Is this a composite? (focus stacks or exposure blends are not considered composites)
No
The photo was created in Parque de Santa Catarina, Funchal, Maderia.
The first session produced a considerable flare around the lower portions of the flower. The halo of light was due to the lightbox being too close to the subject and the waxy surface of the flower sheath.
Moving the box back to the point that the plant just fit within the rectangle of white - about 1.5 meters - solved the problem.
100 mm prime macro, f22, ISO 250
If you would like your image to be eligible for a feature on the NPN Instagram (@NaturePhotoNet), add the tag ‘ig’ and leave your Instagram username below.
Such a perfect specimen! Even though these can be common in border plantings, it doesn’t make the flower itself any less weird. So sculptural and odd, like some kind of spacecraft. Glad you persisted and moved the light box. The waxy and shiny surfaces come through really well. Brilliant display of technical knowhow resulting in an intriguing shot.
Looks good Paul. Before printing, I like the fan-like composition. I would remove the spot on the skinny orange petal on center right if striving for super perfection. Otherwise, you could leave the image as is and it would not bother me at all. Awesome image…Jim
@Jim_Zablotny Thanks. I generally leave those little defects in the petals, leaves, and other parts of the plant. That’s how they grow. But I appreciate the attention to detail.
@Kris_Smith I’m pleased that you noticed that it is a good specimen. They are hard to find, let alone one that allows for lightbox and room to be far enough away for the 100 mm. There was a huge clump of the white species in the same garden, but it was impossible to handle. Very tall, and none of the flowers were in good shape.
We missed our time in Maderia for the winter of 2020 - 2021, and I’m afraid we’ll not be there in 2020-2022. It’s a wonderful island to spend the visa allowed 90 days with inexpensive apartments, numerous gardens big and small, and 100’s of miles of hiking.
One interesting thing about the bird-of-paradise is that there are multiple flowers arranged in a fan. They bloom in succession to take advantage of a long period to be pollinated. Each of the purple (blue?) petals belong to a separate bloom.
Here’s another plant I found at Jardim Botânico da Madeira, where most cruise ship tourists end up. This white background was even more distant. It’s a cloud rather than a lightbox.
