Picture This, August 2009

February 27, 2009 007 (7)

This is my entry for Gardening Gone Wild’s ‘Picture This’ Photo Contest for August 2009. The topic is getting down on your knees. This image was more of an on your belly shot taken this February after a rainshower when the sun came out for one brief shining moment. The little bee was a total surprise in late winter, but welcome.
To see the other fine entries and find out more click here.

Frances

~ by fairegarden on August 13, 2009.

Posted in Musings

25 Responses to “Picture This, August 2009”

I love that photo! It’s funny how the bee is homing in on that flower.

Thanks, MMD. It was a lucky break to have the bee fly into the shot as I was on the ground with the camera.
Frances

Mr. McGregor's Daughter said this on August 13, 2009 at 8:25 pm | Reply
Oh wow!! How cool is that???

Thanks, Janet. Glad you like it.
Frances

Janet said this on August 13, 2009 at 9:02 pm | Reply
What an opportune moment! Great photo. I’d vote for you!

Thanks, Shady. I appreciate that. It was a lucky shot.
Frances

Shady Gardener said this on August 13, 2009 at 9:45 pm | Reply
Wow! I was about to say… blooming in August! I have some second bloomers … magnolia and lilacs… and thought your Lenten Rose was another repeat bloomer. Great shot! Good luck!

Hi Carol, thanks. We occasionally have some repeat blooms on the hellebores in summer, but the flowers never ever look that crisp. Now, honeybees, he still have plenty of those.
Frances

Carol said this on August 13, 2009 at 10:00 pm | Reply
It’s almost 3D with that bee there! Awesome!

Thanks Tina. The bee does make the shot, for sure.
Frances

tina said this on August 13, 2009 at 10:04 pm | Reply
Nice shot with the bee! One very photogenic bee!

Thanks Dave. The bee is the star.
Frances

Dave said this on August 13, 2009 at 10:07 pm | Reply
Excellent.

Thanks Christopher. That is high praise from a photographer such as yourself.
Frances

Christopher C NC said this on August 13, 2009 at 10:26 pm | Reply
That’s really exquisite! That flower seems to be doing all it can to lure the bee which seems to have locked his sights on it. A seduction dance by any other name …

Hi Sunita, thanks. In February here, there are hardly any flowers, it was surprising to see the bee in winter like that. But the pollen called…. HA
Frances

Sunita said this on August 13, 2009 at 11:48 pm | Reply
What a great shot – good luck!

Thanks, Phillip.
Frances

Phillip said this on August 14, 2009 at 12:50 am | Reply
That picture is so cool!

Thanks, Gittan.
Frances

gittan said this on August 14, 2009 at 3:37 am | Reply
Wonderful shot! I do so love hellebores )

Thanks and welcome. Hellebores are a favorites here as well.
Frances

Rothschild Orchid said this on August 14, 2009 at 3:39 am | Reply
I am lovin this one Frances. It’s the bees knees.

Thanks, Lisa. You are so funny!
Frances

Lisa at Greenbow said this on August 14, 2009 at 6:49 am | Reply
Love the angle on the bee (and thanks for clarifying it being February–I was wondering what kind of contortions you could do to get a hellebore to bloom in August, LOL!)

Thanks Monica. It is possible that there could be a bloom hanging on under the foliage of some of the many hellebores here in August, but it would not look like these. Bees, we gots.
Frances

Monica the Garden Faerie said this on August 14, 2009 at 7:46 am | Reply
Beautiful, Frances! Fingers crossed!

Thanks for the good wishes, OFB! The competition is quite amazing, but this is the best shot I have so thought it might be a good entry. This is the first time we have submitted anything for this meme for I am just a point and shoot gal.
Frances

ourfriendben said this on August 14, 2009 at 8:53 am | Reply
What a great shot! This one’s a winner in my book!

Thanks Rose, you are too sweet.
Frances

Rose said this on August 14, 2009 at 9:04 am | Reply
What a picture! I wish I could take picture like that! Your storm pictures give a feeling of monsoon rains to me.

Hi Lotusleaf, thanks. I was lucky that day, that the bee decided to enter the shot. Monsoon rains sound like a little too much rain for me. This one was a quickie, over in half an hour or so, then the sun came back out.
Frances

lotusleaf said this on August 14, 2009 at 9:48 am | Reply
Good timing, Frances! She’s homing in on it.

Thanks Pam. It was pure luck on my part.
Frances

Pam/Digging said this on August 14, 2009 at 2:52 pm | Reply
Wow, what a beauty of a shot. You really captured that Hellebore, love the bee!

Thanks Susie and welcome. It was a lucky day.
Frances

Susie said this on August 14, 2009 at 7:34 pm | Reply
What a great shot. And it is amazing that the bee’s wings are in focus, they move so fast. I think I may just be a tad bit jealous of this shot.

Hi Hands, thanks. It was still quite cold then, and the bee was moving in super slow motion. I was trying to capture the flower and he just happened to fly into the shot. Luck, not talent.
Frances

healingmagichands said this on August 14, 2009 at 11:56 pm | Reply
What a great hellebore/bee shot, Frances! And I’m interested to know that you sometimes get repeat summer blooms from your hellebores.

Hi Pomona, thanks. When the hellebores throw another late bloom, it is not because of anything I do and seldom are they ever noticed really. They are always greenish and leathery, not pretty like the early ones. I will be on the lookout for one to show, if there are any.
Frances

Pomona Belvedere said this on August 16, 2009 at 3:59 pm | Reply
I love your large juicy photo. Then I saw the bee coming in for a landing! You’ve made us believe we’re there. I think you’re the August winner!

Thanks and welcome! It was a lucky shot and the best I had in the category so decided to give it a go.
Frances

steiderstudios said this on August 19, 2009 at 6:36 pm | Reply
[...] selection for SILVER WINNER goes to Frances at Faire Garden for a stunning and surreal belly shot of a Hellebore flower and a honey bee heading straight for it [...]

Picture This Photo Contest Winner for August said this on August 27, 2009 at 5:59 am | Reply
Congratulations, Frances, for having the courage to lie down flat to take a stunning photo. (I had to re-phrase my first sentence, it sounded as if you were the poser, rather than the photographer, lol.) Great job.

HA Nell Jean, good one! It took me a moment, but I finally got it. Showing my age, I suppose, my mind doesn’t think along those lines so easily anymore! Thanks for your kind words.
Frances

Nell Jean said this on August 27, 2009 at 2:35 pm | Reply
Congratulations on your Silver! I love this shot. Reminds me of sf movies, where a spaceship is coming in to dock!

Thanks Chookie. That is a great analogy!
Frances

Chookie said this on August 29, 2009 at 1:35 am | Reply
[...] I begin, congratulations are in order for ESP, East-Side-Patch & Frances at Faire Garden who are the 1st & 2nd place winners at Gardening Gone Wild’s August photo contest. It [...]

Monday Morning Blues « An Artist's Garden said this on September 1, 2009 at 1:12 am | Reply