Flower 9-9-2012

Late summer brings hearty Black-eyed Susans into full force across local gardens and open fields. I spotted this mature blossom soaking up warm September sunlight and positioned the lens at an angle that captured both the dark central cone and the full spread of petals. The directional sun helped define the raised textures across the bloom without harsh reflections.

The photograph centers on the dark chocolate-brown cone, bordered by a delicate ring of tiny yellow stamens. Bright golden-yellow petals fan out across the frame, their warm, saturated color framed by a soft, out-of-focus garden background that lets the rich autumnal colors shine through on high-resolution screens.