Spring Beauty

[Ed Vatza]

As I made the rounds this evening checking out my early season wildflower hotspots, I came across this first-of-the-season Spring Beauty just starting to bloom.

All I had with me was my 30D and 70-200 f/2.8. I put a 500D close-up lens/filter on the 70-200 and got down in the dirt and mud from yesterday's rain and shot handheld. These are very tiny flowers by the way.

I would have liked a bit more dof but didn't want to stop down any further because of handholding. I could have kicked up the ISO but was concerned about noise.

1/100 sec @ f/7.1; ISO 400; 0 EV

[Julie Kenward]

Ed, the flower itself is perfect...and the BG is dreamy. I find my eye going down to the bottom of the frame and wanting either no other stems or the entire stems in the image. I'm weird that way...

[Ed Vatza]

I had another similar comment, Julie.

Here is a tighter crop eliminating the stuff at the bottom. Waddaya think?

[denise ippolito]

Ed, I vote for the second one. I really like the soft colors

[Gus Cobos]

Hey Ed,
The second repost rocks...love it...good show...:cool: