Critique Welcomed Red Amaryllis Flower Bud - with Additional Images

[John Holland]

Red Amaryllis Flower Bud - just starting to open

Natural light (fill flash used on second image)
180mm, f/11

 

[Rob MacKillop]

All that power just waiting to be released. Good capture, John.

 

[Pete Askew]

Beautifully done, John. I rather like the extra leaf in the first.

 

[Julian de'Courcy]

Excellent John.
Reminds me a bit of Kemit for some reason

 

[John Holland]

Thanks for the comments Rob, Pete, and Julian. I have a couple additional images I'll post later today that I took of the flower bud the next day as it opened a bit more and shows that there will be three flowers on the stalk.

Pete, I debated about the leaf in the first image - leave it of take it out. I like the image with it and without it.

 

[John Holland]

Here is the same flower the following day

A slight change in the lighting angle (i.e. I move the plant)

 

[Pete Askew]

Nice. I think I like the sec on version best. It seems more balanced.

 

[Douglas McMann]

Great images John...we have one in full flower just now...must catch it before it goes...did you take this against the window, or is it an actual black background...?

 

[John Holland]

I appreciate the comments Pete and Douglas. Douglas, I used a black backdrop/background. Diffused light from large windows on camera left, and a white wall to camera right. The second batch of images were shot only with natural light.

 

[Brian Moore]

John,...no need for artificial light when you can get natural light flower portraits like the second two. Beautiful images. (All are,...but I like the second pair best.)

 

[Paul Lange]

Watch out it will open fully and then attack you!

Lovely shot(s)

 

[John Holland]

The three blossoms have separated

 

[John Holland]

I got distracted with a few other things/chores, so I have not posted the subsequent day's images - I did find time to shoot them. So here is the next day, the blooms are starting to open up

 

[Pete Askew]

This is turning into a very fine sequence, John. I'm enjoying these a lot.

 

[Milan Vjestica]

Great sequence and very well shot.

 

[John Holland]

Two of the three flowers have opened.

 

[Dave Green]

A fine series if shots - fab colours!

 

[Pete Askew]

That second to last is especially fine, John. Are you going to carry the series through into senescence?

 

[John Holland]

Pete, I'll have to wait and see if the flower provides something interesting as it fades. A couple of years ago I was able to get it to form seed pods that provided some interesting views.

 

[Pete Askew]

Now that is very nice, John. Those angles work so well. It would be great to complete the cycle as it were. Fingers crossed!