Flowers 2016

[jbtaylor]

That Bluebell shot makes me want to quit taking pictures. It's just too perfect.

[Marcell Nikolausz]

It should motivate you. I also like that picture. It's a perfect examples why the quality of the out of focus area matters a lot.
Perfect picture indeed.

[Birma]

Thanks JT and Marcel! JT, I hope you'll continue

Here are a couple more from this weekend. The first is a Green Winged Orchid. They seem to be especially abundant this year. the second is more grass than flowers but I hope you'll pardon its inclusion as the major grass type here , Sweet Vernal, is in flower, even if its flowers are not quite as spectacular as the orchid's.

2015 Melrose - One of Many by Birm, on Flickr

2015 Melrose - Sweet Vernal by Birm, on Flickr

Both with A99 and SAL 70-400 G mk 1.

[sury]

Just beautiful Andy, both of them.

Sury

[Birma]

Thanks Sury

[the_hefay]

Perfectly dreamy shots Andy. Here's some more from this evening's walk in the hills.

A couple varieties of Indian Paintbrush.

[the_hefay]

The blue one is a Penstemon or Beardtongue and the other is an Aster that's closed up for the night.

[Birma]

Lovely light and colours in all of those, The Hefay - great pics!

If I might make a small suggestion with no.2? The light in colour in this one is lovely, and the picture overall would have been just perfect if you had been able to move those couple of blades of grass, that fall across the flowers, out of the way. They are lovely flowers and this would be the final icing I think

[sury]

Nice set, Jeff. Love the last one.

[Birma]

A couple more from the weekend.

The first one has mainly Buttercups (Ranunculus acris) and Green Winged Orchids (Orchis morio) in flower.

A narrow public footpath crosses the meadow, requiring some gymnastics to get a nice low angle on the meadow without trampling any of the subject matter

2015 Boynes - Down Among The Buttercups by Birm, on Flickr

A pink coloured, Green Winged Orchid (Orchis morio) in flower in the early morning sunshine.

2015 Boynes - Pretty In Pink by Birm, on Flickr

Both with A7mkII and LA-EA3 + SAL 135 STF

[sury]

Very nice dreamscapes, Andy. I wish the green blob was blurred a bit more in the background 1/3rd from right as you see the image; where flowers on either side dip to green blades. It is drawing the attention distracting from the yellow/white flowers.
I am getting tempted by that STF.
Sury

[jbtaylor]

Sury suffering from lens lust?
No way.

[Birma]

Thanks for the feedback, Sury . I will have a look at cloning that bit.

I think the STF would be much trickier to use without live view based focus assistance. A7 series or A99 really required to enjoy it most .

[Marcell Nikolausz]

The Green Winged Orchid picture is really dreamy.
You mastered the STF lens.

[sury]

Sury suffering from lens lust?
No way.

Well, JB. Thanks to you, I ended up with 135/1.8. Andy has been tantalizing with that STF
every so often and looking at those images, I am just wondering "what if". I wonder how well
that lens does on A77M2. My only body with live view. Just thinking aloud.