Hoya bloom

[Amy DeStefanis]

Could this be the inspiration for the Time Square ball that descends on New Year's Eve? I've had this Hoya for a very long time, and finally put it in a spot it seems to like. I looked it up online, and there are many varieties. This appears to be H. pubicaylx cv. Pink Silver.

I have this shot of the whole bloom, and some that I shot even closer to show the fuzziness of the flowers....

It was finally a bright, still morning for a slow shutter speed and as much DOF as I could get.... I used the sun reflector for my car wind-shield to reflect a little light up from underneath.... those things are so handy!

Nikon D80
On Tripod
ISO 400
60mm macro
1/6 second @ f/25

Thanks all!

Amy D.

[Julie Kenward]

Beautiful exposure and detail, Amy. I keep wanting to turn my head upside down, though! Does the flower naturally hang this way? Also, think I might prefer a vertical crop to the horizontal because it feels a bit boxed in.

Gosh you nailed that exposure and DOF though!

[Amy DeStefanis]

Hi Jules,
Yes - this is the way the flower hangs. I have several shots with various crops: vertical and horizontal - this seemed the most natural to me - but then, I've been staring at it all morning.

I played around with rotating it, but it just didn't look right - the light was coming from the wrong side.... Here is a repost with a little more real-estate around it so that it's hopefully not as boxed in...

Thanks for your C&C.
Amy

[Ed Vatza]

Is the second, the same image as the first just cropped differently? I ask because they look different to me as I scroll back and forth. I like the bit of extra room in the second but the first image just looks sharper to me. Nice image by the way!

[Amy DeStefanis]

Is the second, the same image as the first just cropped differently? !

Thanks Ed.

Now that you ask, It's possible that the first is based on a .TIF image that I'd cropped in PS, and the 2nd is from the original .NEF file that still had a little real-estate to work with. I didn't do a lot of post-processing except curves and sharpening. I guess the lesson there is to do the crop in Lightroom.... :)

Amy

[Mike Moats]

Hey Amy, very cool flower and well done on the details.and comp.

[Richard Waas]

Hi Amy, I have about 10 or more different varieties of Hoyas. They have magnificent flowers and some of them are very fragrant. Love the comp.... And yes they do hang just like this. Congrats!