David Terao
October 2026 - Semi-cactus Dahlia
Original
About the Image(s)
I took this image at a local, public trial dahlia garden in Derwood, Maryland. Of all the outstanding dahlias at the garden, I found this yellow, semi-cactus dahlia particularly photogenic. I took 20 images to stack the final image using a Nikon Zf full-frame camera and an old Nikon 70-180mm macro lens (focal length 95mm) on a tripod. I converted the image to B&W to accentuate the fine details in the petals. Exposure was 1/800 sec @ f/8.0.
8 comments posted
Hi David,
What a beautiful shot of this dahlia! The detail is fantastic, and turning it into black and white was a very good decision because it enhances the detail without the distraction of colour.
I also like that you darkened the background, as it isolates the flower perfectly and really makes it stand out. Posted: 10/02/2026 19:46:48
What a beautiful shot of this dahlia! The detail is fantastic, and turning it into black and white was a very good decision because it enhances the detail without the distraction of colour.
I also like that you darkened the background, as it isolates the flower perfectly and really makes it stand out. Posted: 10/02/2026 19:46:48
Thank you, Maria. I'm still learning which flower images look better in B&W. Sometimes, it's not intuitively obvious. Posted: 10/02/2026 20:25:26
Wonderful shot of this beautiful dahlia. The B & W conversion really suits this image. You captured the detail and movement in the petals perfectly in my opinion. I have no suggestions for improvement. Posted: 10/05/2026 12:52:42
Thanks, Denise. When converting flower images to B&W, I think I prefer keeping the background all black with no detail. Posted: 10/05/2026 14:04:50
David, this is a striking conversion to B&W bring out great detail in the petals and especially the tips. Looking at the original, I would not have thought to convert, so a good lesson for me. Posted: 10/08/2026 11:48:18
Thank you, Mark. I'm still learning when to convert a color flower image to B&W. Mostly, it's just trial and error. Posted: 10/08/2026 12:47:28
What a great shot! Such great detail not only by doing a stack but the use of a tripod. I do not understand why most will not use a tripod. Nothing can be done to make this image better. Beautiful. Posted: 10/08/2026 17:36:55
Thanks, Dick! Yes, I almost always have a tripod with me when shooting flowers. I still have to get in the habit of using my polarizers more often. Posted: 10/08/2026 19:55:50