Carmine hued beauty #nature
iPhone 8 Plus
Aperture f/1.8 ISO 100 Shutter 1/9 Focal Length 399/100 
Springfield, Missouri, US
Sep, 2020Views
572
Likes
Awards
People's Choice in The Beauty of Thistles Photo Challenge
Fall Award 2020
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Top Choice
Superb Composition
All Star
Outstanding Creativity
Magnificent Capture
Superior Skill
Virtuoso
Emotions
Impressed
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
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Top 20 rank
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AsanteArt
September 06, 2020
Thank you so much Joviaal, means a lot from you! I wanted a different look and went wit the carmine tint to show off its beauty. I have never seen a thistle like this one or such a bloom, but it has been a delight watching the last 4 weeks!
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AsanteArt
September 10, 2020
Namaste! Thanks you Edgar. This thistle of unknown variety has been a beauty to photograph and watch start form an inch to now 5 foot tall and 3 more in bloom with apx 20 left to bud. The colour magnificent and just amazing--An Aussie friend said it looks like a thistle native to his country.
PRO+
AsanteArt
November 12, 2020
Thank you for the feed back, I appreciate it. Love it won a Fall award as one of my best late summer shots imo.
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Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was shot in my own backyard in the Ozarks, MO, USA. I had planted a strange bulb early summer from a big box outlet; by late summer this variety of thistle plant was over 4 foot high and encased with impenetrable armor type "leaves". When the filaments burst through the pods, they were a magical carmine, purplish tint, that changed hues in the sunlight.Time
Photo taken around noon, standard sunny day with slight breeze and high 80's temp. This was one of the first blooms to emerge from its armored cocoon.Lighting
This picture was taken in full daylight, but I wanted the filaments to really stand out, so darkened with the simple PS features on my iPhone. I wanted the drama of this unique piece to shine. The filaments were re lit with exposure and hue.Equipment
This piece was shot on an iPhone 8 Plus and edited on my PSE app only. Flash not on. Lucky shot.Inspiration
As a huge nature and flower lover, this splendid species had to be documented. The armor so tough it pierced the skin with a slight touch to, and was unlike any thistle I had ever seen before. I knew it was special; as I excitedly watched what looked like cocoons of woolen balls enlarge daily amongst the armored stems and leaves. For weeks the excitement was almost too much as I had no idea what would emerge. I checked every single day, and finally one morning this appeared and I shot later that day. Within a week there were nearly 40 exquisite blooms, the bees happily dined on throughout the day and the butterfly's at night. The vibrant color was well worth the wait, and the blooms softness to the touch; was quite the contrast to the hard as nails encapsulating exterior. An Australian gypsy handyman doing some fence work told me he has seen this plant species in in his country, so the origin remains up in the air. It is now, in November, spewing its now white, soft as silk, "seeds" into the air. I wish them well.Editing
No as singularly edited on phone camera before posting.In my camera bag
Have upgrade to an iPhone 12 but am still partial to my standard camera on the * plus. Am looking at purchasing the Nikon D5600 DSLR Camera with 18-55mm VR Lens + 32GB Card, Tripod, Case, and More (18pc Bundle) but am still looking for that perfect and easy to use camera to be my forever "in the bag". Am a huge fan of the simple PS Express editing which is easy for both young and old to edit with.Feedback
Patience! Patience! When focused on a particular end result photo, take solace in knowing that shot will indeed come. In this particular case I had to wait about 10+ weeks, but then got amazingly rewarded. Check daily on progress of subject as one never knows when that aha moment will be declared. Take before and after shots, as they can then go along nicely with the "money" shot. Go green. Plant the unexpected. Go with the flow. Feed the bees.
