This is a species orchid (not a hybrid) called Cattleya aurantiaca from Mexico and Central America. My wife has had the plant for 20+ years and it is a reliable bloomer. To give a sense of scale, the flowers are about 1"/2.5 cm in diameter.
I used two flashes to provide the main light because I wanted to underexpose the BG and bring out the subject. The BG was a black tee-shirt and I selectively darkened it with a quickmask and Levels adjustment. The bunches of flowers are quite unruly so I spent some time choosing the right bunch and the right angle so that overlap was minimal.
Canon EOS 5D, 100mm f2.8 macro
capture date: Sunday, 12 April, 2009 2:19 PM
exposure program: Manual
ISO speed: 200
shutter speed: 1/60
aperture: f22.0
exposure bias: +0.0
metering: Pattern
flash: ON - Compulsory flash mode
John, that is GORGEOUS and I guess you answered my question about which macro lens you ended up buying. Don't you love it?
There's only two little blemishes that I can find and they are no big deal but if you want perfection...go to the center area where you can see a tiny bit of a green stem. Next to that are two little imperfections - one above and one below just to the right of that stem. Clean those up and I think you've got a home run.
The reds in this are deep and true. Excellent exposure!
Thanks so much Jules and Denise. I needed a pick-me-up today because we've had 15cm snow over Easter! This flower, a post to BPN, and a chat back and forth did it! Here's a cleaned up version. I also dealt with some noise using a 50% blur tool.
Wow, I really like this. I love the lighting technique... the flowers are beautifully lit and the leaves gradually disappearing in the background is a wonderful effect. Outstanding image.
Cattleya species
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