Posted on by susurrus

Looking At Flowers Close Up

Side view of a very double clematis, with pointed petals

Cee has invited us to share close up pictures or macro shots as part of this week’s Fun Foto Challenge – who could resist? My first is a close up of the extremely double Clematis ‘Josephine Pink’. The flower changes considerably as it opens: at this stage, mounds of overlapping inner petals are almost obscuring the bigger ones that form an outer ruff, with still more petals to come.

The great thing about a close up is the textural quality it gives. I hardly know whether the pointed petals would feel stiff or soft if I could reach my hand out and touch the flower. 

White lilies with a red flush down the centre of each petal

More striped petals – this time a lily that was labelled Lilium ‘Calvados’. I’m not entirely convinced this is a true representation of L. ‘Calvados’ as the pink stripes seem too narrow – perhaps the colour will spread and deepen as the flower ages.

Close up of a pink peony in a flower bouquet

I’m not going to venture a guess at the name of the pale pink peony, but will content myself by admiring its wobbly edges and relaxed curls. There’s no question here whether the petals would feel soft or not!

Close up of the petals in the centre of a crimson dahlia

To end with, something close to a macro shot of a crimson dahlia. It’s patterns and colour that interest me here. If there’s one thing that characterises dahlias, it’s the orderly placement of their scoop shaped petals. Rich, velvety lowlights contrast with delicious licks of brightness on the backs of the petals at the heart of this bloom.

Hang on – should I slip in a rose? Only if you twist my arm.

A rose, petals covered with dew that shines in the sunlight

Viewed up close from an alternative angle, at first glance this seems more of a loose affiliation of petals than a flower. Then the rose characteristics start to appear. The backlighting shows how translucent the petals are. And who knew how many tiny droplets of dew one rose could carry – unless they stepped out soon enough after daybreak to inspect? Whatever balmy day this was (I forget when and where I took this) I can feel it all over again: that natural pleasure in being alive the rose in its radiance seems to share.

I hope these brighten your day!

46 Replies to “Looking At Flowers Close Up”

    1. Using an iPhone is a trade off – it’s a struggle to get the true narrow depth of field effect, but what you lose in atmosphere, you gain by having more of the flower in focus. You see more less clearly, if that makes sense.

  7. Very beautiful and so nice to have so much color on this grey afternoon in December. I love the detailed petals of the clematis. I have a couple of those too, though I missed their bloom this year. Similarly I love the dahlia…so intricate, but I didn’t plant any this year, they bloom so late here, almost right at frost time. And the peony! Made me remember the delicate smell of them. Can’t wait for spring!

    1. It’s nice to look back – or forward! I always struggle to photograph dahlias, but I was quite pleased with this one. You’d think they’d be like roses, but I find they aren’t. Those intricate patterns you mention don’t need much of a nudge to send them awry.

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