High Key Coreopsis

[Robert O'Toole]

This is the Coreopsis flower, the Florida State Wildflower. The FDOT plants them all over the state, this was a great wildflower patch on the side of the road. The flowers were blooming over white sand creating a nice high key effect. This beetle was eating the pollen and was very tame. I have a hard time shooting just flowers I tend to go after subjects and some kind of natural history.

This image is about as out of the camera as you can possibly get, it is extracted Jpeg resized, cropped, sharpened and desaturated.

Can anyone ID the beetle, looks like a Blister Beetle to me.


Camera Model: NIKON D300 with Sigma 150mm F2.8 EX Focal length: 225mm (in 35mm film)
Shutter speed: 1/320 @ 5.6 Manual mode, manual Flash SB-R200, ISO: 400

[Trey Barron]

I do not have much luck with high key stuff, but this looks good to me. Even with the bright BG the beetle stands out nicely with the colors of the coreopsis. I am undicided about the little piece of stem in the white.

[Robert O'Toole]

Thanks for taking time to comment Trey.

Didnt think about the stem I usually leave things alone if they belong there, if it wasnt a stem it would have removed it in no time.

Robert

[Mike Moats]

Hey Robert, Wow this pops right off the screen. Great details on the critter. I always like the high key images.

[Ian McHenry]

Hi Robert. Beautiful image and sharpness.
I do find the brightness of the top yellow not to my taste.
Would prefer whole image a wee bit darker.
Then again it might be my monitor settings.
Ian Mc

[Fabs Forns]

this has a great illustration look, very cool, my Capo, see you tomorrow :)

[John Cooper]

Wow! That really pops on my screen Robert. The high-key image really works here. Agree that flower images are nearly always enhanced when they have a visitor on board !! Nice one!!

[edward saltau]

I love the DOF and sharpness on the centre of the flower and the beetle. Would look like a sketch or drawing without that sharpness hotspot.