Peonies

[Tensaw]

Is camera digital?

 

[Snake45]

...but the bug is cool.

CDFingers

I think every (live) peony I've ever seen has had ants (or some other bug) on it.

Meanwhile, since seeing Miss Universe Dayana Mendoza (a real knockout) trying to order peonies on Celebrity Apprentice this year, I will never again be able to even think of peonies without laughing. If you don't know what I'm talking about, see if it's on youtube. Let's say that English is not her first language, and although she speaks it pretty well, she does so with a heavy accent that can sometimes take some unexpected and hilarious twists. :wink: :lol: :lol: :lol:

ETA: We truly live in an age of wonders and miracles. It IS on youtube, and here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDcycUvLa6Y

 

[Mike Mulligan]

Your reality is not the reality of the camera! The picture does make me recall the scent of peonies and the warm woolen sweater heat that stirs the numerous tenants..... they are indeed from heaven :wink:

 

[Rick Courtright]

If I shoot in very low light it gets close, but if there's any sunlight at all, it washes.

Hi,

CD, my little cheapo Canon does the same thing if I leave it on "auto."

I'm a total amateur at this stuff, but find fiddling about w/ the aperture and shutter speed settings can "fix" things, at least a little. Had it been taken w/ my Canon, I'd suggest your picture's a little overexposed.

Does your Olympus offer you some manual adjustments? If so, there may be one like the Canon has where you can tell the camera to pick either a spot or a wider average to set its focus: using the "spot" may help (notice how some of Doc's fabulous animal pix have the depth of field shortened to the point the critter is super sharp, while the background blurs quickly? I think that's what this adjustment tries to do.) Also, a higher f-stop or a faster shutter speed (or a combination of both?) may help you w/ your colors. For example, I have some roses that are a beautiful deep pink but can show up as "nearly white" to "almost red" depending on the settings w/ that Canon.

Great thing about digitals is you can play around, shoot as many pix as you want, and learn instantly what works, what doesn't!

Good luck!

Rick C

 

[Hugh]

Peonies are very pretty flowers and plants. My late bride knew this stuff, but I've only learned this spring; yuh don't just plant one Peonie plant, because you just get one, and one flower. I planted one a couple of years ago, and there it is; one plant, one flower. This year I'm going to find a bunch, and plant them together. I might figure it out by the time I'm 80 or so. My Hibiscus White Chiffon are growing and leafing out like crazy. I'm looking forward to a bunch of flowers on them this summer. I have four Hibiscus in my yard; planted them two years ago. The White Chiffon is best. When the plants come available locally later this coming summer I'm guessing I'll plant a couple more.

I do like poinsettias, but haven't seen any in gardens here. We had one in Alameda, California, and the one in our yard in El Cajon, California was roof high. Too bad, I'll probably pass on them here, because it gets kinda cold in the winter.

 

[Snake45]

Snake: I think peonies have a sweet syrup that oozes out during blooming that draws the bugs.

CDFingers

Makes sense.

When I was a kid my dad had a gas station that had a bunch of them growning behind it. They were always crawling with little ants (at least I assume they were ants).

 

[ruggedruger]

Wow- the irony!

Today, I bought my first rifle - a No. 1. I was able to do so b/c I've been moonlighting as a truck drive for my inlaws delivering PEONIES to the airport to shipment across the US.

 

[SATCOM]

The monitor used to view the pic displays colors based on its calibration.

SATCOM

 

[TinkerDave]

The best light for photography is always morning and late afternoon. It seems to soften the harsness of midday light into something else, allowing much greater control over your images. TD