Hydrangea

[FootLoose]

This photo has been languishing on my computer for a while because I didn't know how to process it to bring out what I saw on the day - or the way I felt about what I saw, might be a more accurate way of putting it. C&C welcome.
Hydrangea_MG_6130 copy by Foot Loose2012, on Flickr

[just me]

Hi Greg....I like the angle of the photo, but perhaps a bit of more " colour " into the hydrangea ? ....but just my two cents worth.......

Greetings,
Griddi.......

[Mike Buckley]

Lovely pastel colors, Greg. Wonderful composition except that I'd like a little more "breathing room" at the top.

[IzzieK]

Almost cloudy at the top,Greg...makes it wishy it is mine...nice effect. I love the colour of that. I still have to find a proper one to plant along my deck. The other one at the side looks like a different colour...why?

[Shadowman]

Nice capture.

[Mike Buckley]

The other one at the side looks like a different colour...why?

The color of the blossom depends on the pH factor of the soil (the amount of acidity or alkalinity in the soil). It's so important that if the pH varies where the roots are, one part of the plant will produce one color and the other part of the plant will produce another color. You can control the pH factor with additives to the soil. Consult your local garden center.

[DanK]

The color of the blossom depends on the pH factor of the soil (the amount of acidity or alkalinity in the soil). It's so important that if the pH varies where the roots are, one part of the plant will produce one color and the other part of the plant will produce another color. You can control the pH factor with additives to the soil. Consult your local garden center.

For many varieties, color varies with pH. However, there are also big color differences among varieties. Our soil, for example, pushes many varieties toward blue, but we have some that are reddish, and we have a lacecap that is violet.

I find hydrangeas quite hard to photograph. First, they are very deep, so DOF is an issue. Second, they are beautiful in part because of their complexity, but that complexity also sometimes leaves the image without a clear focus.

[Wavelength]

Very pleasing indeed....

[FootLoose]

Thanks, Griddi. I prefer the pastel shades but as Mike points out, you can give them a dose of sulphate to turn them blue

[FootLoose]

Lovely pastel colors, Greg. Wonderful composition except that I'd like a little more "breathing room" at the top.

Thanks, Mike. I agree, it needs more headroom. I don't know why I cropped it so tight at the top.

[FootLoose]

Almost cloudy at the top,Greg...makes it wishy it is mine...nice effect. I love the colour of that. I still have to find a proper one to plant along my deck. The other one at the side looks like a different colour...why?

Thanks Izzie. Yes, I like that almost-transparent effect towards the top.

As Mike and Dan point out, these plants can have different coloured flowers on the same bush. I think gardeners feed then lime to turn them magenta and sulphate to turn them blue.

[FootLoose]

Nice capture.

Thanks John.

[FootLoose]

For many varieties, color varies with pH. However, there are also big color differences among varieties. Our soil, for example, pushes many varieties toward blue, but we have some that are reddish, and we have a lacecap that is violet.

I find hydrangeas quite hard to photograph. First, they are very deep, so DOF is an issue. Second, they are beautiful in part because of their complexity, but that complexity also sometimes leaves the image without a clear focus.

Thanks, Dan. The original wasn't particularly sharply focused so I decided to go with the 'impressionistic' approach.

[FootLoose]

Very pleasing indeed....

Thanks Nandakumar.