http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/339883

Photo Essay: Close-ups of garden and wild flowers Special

Posted Dec 26, 2012 by Igor I. Solar

Every nature lover or gardening enthusiast enjoys the diversity of plants and the forms, features and colors of flowers, which are often regrettably ephemeral. Thus, capturing their beauty in photographs is desirable, but requires practice and patience.

Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Shooting colorful objects up close is always attractive and interesting. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to achieve absolutely clear close-up images. It requires a camera with a good macro lens and the use of a tripod. Depending on the position of the subject, using a tripod is not always possible, and windless weather conditions, a lot of patience and a steady hand are essential to achieve well-focused pictures.

Clematis

Clematis

White rose

White rose

Zantedeschia

Zantedeschia

Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan)

Thunbergia alata (Black-eyed Susan)

Cactus flower

Cactus flower

The images obtained with a macro lens can highlight particular aspects of flowers, focusing on details of the anatomy such as the arrangement of petals, the shape and distribution of the pistil and stamens, and the look and color of each structure at the time the flower is at its optimum appearance.

Viburnum

Viburnum

Weigela florida

Weigela florida

Red rose

Red rose

Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

Crane Flower or Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)

This photo-essay includes mainly images of flowers obtained in my garden in the current spring-summer season (Southern Hemisphere), a few pictures of wild plants’ blooms captured in a park near my home, and some frequent visitors to my backyard.

Pelargonium

Pelargonium

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum)

Peace lily (Spathiphyllum cochlearispathum)

Lilium

Lilium

Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria

Alstroemeria

In order to communicate more than just colorful images, I have included in most of the pictures at least the common name, and in many cases the scientific name of the plants. In some instances, I do not know the name of the plant, but the images seemed attractive enough to include them in the collection. Readers of Digital Journal who are gardening fans or skilled botanists, and can recognize plants whose name are missing, please indicate the identity of the plant (common or scientific name) in the comments section below.

Paquerette - Chrysantemum

Paquerette - Chrysantemum

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

Bigleaf hydrangea (Hydrangea macrophylla)

White lilac

White lilac

Leptospermum

Leptospermum

Iris

Iris

Fuchsia

Fuchsia

Clover

Clover

Clematis montana

Clematis montana

California lilac (Ceanothus)

California lilac (Ceanothus)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon lanceolatus)

Bottlebrush (Callistemon lanceolatus)

Cactus flower

Cactus flower

Aquilegia (Aquilegia vulgaris)

Aquilegia (Aquilegia vulgaris)

Garden Geranium malva (Pelargonium hortorum)

Garden Geranium, malva (Pelargonium hortorum)

No name

"No name"

No name

"No name"

No name

"No name"

No name

"No name"

No name

"No name"

Butterflies move too quickly for photography but a caterpillar is always a good subject for a close...

Butterflies move too quickly for photography, but a caterpillar is always a good subject for a close-up.

This bird species known as chincol (Zonotrichia capensis) is a regular visitor in my garden.

This bird species, known as "chincol" (Zonotrichia capensis), is a regular visitor in my garden.