A pair of sun-struck Dutch Iris blooms.
Well, I think they are Dutch Iris--Casablanca, as I've been told--but they have a lot of purple in them.
They are, for me, normally just a nice flower--until the sun catches them just right, when their whites turn to intensely bright white flame points.
They also have interesting textures in those pure white petals, so I toned down the light to bring up the textures--curves and veins--a bit.
Breezy day, so I raised the ISO and the shutter speed. The f:19 gave me a fairly good depth of field, but didn't allow quite the sharpness that the Iris appreciates.
Comments on improvement possibilities are appreciated.
Else, just enjoy the iris for what it gave us!
Angky.

[rhanz]

A pair of sun-struck Dutch Iris blooms.
Well, I think they are Dutch Iris--Casablanca, as I've been told--but they have a lot of purple in them.
They are, for me, normally just a nice flower--until the sun catches them just right, when their whites turn to intensely bright white flame points.
They also have interesting textures in those pure white petals, so I toned down the light to bring up the textures--curves and veins--a bit.
Breezy day, so I raised the ISO and the shutter speed. The f:19 gave me a fairly good depth of field, but didn't allow quite the sharpness that the Iris appreciates.
Comments on improvement possibilities are appreciated.
Else, just enjoy the iris for what it gave us!
Angky.

Your exposure choises work well on that nice picture. Well done.

[eaglem]

Caught in it's early stage of opening up so the colours are rich.

[angkymac]

Your exposure choises work well on that nice picture. Well done.

Thank you for that!
I was just looking at the image again, and saying to myself that I need to change the exposure!
I guess there is no absolute exact exposure--it's just choices, as you say, and what looks best at the moment.
Glad for your input!
Angky.

---------- Post added 07-23-22 at 04:48 PM ----------

Caught in it's early stage of opening up so the colours are rich.

Right! I guess that is what made it so noticeable.
I don't know these flowers very well, so I don't know their progression--and this one was in a garden I've never visited.
Thanks for your helpful assessment.
Angky.

[MikeNArk]

I like the colors of this iris. While very pretty, I think it could have been a little brighter. It also may have been stopped down a little too much, as you said, affecting the sharpness. The current result is pretty. I wouldn't consider my opinions too much, as I don't really do much flower photography.
Mike

[ProfessorBuzz]

Lovely shot.

[angkymac]

I like the colors of this iris. While very pretty, I think it could have been a little brighter. It also may have been stopped down a little too much, as you said, affecting the sharpness. The current result is pretty. I wouldn't consider my opinions too much, as I don't really do much flower photography.
Mike

Well, Mike, I do consider your opinion, even though flower photos aren't your forte. You have a perspective, and that is worth something to me.
I see what you mean by being a bit dark. I agree that I would like to see it lighter. Yet, my thoughts go back and forth on the matter.
Keep expressing your perspective, and keep posting images of snakes--which are your forte.
Angky

---------- Post added 07-24-22 at 07:02 PM ----------

Lovely shot.

Thank you, sir! I value your perspective on this, having seen your work, as well as your evaluations.
Angky.

[MikeNArk]

Well, Mike, I do consider your opinion, even though flower photos aren't your forte. You have a perspective, and that is worth something to me.
I see what you mean by being a bit dark. I agree that I would like to see it lighter. Yet, my thoughts go back and forth on the matter.
Keep expressing your perspective, and keep posting images of snakes--which are your forte.
Angky

Hi Angky. I have gone back to look at the image again and believe you may have the optimal brightness already. It looks like further brightening might blowout some details in areas of the image that are already bright. I've changed my mind. This image represents the flower that you saw already. Thanks for your response.
Mike

[angkymac]

Well, Mike, I do consider your opinion, even though flower photos aren't your forte. You have a perspective, and that is worth something to me.
I see what you mean by being a bit dark. I agree that I would like to see it lighter. Yet, my thoughts go back and forth on the matter.
Keep expressing your perspective, and keep posting images of snakes--which are your forte.
Angky

Hi Angky. I have gone back to look at the image again and believe you may have the optimal brightness already. It looks like further brightening might blowout some details in areas of the image that are already bright. I've changed my mind. This image represents the flower that you saw already. Thanks for your response.
Mike

Thanks, Mike, for your follow-up.
I had some trouble with blowing out the highlights, so you are correct in that.
However, I darkened some of the whites so that I could get a bit of texture. That added some darkness that makes me think they are not quite "natural" looking. So, they are white, but have a greater transition from bright white to darker--more than the original flower had. It helps to make them "pop", but it seems just a tiny bit too dark. Maybe if I gain more skill in this process, I might learn how to do it better.
But I do thank you for your update.
Angky.

[Tonytee]

A truly beautiful Floral Image. Dutch Iris, eh? I do not believe I have ever seen these before. Well done, Angky.

Tony.

[angkymac]

A truly beautiful Floral Image. Dutch Iris, eh? I do not believe I have ever seen these before. Well done, Angky.

Tony.

Thank you, Tony.
I had never seen Dutch Iris until I came to California. Not to say that they aren't elsewhere, but I had just never seen them.
Now, I find them in many many yards--usually as a clump in an area covered with bark mulch.
They are pretty, but get to be a bit boring since I don't see much variation in them.
Angky.