Venice Mallow (Flower of the Hour)

[Bruce Murden]

This is a fascinating little wildflower (or, according to my wife, a weed, since it's growing in our flower beds and she hasn't seen it bloom). Tough subject to catch, because the flowers are open a short time. I wanted to show the bloom and the bud, so it may be more documentary than I usually like, but just a cool little flower I had never noticed before this year.

Nikon D70, Nikon 105 macro, f/8, 1/200 s, polarizer, tripod, diffuser to provide shade, kneeling pad to save the joints!

[Julie Kenward]

Very nice, Bruce! I've never seen this flower before but will have to start looking for it! You have a really nice composition going here and I love that you got both the flower in bloom and the bud - and that they are separated but still part of the same plant. (Nice bonus!) I would tone down the one spot that's a little lighter green just to the right of the flower as it does tend to pull my eye away; otherwise...really lovely detail on this!

[Ed Vatza]

Hi Bruce,

After looking at your image, I read Julie's comment and I was going to say pretty much the same thing. I think the image is excellent except for that "whitish smudge" to the right of the flower. It does pull my eye from the beauty of the flower. Otherwise, excellent image.

[Aristotle Georgiou]

Excellent image Bruce, great composition, wonderful light, very nice detail and over all a pleasing image to look at.

[Amy DeStefanis]

The bud looks like the plant in Little Shop of Horror. Feeed me Seymour! I really like seeing that contrast between the interesting, but ultimately - ugly - bud (sorry), and the beautiful flower that it conceals. They both have a lot of visual interest, and seem to tell a story.

The only thing about the bright patch to the right that really bothers me is that there seems to be a straight edge on it. If it were simply a shapeless form blended into the rest of the background, I'm not sure I would even notice, but I think my eye is picking up the geometry in it.

Plant a whole bed of these, and then you'll have to weed out those pesky day lilies! :)

Amy D.

[Gus Cobos]

Hi Bruce,Very well done,
I like the composition, image and exposure. The dark green background makes your subject stand out. I like it as presented...good show...:cool:

[Mike Moats]

Hey Bruce, nice image with good details on the flower and a good looking BG other than the already mentions bloch on the right side. Simple fix.