Brunch with Battutah
Fading lovelies
Posted by Michael Skorulski (Cigel, Slovakia) on 20 July 2008 in Plant & Nature and Portfolio.
On our way to Vienna Airport, we stopped to photograph these wilting but still magnetic sunflowers.
Kylie Greenan from Richmond, Australia
No sun for the sad sunflowers, no wonder they are fading! I love the repetion of the sunflowers in this image and the dark sky that seems to take their happy faces away. Well captured Michael!
20 Jul 2008 5:17am
@Kylie Greenan: Thank you very much, Kylie. For some reason,I don't find the fading sunflowers sad. I think they are beautiful and magical still.
Marion from Nanaimo, BC, Canada
They are so sunny even though they are drooping. This looks like another one of your wonderful HDR photos Michael. The brooding sky adds so much drama to this picture. I just pointed this out to my husband and his comment was "Wow"!!
20 Jul 2008 6:22am
@Marion: Thanks, Marion. Yes it is another HDR which I think adds interest to some images. the skies are especially good. glad your hubby liked the image too.
Photographs by M.E. from Tustin, United States
sunflowers are my fave! this is a very lovely but haunting capture for M.E.
20 Jul 2008 6:23am
@Photographs by M.E.: Thank you, M.E. I like them too, whether fresh or wilting.
Mirko Herzner from Mühlheim am Main, Germany
I would love to see this in black & white. What a great capture ...
20 Jul 2008 8:41am
@Mirko Herzner: I agree it might be good in b/w. thank you, Mirko.
António Pires from Lisbon, Portugal
They look sad, without sun. The colours are great.
20 Jul 2008 9:01am
@António Pires: thank you, António.
@Cia: thank you, Cia.
Koushiro~光子郎 from Singapore, Singapore
Yea they really look sad... The sky reflects the mood rather well too. But well taken nonetheless!
20 Jul 2008 9:18am
@Koushiro~光子郎: thank you, Koushiro.
Betty from New Jersey, United States
Even like this they are beautiful! A different kind of sunflower photo, and I really like it! It's not sad, it's nature! Very well done, Michael!
20 Jul 2008 10:22am
@Betty: thank you, Betty. I agree that it isn't sad.
Benoit Darrieux from Clermont Ferrand, France
When sunflowers become rainflowers ! I agree with Betty, it's juste the nature and it's not sad. Thanks for your job. BEnoit
20 Jul 2008 10:34am
@Benoit Darrieux: thank you, Benoit.
Ron from Saint Louis, United States
A wonderful composition despite the faded beauty ... you did manage to capture a few with some sex appeal left in them!
20 Jul 2008 10:36am
@Ron: Thanks, Ron. I find them magnetic no matter how much they fade.
Judy from Brooksville-Florida,, United States
Their heads are so heavy with all those sunflower seeds, how could they possibly hold them up any higher?
This is a wonderful capture of the Viennese sunflower field!
Is Vienna's airport the closest large airport to your home, Michael?
20 Jul 2008 11:21am
@Judy: Yes, Vienna Airport is the closest large airport to our home. We make the trip quite often. This time it was a joy to stop at various places to take pictures. Thanks so much, Judy.
@Kent: thanks so much, Kent. I appreciate that.
@hugo poon: I like your interpretation. thank you, Hugo.
Chris from South Jersey, United States
The fading sunflowers are perfectly matched with the brooding sky - nice HDR work to capture both, and you composition is excellent......
20 Jul 2008 12:42pm
@Chris: Thank you very much, Chris.
Lorraine from Gatineau, Canada
A hell of an impact, have you ever seen 'Smallville' the episode where an old sick lady who can see in the future touches Lex Luthor and sees the gradual deterioration of all of nature's beauty, well this reminds me so much of that scene...need I say it: WOW
20 Jul 2008 12:47pm
@Lorraine: I haven't seen the episode but can imagine it. A great comment. thanks, Lorraine.
Francesc B. from région parisienne, France
Fantastic...very beautiful ambience and composition. I like this contrast sky-sunflowers, and your soft HDR...( I start just with this technique, not easy, huh !!…)
20 Jul 2008 1:21pm
@Francesc B.: Thank you, Francesc. HDR is great for expressing atmosphere. But it takes a little time to learn to control the technique so it is not overdone and you get the effect you want. Sometimes you get haloes which are hard to get rid of and sometimes make the images unusable.
@thib: thank you, thib.
Japanalia from Yokohama, Japan
You remind me that it is sunflowers time! An atmospheric composition with sad OR wornout flowers....too hot, I believe, even for the sunflowers!
20 Jul 2008 2:19pm
@Japanalia: Perhaps it was the heat. thank you, Gabriela.
Observing from West Cheshire, United Kingdom
They are disappointed with the lousy summer weather :( but a good shot Michael.
20 Jul 2008 3:14pm
@Observing: Many thanks, Michael. It's been a rainy summer.
@Vink: thank you, Vink.
Rags from Plano, United States
Its like the flowers are turning/leaning toward you.
20 Jul 2008 6:27pm
@Rags: Yes, they have that look. thank you, Rags.
Dr. Leonard Yossarian from LONDON, United Kingdom
they look so sad, did you cheer them up? You need to sing to them or perform a dance !
20 Jul 2008 6:36pm
@Dr. Leonard Yossarian: thanks for commenting, Dr. L.
dj.tigersprout from San Bruno, United States
a beautiful shot michael -- my first thought was that they were melting! :) beautiful repetitive shapes and forms. lovely sunflowers, these fading away as they are.
20 Jul 2008 6:51pm
@dj.tigersprout: Thank you, Jaycee. I found them beautiful too and didn't really think about them wilting and sad until my wife mentioned it.
kiji from valenciennes, France
Very beautiful and uncommon sunflowers shot. I love the contrast between the sky and the flowers
20 Jul 2008 8:28pm
@kiji: Thank you, kiji.
Craig from Vacaville, California, United States
I really like all the repeated forms and values!
20 Jul 2008 8:53pm
@Craig: Many thanks, Craig.
@mo: Thank you, Mo.
MadScientist from Düsseldorf, Germany
They really seem to look sad! But you captured a glorious moment, just superb!
20 Jul 2008 10:35pm
@MadScientist: thank you very much, MS.
Steve Rice from Olympia, United States
Excellent image. The yellow pops against the dark leaves.
21 Jul 2008 2:58pm
@Steve Rice: Thanks for visiting, Steve.
Michael Rawluk from Prince George, Canada
Very well done. I like the way you composed it with using the different heights of sunflowers.
22 Jul 2008 3:36am
@Michael Rawluk: Thank you, Michael. I appreciate that.
Damon Schreiber from Toronto, Canada
Amazing that you've made such a gothic image out of a field of sunflowers. Great stuff!
27 Jul 2008 4:01pm
@Damon Schreiber: The term "gothic" is a good one. thank you, Damon.
Magda from Vancouver, Canada
There it is in colour! :) Looks as beautiful as in B&W.
10 Aug 2008 4:58pm
DSLR-A300
F/11.0
ISO 100
35 mm