Lotus flowers are great for close-up photography because they are bright, bold and strong enough not to blow about in the wind too much! The composition is great here – the centre of the flower is well positioned in the frame and there are no bright patches of sky or other distracting highlights. Unfortunately, using a smartphone has not resulted in brilliant image quality. Definitely worth returning to.
Using a vintage lens to obtain a soft, blurred background has worked beautifully here. Intentionally keeping just one bloom sharp is a great choice, with the other flowers giving the shot a sense of depth. Flowers such as these violets are often in low-light positions so using a reflector to bounce light back onto the subject is a great move. The wash of blue/purple in the background mirrors the colour of the blooms perfectly.
1,238 Images entered
Brief
See more contest details
We’re blending close-up mastery with popping and vibrant colours in this contest that will excite our senses!. When you’re on the hunt for macro images anything is fair game, but for now keep your eyes peeled for bursts of colour that will wow and impress.
Meet the expert judge
611 Photographers
Looking at this image you get a real sense of being trapped among the sticky tentacles. The bokeh in the foreground and background delivers a magical air, while the edges of the plant create soft waves. Only a tiny section of the picture is in sharp focus, but this doesn’t matter as it adds to the feeling of being sucked in! Great shot.
