When Pink Is White

Spring is very late in coming to the Smokies this year. The hard, cold winter has delayed the blooming cycle. Some wildflowers are in bloom, but others are just beginning to peak above the ground.

This trillium is a white flower that turns pink when it is nearly finished. The pink color can range from very pastel to a deeper tone like this one. Often by this stage in the life cycle the petals are pretty beat up, but this one still looked fresh and undamaged.

I wanted to showcase not only the color, but the delicately curled petals as well. A very shallow depth of field did the trick. It allowed the leading edges of the two front petals to be sharp while the rest of the flower is slightly soft.

The green background sets off the warm pink color and helps to make the flower look three-dimensional.

Use all the tools in your arsenal, and learn all you can, to create images that pop off the screen.   

TECHNICAL DATA

Shutter Speed 1/200 sec.  Aperture f/3.5.  ISO 100.  Lens:  Canon 100mm macro f/2.8L IS.  Camera: Canon 5D Mark III.  Handheld.

TODAY’S QUOTE: “ The mechanic that would perfect his work must first sharpen his tools.”  --Confucius