David Terao
August 2026 - Underwater Lily
Original
About the Image(s)
This image was taken at Longwood Gardens this month (July) when the water lilies were at their peak. Although there were plenty of beautiful varieties of water lilies, I found this submerged one different and quite fascinating. I removed the bright green lily pads around it, cropped the image to a square format, and changed the one green petal to red. Should I have left it green as nature intended? Also, do you find the two dead bugs in the center of the flower to be a distraction or something of interest? Shot with a Nikon Zf and 70-180mm macro lens at 180mm. Exposure was 1/100 sec @ f/8.0 and ISO 800.
8 comments posted
This submerged water lily has beautiful colors. I don't mind the pop of green on the front petal. Sometimes it's the quirk of nature that also adds interest. The dead bugs are a distraction to me. There is also something on the left that seems to be poking out of the water and is also a distraction. It's not clear what it is so it looks out of place to my eye. I like the graphics of this image with the repeating petals and shadows.
I was curious to see how a different crop that included some of the green lily pads would look. I copied your original, removed what I thought were distractions, re-cropped, then took it into Topaz Studio 2 to put a bit of a painterly spin on it, then added a vignette. I personally like the addition of the green lily pads. The one at the bottom is giving the petal leaning against it support rather than the petal just floating on it's own. Something about that is appealing to me.
I like your point of view for seeing something different and capturing this image.
Posted: 08/04/2026 14:06:03
I was curious to see how a different crop that included some of the green lily pads would look. I copied your original, removed what I thought were distractions, re-cropped, then took it into Topaz Studio 2 to put a bit of a painterly spin on it, then added a vignette. I personally like the addition of the green lily pads. The one at the bottom is giving the petal leaning against it support rather than the petal just floating on it's own. Something about that is appealing to me.
I like your point of view for seeing something different and capturing this image.
Posted: 08/04/2026 14:06:03
Thank you, Denise, for your detailed analysis and comments. Although my first inclination was to remove the lily pads completely, I like your crop leaving small, green patches in and darkening them a bit to not overwhelm the flower. Okay, the dead bugs are a distraction. And, the green petal now makes more sense as it ties in with the green lily pads. Posted: 08/04/2026 14:53:53
I have shot water lilies in Longwood gardens. What a great place to visit and shoot wonderful images of all types of subjects. My son lived in that town and was one his favorite place to visit. Great place to shoot water lilies. Sorry but this does not work for me. I feel you lose the beauty of the flower with it partly submerged. Too many partes of the flower are missing. Sorry. Posted: 08/13/2026 23:12:40
Thank, Dick. I completely understand your point of view. I guess from a natural perspective, it doesn't work. I was looking at it more from an abstract or unusual perspective. And, I certainly do appreciate your honesty. Posted: 08/13/2026 23:53:22
At first, I wasn't sure about this photo, but the more I looked, the more I liked it. The details are very sharp, and the different colors of the petals above and below the still, smooth water interface creates an 'abstract' appearance. I agree with removing the green pads and modifying background color somewhat, and nice job enhancing the petals. I would ditch the dead bugs, unless you are trying to make a statement about the coexistence of beauty and death :). Nice job! Posted: 08/16/2026 17:05:09
Thanks, Mark. As a somewhat abstract shot, I will definitely remove the dead bugs. Posted: 08/16/2026 17:08:33
Hi David,
This is quite a different shot of the lily, as we usually try to capture the flower rising above the water rather than submerged. Because of this, I think it is a great capture, and your editing gives it an interesting abstract quality by removing the green leaves.
Personally, I prefer Denise's version, including some of the greens, as they create a very nice contrast. I also agree with removing the insect, as I don't think they are strong enough to add to the story. Posted: 08/24/2026 08:00:14
This is quite a different shot of the lily, as we usually try to capture the flower rising above the water rather than submerged. Because of this, I think it is a great capture, and your editing gives it an interesting abstract quality by removing the green leaves.
Personally, I prefer Denise's version, including some of the greens, as they create a very nice contrast. I also agree with removing the insect, as I don't think they are strong enough to add to the story. Posted: 08/24/2026 08:00:14
Thank you, Maria. I always appreciate your thoughtful comments. I realized the problem with this image is it's trying to be both natural and abstract. I think I'll play with it some more, maybe going full abstract. Posted: 08/24/2026 11:39:39