I watched these Calendulas grow even more beautiful as they wilted. This macro study was a surprise party of confetti, hula skirts and stars.
Calendula Hula
“Nobody sees a flower – really – it is so small it takes time.”
~Georgia O’Keeffe
At Rest
Star
“I’m not afraid of death; I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”
―Woody Allen
Blonde and Beautiful
Budding Beauty
Confetti Petals
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
~Confucius
Curly
Fallen Leaf
Thanks for sharing.
beautiful and pleasing to the eyes! 🙂
Thank you very much, Francis and Anna. 😊
Beautiful
Hi Marko– Sorry for the late reply– happy you liked this post. Thanks very much.
Beautiful photos.
Thanks so much, Beautywhizz. It is amazing to me how different the world is close up.
Confetti…no kidding. 🙂 There are cliché colors for flowers…but not orange. You took a simple subject and gave us a whole different perspective.
Hi Patricia, Confetti is all I could think about when I was shooting it and orange is the happiest color. Very happy you liked this take on a Calendula– thanks so much.
Fabulous, Jane 🙂 🙂 Uplifting!
Thanks so much, Jo. And, on Twitter, too. 😉
Love the vibrant colors. ‘At Rest ‘ my fav. I recall a saying “the earth smiles in flowers” which you capture perfectly with your eye & lens. Thanks for sharing !
Thanks very much, Diane. I had a lot of fun with this project and the results were more surprising once I got them on the screen. Glad you liked these and I love that quote, too!
Gorgeous rich detail Jane, fabulous!
Hi Patti, Thank you. Fun to get lost in a different type of project every so often. Glad you like these.
Brilliantly beautiful ~ when I saw your brilliant title to this post, I thought this is going to be good and you did not disappoint. Each of these photos of yours shows a beauty flowers hold but in such a different way than what we would normally think (the beauty of the bloom and life). The ‘star’ shot to me had so many layers to it..very creative post. Wonderful work Jane and wishing you a great weekend ahead.
Hello Randall, Not sure how I missed your wonderful comment. A delight to read as I sit in the airport in Copenhagen 🙂 Your thoughts really made my day. Thanks very much — it makes me glad that I’m a part of the blogging world. Hope you are doing well.
Beautiful series, Jane. I love what you’ve done with them.
Thank you, Lynne. I did find myself immersed in the process.
They really are striking.
Thanks so much, Jay.
Beautiful images Jane.
Thanks so much, Edith.
These are beautiful Jane. The color really jumps off the page. Compositions are terrific.
Hi Tina, Thanks very much. This was a fun project. I’m always amazed what I find doing close-up work. Glad you like them.
Well seen and beautifully captured Jane
Thanks, Pauline. I can imagine your beautiful flowers in close-up. Glad you enjoyed this series.
10,000 saffron robes.
Love that, Bob. Wonderful description. Thank you!
really interesting shots….love the detail!!
Thank you, April. Glad you enjoyed these little wonders.
You’ve captured life and decay beautifully. Your post reminded me of my mum’s garden flowers. Each fully bloomed flower brings in many smiles. And when it wilts – a tinge of sadness. Your photography is beautiful as always. 🙂
So nice to hear from you, Cheryl, and your memories this post brought up. Thank you for your kind words.
What a fascinating set of beautiful flower studies, Jane.
janet
Thanks so much, Janet. I found this one quite surprising and fun. Glad you enjoyed it.
So beautiful and so creative! Thanks for the inspirations!
Hi Marcus, I’m happy you’re inspired by this series. I really enjoyed shooting them. Thanks very much.
Lovely marriage of beautiful images and words Jane. 🙂
That’s very kind, Su Leslie. Thanks very much.
Lovely images, Jane. Graceful and inspiring. What lens did you use?
Hi Patti, Thanks so much. I used my 50mm f/1.4 prime with varying combinations of Kenko extension tubes which get you very close to your subject. Glad you enjoyed this series.
