Jennifer Marano
September 2023 - Saguaro Cacti
About the Image(s)
On a recent trip to Arizona I got to enjoy being among the Saguaro cacti, my very favorite desert flora. This one is quite elderly, judging by its size and number of arms – probably well over 200 years old.
Technical: Olympus micro four thirds camera with 40 – 150 mm lens @ 40mm, f/11, 1/500 sec, ISO 200. Processed in Lightroom and Silver Effects Pro 3
9 comments posted
Black and white is a good choice here. I love the detail, and the sharpness. I like that you picked a part of the plant, rather than the whole. I'll bet you had a lot of compositions to choose from. Posted: 09/02/2023 16:35:38
Thank you! You are right about having many compositions to choose from, as Saguaros are my favorite cacti. Posted: 09/11/2023 22:38:25
B&W works perfectly. Agree that picking part of the plant was smart. I like that it's not centered/symmetrical and that you chose not to "clean it up" (the small branches of another plan create interest and a sense of realism). I had no idea these plants live so long in very harsh environments. Well done! Posted: 09/10/2023 04:04:28
Thanks for your comments! I was a little worried that the extraneous branches might make the image too busy, but the cactus is so dominant, I decided to leave them. Posted: 09/11/2023 22:42:54
Another excellent image. I very much like your B&W conversion. The first impulse of most people in coming across this scene would be to position themself so as to be able to place the entire cacti into the frame. You have captured the more interesting image by coming close in. Well done. Posted: 09/11/2023 18:26:20
Thank you for your kind words! As much as I like color, I was happier with this image in B&W, and I'm glad you agree. Posted: 09/11/2023 22:45:31
Great image! I really like the detail in this photo. I also note that the black & white conversion is perfect for this. In my opinion, choosing to capture a portion of the cacti adds to the story line and enhances this photo! Very good, thanks for sharing! Posted: 09/12/2023 08:48:16
Thank you Dale! I appreciate your feedback and kind words. Posted: 09/12/2023 08:58:00
Very cool photo, Jennifer!
I am loving the bold details! The B&W rendering is right on! Posted: 09/21/2023 12:34:13
I am loving the bold details! The B&W rendering is right on! Posted: 09/21/2023 12:34:13