Two from my back yard

[droll13]

2 for the price of 1, taken in the backyard this morning.

I'll admit right away that I have no idea what the names of these are.

1) the flower...





2) some sort of succulent, I think...



C&C is always welcome.

[Luv2shoot]

Nice and Nicer.

Great lines in the first.
And it's special in the second image how the leafs are naturally outlined in pink by its own pigments.

Of course the position of the focal points is spot on.

[droll13]

Thanks Lorell.

Yes, it was the lines in the first one that attracted me.

And it was the reddish edges that I liked about the second one.

As for composition, CS5 (and maybe earlier) overlays a "rule of thirds" grid when you crop. I sometimes use that, sometimes the "perpendicular to a diagonal" compositional method.

[debsn2paintn]

I LOVE the first one Dave. Succulent- looks like Hen and chicks cactus, I love to photograph them and if you get them back lit by the sun the photos are very cool because they are kind of translucent. If I have a chance tomorrow I'll post one that I took that way to show you.

[Luv2shoot]

Deb,
When you do post your photo of the hens and chix, maybe you could include your settings. I want to know if when you use aperture priority, do you also play with the speed of the camera????

[droll13]

Thanks for the identification, Deb. I did a Google Image Search, and it sure does look like some variant of Hen and Chicks cactus (Sempervivum tectorum). I'll have to try a some shots backlit as you've described sounds like it'll be a neat effect. Meanwhile, here's a wider that that should confirm the identification:


And if anyone can ID the flower, please go ahead. The long, curving stamens look like what I've seen on varieties of Day Lilies. Here's a shot showing more of the plant(s):

[ticktock01]

Dave, the lily like flower looks like a variety of Hipppeastrum.

Both of your original photos really stand out. The first one especially, has a 3 dimensional effect. They both would make great OOB photos, but that is the manipulator in me speaking. Composition in the Hens and Chicks is excellent.

[droll13]

Thanks Terry. I can see the OOB potential in the first, not so much in the second. But as a master of OOB you see more than I do.

BTW, if you want to do an OOB treatment on either/both, go ahead. I can send you versions without the matting/frame. I keep vowing to try OOB myself, but it's on a long list of things I want to do if I ever find the time.

I think you're right about Hippeastrum. Seems that covers about 90 species and hundreds of hybrids. If I'm reading things right, many are varieties of Amaryllis. Thanks for the ID.

[birdhs]

These are both equally great, each in it's own way.

can't really add anything that hasn't alreaady been said.

life is good

greg

[droll13]

Thanks Greg.

Although I envy those who travel extensively and take photos in exotic locations (I'd love to visit and photograph the Scottish Moors, New Zealand, and the birds in Costa Rica, for example), I've learned that there are worthwhile photo opportunities in one's home turf if you look for them.

[debsn2paintn]

That is so true Dave, and you are finding them

[pancho]

Very nice Dave.

Janet