Crab Apple Blossom 6-15-2014

While inspecting an ornamental crab apple tree in early summer, this small cluster of pink buds caught my attention right against the weathered trunk. The contrast between rough, furrowed bark and tender new growth offered a great visual balance that was hard to pass up during a quick photo walk outside.

One pale pink blossom opens in the center, flanked by deep magenta flower buds waiting to unfurl in the sunlight. Diffused side lighting emphasizes the yellow stamens and subtle petal veins, while the dark, heavily textured tree bark serves as an organic, grounding backdrop that frames the delicate flowering sprig in natural daylight.