I love my 50 mm f/1.4 as well. The images are so crisp and so detailed.
Great baby and portrait lens, too.
Gorgeous photos, Jane.
Ω
Thanks, Allan. It was a welcome diversion to shoot these. Glad you liked them.
At first glance I thought that they looked a lot like used paint brushes from the bridge—but they never looked as good as your flowers.
Ω
International Orange- I can see that, Allan. Good one. 😉
so lovely! My calendulas look the same, but it didn’t occur to me that they might still make for great images – I am off to experiment!
Hi Ann, Great! I’m glad this inspired you to take a closer look at yours. Happy shooting and thanks so much for your appreciation.
What an intriguing and beautiful post. These images play out on multiple levels. The dark background enhances the already beautiful images.
Thanks, Jane. Happy you like the way they stand out. I was amazed how much was going on in this little world. Orange is a winning color. 🙂
I add my voice to the chorus of admiring murmurs…Stunning shots and equally stunning quotations.
Thank you so much, Paula. I really got immersed in this project. Your thoughts are much appreciated.
How very beautiful you have shown them to be at this stage.
Thank you, Helen. A last appreciation of their beauty. Happy you like them.
What a fantastic idea, and well executed. I love orange, and I especially love the idea of the confetti… like making a funeral not grim and sad, but a little party to celebrate the beautiful life there was…
Hi Noortje, As you well know with your beautiful images, it is a whole new way of seeing when you go close up. And, nice to think of these endings as a “jubilant” celebration. Thanks so much for your thoughts.
A Lovely Series, I love the colors. Thanks for visiting my blog, I think it’s a spider eating a snail … Greetings.
Hi Jose, I never knew spiders eat snails…wow. Happy you liked this series– a little less dramatic than your close-ups! Thanks very much for stopping by.
Lovely series Jane, so bright and vivid. Love your new theme too.
Hi Karen, The oranges and yellows really popped in these. Happy you enjoyed them and my new theme. Thank you.
Beautiful shots, Jane.
Thanks very much, Stefano.
Lovely series, Jane
I’m happy you enjoyed these, M.L. Thanks so much.
Love the hula — the perfect description
Hi Wendy, The first thought that came into my head when I looked at the images. They almost seemed to be moving to music. Thanks, friend, for your appreciation.
Beautiful series Jane. Simply beautiful.
Hi Desleyjane, Thanks so much. I was into this one creatively. Glad you enjoyed this series.
I did! x
Love the texture , color and evolution process !
Your new format is pretty fab too!!
Hi Jeannie, The process of discovery is pretty cool. Seeing the flowers going, noticing the dried petals and the patterns as they fall onto the table. Crossing fingers that I can just leave it all there as it evolves. And finally, seeing the elements close-up is the real icing on the cake. Thank you for appreciating all of that and for noticing my new format. Enjoying it! Your insights are much appreciated.
Gorgeous and artful, Jane. I’ll never look at harvesting calendula the same way again!
Thanks very much, Eliza. It did make me wonder about keeping flowers around much longer in order to observe them. Happy I gave you another viewpoint.
Lovely photographs!
Thanks so much, Belinda. They were challenging and fun to make.
This is an amazingly beautiful series, green and orange in all different shades!
Thank you, Hien. It was fun and dazzling to make these images. Glad you like them.
Orange is such a jubilant colour!
I’m so glad you agree, Eliza. I thought it was fitting for the theme. Thank you!
What a fun post! Yes, you see beauty in all things…
Thank you, Linda. I get quite lost in this type of photography. I find it quite amazing. Glad you like them.
Like people, flowers become more noble as they age. Great job Jane.
So true, Larry. Thanks very much.
Growing even more beautiful as they wilted…..there’s still hope for me. 🙂
Lovely shots, Jane.
Ha, Sharon! Hope for us all, my friend. 😉Happy you like these. Thanks.
A poem in pictures! 🙂
Yes, indeed! Thank you, Imelda. 😊