Under Milk Weed

[chicagojohn]

Shot on location here in Llareggub this sixth day of Spring, a dried, Wintered remnant of Autumn. I call it "Unfulfilled."

All comments, especially on the focal limits of diffraction at f/32, appreciated.
EXIF:
Pentax K100D Super
Tamron 90mm prime
f/32
ISO 200
1/125
hand held

"To begin at the beginning:

It is Spring, moonless night in the small town, starless and bible-black, the cobblestreets silent and the hunched, courters'-and- rabbits' wood limping invisible down to the sloeblack, slow, black, crowblack, fishingboat-bobbing sea. The houses are blind as moles (though moles see fine to-night in the snouting, velvet dingles) or blind as Captain Cat there in the muffled middle by the pump and the town clock, the shops in mourning, the Welfare Hall in widows' weeds. And all the people of the lulled and dumbfound town are sleeping now. " - Dylan Thomas

I don't wish to interrupt the critique, but I've never gotten Dylan Thomas.

ChicagoJohn,
I don't "feel" qualified to offer a critique. I like the image, but I'm sure that's not what you're looking for.

Why "Unfulfilled", may I ask?

[chicagojohn]

Originally Posted by Bakeys

I don't wish to interrupt the critique, but I've never gotten Dylan Thomas.

ChicagoJohn,
I don't "feel" qualified to offer a critique. I like the image, but I'm sure that's not what you're looking for.

Why "Unfulfilled", may I ask?

That was all I was looking for. You answered my question. Now fulfilled.

Also, "unfulfilled" because (a) all but one of the pods are no longer fully filled (thus un-full-filled) and yet (b) for one pod in particular, apparently none of the seeds managed to float away, remaining there throughout the rather harsh winter here in Chicagoland; their promise of starting new milkweed plants for the monarch butterflies yet unfulfilled.

But I'll make sure that is rectified soon.

In the mean time, Bakeys, you might want to check your basement for pods; pods and male monarch butterflies wearing sunglasses....

[chicagojohn]

EXIF
Pentax K100D Super
Tamron 90mm at 1:1
manual focus
1/125
ISO 200
f/32
hand held, antishake on

Improvement suggestions, please.

[farmographer]

I really like it, esp. the black background....

[Thunder_o_b]

Are you using a diffuser with the flash, lighting seems just a tad harsh? Good job on the handheld.

I love milkweed, always have. I had not seen it for many years, it seems to be making a come back.

[chicagojohn]

MIlkweed is indeed making a comeback. It used to be prolific in fence rows and ditches when I was growing up, but the farmers have since had to tear out the fence rows, and the ditches are now mowed regularly. Many don't realize the dependence of the monarch butterflies upon milkweed. I have some pictures of them on it. Here in Illinois, people are serious about restoration of native prairie.

Anyway, Farmographer: Like you, I also thought the black background helped to accentuate the dynamic range of the dried pods in the first shot. Thanks so much for reinforcing that idea in your comment. (postscript; I like your signature quotation from Lewis Hine. It reminds me of one of my favorite philosophers, Ludwig Wittgenstein, who concluded in the Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus, "That which can be shown, cannot be stated." -- Same point Hine was making, only more rigorously.)

And Thunder: I am honored that you would comment at all, and I agree that the unmodified light may be too harse and overly dramatic for some tastes. But I did try various lighting arrangements for the macro shot (which is the one I assume you are talking about), using an umbrella with both bounce and shoot-through modes and a soft box, a single key light and a fill light added.

But in comparing the results, in the end I preferred the harsh, intense contrast of the direct, unmodified strobe at the specific distance and angle shown. It alone seemed to emphasize the surface contours and uniquely individual "face" of each seed, almost like imigrant weed wannabees waiting to waft .... where?

Thanks to you both for taking the time to comment

[chicagojohn]

Macro is in the mind of the beholder
EXIF
Pentax K100D Super
Tamron 90 mm at 1:1
1/125 w/strobe 10° comb at 45°/45°
ISO 200
f/32



no milkweed seeds were harmed in the making of this picture

[cristen]

i like all the shots, CJ. Clear, and vivid details.

This macro, to me, is reminiscent of fireworks. Beautifully done. It'd be shame if this weren't an 8x10 on a wall.