Lady Slipper

Image Critiques Flora Critiques
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smallfloweredyellowLS
smallfloweredyellowLS1161×1500 319 KB

Description: I went out early Friday morning to a local nature preserve that at one time had quite a few of this native Cypripedium. Unfortunately, the population was extirpated with none found. So I headed to another place and found 3 growing beneath invasive buckthorn. Shot quite a few images, but none were worthy for the effort taken. The next day, I returned to the site and used a 20mm extension tube on the 200-400mm f4. I tinkered with the settings and was able to get a very good stack from 65 images. This particular species is covered with glandular hairs and are magnets for cottonwood fluff as shown by this one.

Specific Feedback Requested:

Pertinent technical details or techniques: D850 200-400mm f4 + 20mm extension tube (65 images taken at 1/13 sec at f8.0, ISO 400, focus shift with silent mode on, white umbrella for light diffusion) Pmax for stacking, Levels, Crop and rotate for comp, WB adjusted for shade…Jim

Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites) No

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Now that’s a big stack! Great job with it though - I didn’t see any artifacts or other stacking weirdness. Too bad about how they’re not growing where they used to be. We are so careless as a species. I’ve photographed this species before I believe, and remember the yellow to be more egg-yolk so maybe a little less exposure there? Maybe play with a color slider? Of course these may be paler than the ones I shot so grain of salt. A really stunning shot. Glad you got it and shared.

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Thank you @Kris_Smith. The flower was a light butter yellow and the population intergrades with C. candidum producing very pale yellow pouches. I will play with the yellows a bit…Jim

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This is very unique. Great work on the focus stack and wonderful background.

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