And here it is, THE Iris….
31Thursday 07 May, 2015 by Uncle Spike
After a few days waiting, this sad old Muppet was outside with his camera at 7am, before the school run, just to capture a shot or three of our first ever Iris in flower.
The weather has cranked up towards something resembling a junior summer (around 34C, or 93F for those who still partake). We are awaiting our end of season storm; which normally passes through around 10th May, and that’ll be it until late September. So I’m enjoying the flowers while I can, as much of them go pretty dormant when the real heat starts up in a month’s time.
.
So anyway, the Iris… it went from this:
.
.
To this…
.
.
I tried a few angles and shots, although time was limited and busy 12 hrs a day cutting back waist high (sometimes shoulder high) rough grass and weeds, but still, these are my favourite three shots.
Any comments/advice on angles etc when capturing these types of flowers?
.
.
.
Oh, and here is that last shot, re-cropped by Maureen from JOSEPHINA BALLERINA, who took the kind trouble to help me crop a little better 🙂
.
.
Uncle Spike's Adventures 
It was worth waiting for Spike. You should have kept it in the shade! Perhaps the rhizome variety of Iris would last longer than the bulbs? I am told that rhizomes like sun?
LikeLike
Not a clue sir…. As for shade, what’s that? 😀
LikeLike
Hey Spike .. such a delicate flower. Did you move the pot? 😀
LikeLike
Nope, different angle. Next year, the pot moves!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Is this how it looks full bloom? or will the petals still open up?
LikeLike
Full bloom that was… all gone now; only lasts 2 days in the sun
LikeLike
Hey Spike,
Was just thinking about my philosophy of pix this very morning while, well, taking a few pix. Love a stunning, perfectly captured image as much as the next person. Manipulated images can be fun, too. But finally decided I mostly like pix like whisky. Neat. This being said, only thing I woulda done with any of your beautiful photos is crop them a bit. But, even without cropping, how can the memories of your Family’s First Iris be anything other than perfectly captured?
And also, uh, exactly How does it get in the summer? And what kind of storm are you expecting?
🙂 m & jb
LikeLiked by 1 person
That was cropped, but I never know how far to go. If you like, download the image and crop as you might do, then email me the results – always good to get a diffgerent perspective.
Heat, hmm, how does 47 grab you? Basically it’ll be in the 30s for May and June, then min of 40 for July/August, then 30s for Sept into October. Hence gardening in a challenge 🙂
Storms are a regular feature here from Oct-Apr. Surrounded by mountains, we get some monsters, I can tell you. Love it !
LikeLike
As for the ‘neat’ bit, the most I ever do is crop – not into the ‘art’ side of photography; just captured memories and moments.
LikeLike
Lovely Iris, Spike….but yes, you could do with a shallower depth of field to get rid of a distracting background.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Next year…
LikeLiked by 1 person
How did you get on with the quest for a camera?
LikeLike
Sadly, car tyres look to be the priority, perhaps next year.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh, bad luck
LikeLike
It’s a gorgeous colour Spike. I can see why you are so proud of it 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Sadly, it has since been roasted by the sun, and gone…
LikeLike
Poor thing – with ‘spring’ temperatures in the mid-30s, I’m not surprised.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I like the second photo, the background and the flower(s) are in good keeping with each other.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
https://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com/sherlock-boomer
LikeLike
Thanks Linda
LikeLiked by 1 person
Try putting your camera on portrait mode, it will give you shallower depth of field, blur the background. And always be aware of what’s behind and around your subject. With flowers, I usually try to get really close and show the beautiful details.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ok, will see if I can find that setting – good tip 🙂
LikeLike
They are beautiful flowers.the colour and the design are truly made on Heaven
LikeLike
Thanks 🙂
LikeLike
I think the last photo of the iris is exquisite! The shapes of the petals are captured beautifully and both inside and out are in focus. I love the way the little feathery stamens are poking out on the right. If I was to say one thing – I think I would have moved the pot out of the photo, if it was possible, as it distracts from the flower. I have now leant to always look around the edges of every photo that I take as they are just as important as the main subject. Good shooting!
LikeLike
Thanks Annette. Yep, the pot annoyed me too, but it’s half buried there – from long before the flowers arrived 🙂
LikeLike
Oh well – some things you just have to put up with. Maybe you should just include more of it and make it part of the photo!
LikeLike
True, make a feature of it
LikeLike
Beautiful!! Reminds me of my parents’ yard growing up. They had a line of these gorgeous flowers that ran along the back fence. Absolutely stunning when they were all in bloom in the spring 🙂
LikeLike
That sounds pretty cool. Sadly, 48 hours later ours have gone. It’s 34 now and it kinda roasts them!
LikeLike
Oh no!! Yeah, they are quite the temperamental flower!
LikeLiked by 1 person
So I’ve discovered 🙂
LikeLike