Awaiting the sun

Nice image, but is it for real?

Yes, the only "manipulation" was to lift the foreground shadow detail slightly. It was a stunning scene which I watched developing as the sun broke through the morning mist. I was cycling along a country lane and the sunflower fields went on for miles (quite usual in that part of France) so when the light was just right I stopped and took the photo. I'm afraid it's not very original in concept but but it's the kind of picture you can't resist capturing - and it reminds me of a beautiful morning.

very unique indeed...and I like the colour (great exposure) composition....and this repetition of all flowers facing you ( but the front one`s)...the sky also adds to this as a nice contrast

Quite stunning, Charles. A simple, repetitive pattern, as far as you can see... This was a magic moment and I'm sure you were pretty excited when you captured it.

I actually feel this IS original... I really like this shot.

This is a stunning photograph -- I'm sure it was even more remarkable in real life.

 

I must admit that when I first saw it I thought it was a composite image -- working in the visual effects industry where crowd duplication is commonplace has made me a bit cynical, I'm afraid. I'm so glad to hear that there is actually a place in the world that looks like this. I've got nothing against digital manipulation/creation. It just puts me in a good mood to think that, somewhere out there, one can actually stand in the middle of a monstrous field of sunflowers.

 

One last note. When I viewed the large version of this image I was struck by the resemblance to a crowd of people dancing at a rave in front of a DJ. I'm seeing this from the perspective of the DJ.. row upon row of dancers, some heads down, some heads up... just dancing. I guess it's a little odd to be imagining that kind of movement in a field of sunflowers but there you have it.

 

 

Have a look at this image for a decent example...

 

Wonderful work.

I think this situation would have made a strong horizontal. The dead space before and after the first set of sun flowers weakens your vertical composition. I don't know if that could have been avoided using a wide angle even with the horizontal framing. However, I am sure it could have been avoided with a telephoto and horizontal framing.

I think the dark green foliage really adds depth to the picture because it shows you there's more to the field than just the flowers you see from a distance, there's all the plants that hold them up. Also I like the rich texture of it.

 

I've seen some sunflower photos before (including a published poster) but none of them worked as well as this.

I don't agree with Robert. The perspective wouldn't be the same with a telephoto. The wide angle + vertical composition makes you feel as if you were really standing there.

I believe an unusual perspective can add to a photograph. However in this situation, I do not believe the perspective is effective for the following reasons:

 

1. The flowers in the front do not appear to be sharp.

 

2. Because the flowers in the front seem relatively distant from each other, they break the pattern that appears in the background.

 

3. None of the flowers in the front sufficiently dominates the frame. Getting closer to them would probably help. The dead space that I mentioned earlier keeps them from dominating the frame.

 

If this image was cropped so that the top 40-45 percent remained, a strong horizontal with the repetition that some have noted is created.

 

Yes, it's true that the flowers do not exist on their own because the blossoms top the stems. However, the stems top the earth. If Jasmine is correct, should Mr. Charles have shown us the ground beneath the stems in the foreground?

Thank you all for your comments & discussion. All I can add is that I see what Robert means and I did actually take the photo that he suggests: it looks OK but I prefer this one for the reasons Jasmine & Philippe have already described, plus one of the reasons Robert didn't like it, ie the (to me) interesting fact that the pattern looks quite different close-up with bigger gaps than you would expect and more variation in the sizes, shapes & positions of the flowers. It's rather like looking at a crowd of people and only if you include some near ones are you reminded that they are all individuals and not just an amorphous mass (Berj's comment was very close to my thoughts at the time but I thought of them as a congregation of sun-worshippers - hence the title).

 

I really do appreciate you spending the time and giving me the chance to discuss my & your photos. Merry Christmas etc. ...Jonathan

If I EVER stumble across a scene such as this I think I would shoot it for days!!!! SUCH possibilities! This is a beautiful image, marred only by the out of focus near sunflowers (tripods do not fit well on bicycles). I think I tend to agree with a few of the viewers in that a horizontal might also work. In any case, a GREAT image.

Nice.

This image has a rhythm that is captivating. The colors are superb.

I love this image! Awesome!

what can I say, I have encountered these kinds of moments - but never actually seen it captured on film this good..! not only that, but I think the framing is very good also (regardless of what others say..)

Ahh natural, nice shot!

Well you say you think it's not original... but in it's kind I think it is very good. I wonder how you were able to get such saturated yellows and greens with such low light circumstances. The purple in the upper part realy stands of nicely against the yellow. The mood is very quiet. I guess it's hard to be original when it comes to flowers, but since this photo really doesn't bore me at all, I suppose it's original enough when it comes to the mood and colours. Geraldine made some IMO nice flower photos lately.

 

Regards,

Julien

Moody sunflowers, very nice.

very nice.

Great! Beautiful scene. I have a similar one but your looks better.

Beautiful!!!

Great Photo. Surreal. But apparently for Real. Good Job!

Johnathan, at first, I began to cynically examine this image for signs that you "cheated" but it really doesn't matter because it is spectacular. Best wishes to you.

Thank you. Yes, it was real - I can't take any credit for creating the scene, I was just kucky enough to be there with a camera.