The weather has been quite wild here over the last week – very windy and wet too. (A huge change from the spring-like sunshine of late February.) So there has been no chance for anything staying still enough to take photographs outdoors.
Luckily, I have some plants in pots that have been sitting in the conservatory while they’re waiting for the ground to dry out enough for them to be planted in the garden. (There’s been a lovely scent from the primulas and, I think, the tiny pansies in there – I’ll miss it when the plants do go outside.)
I took this pansy into my little studio space and set up my lights and a white background. It was only after I’d taken a few photos that I realised I had company…the unfortunate plant had become home to some greenfly. It’s amazing how much more you can see in a close-up photograph compared to just looking straight at something. Now I have some nice sharp shots of greenfly, but somehow I don’t think they’ll be very useful to me! It didn’t take long to dust the wee devils off with a soft artists’ paintbrush. (Usually it’s cat hairs that I have to brush off – they can be practically invisible until you look at the photo magnified on the PC monitor.)
You can see pansies planted all over the place at this time of year in the UK. They’re cheap to buy and easily available everywhere, so they do get pretty much taken for granted. But I do love the colours, especially the way they blend into each other, giving a soft, almost watercolour effect.
Having the plant indoors made it easy to keep the flowers still while they were being photographed. When you’re working outdoors, movement in the slightest breeze is a big problem with macro photography. The area of focus is so shallow that it takes very little to take your flower out of focus and, if you’re not watching carefully, it can be easy to miss the fact that the flower has moved.
Spending an afternoon indoors, taking photographs with plenty of light and being able to keep warm and dry felt like quite a luxury. However, there a flowers out in the garden that are still waiting for their chance to be photographed…so I’m hoping for some better weather next week!
Ann Mackay: Inspired by Nature 
They look very cheerful and pretty!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Liz! They make me smile when I see them! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are so pretty.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thanks Jill! 🙂
LikeLike
They are beautifully photographed! They have such lovely markings, don’t they? (I call these violas. Violets are the darker flowers, I think?) Hope you get out into the sunshine today; it is looking as though it will be glorious.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Ali! 🙂 I think it’s all a little confusing – I mean, I have another white one that’s bigger, but not as big as the usual pansy – so which is it? Dunno! Maybe it’s easier just to refer to them all as violas…. hehe!
LikeLike
So sorry, just did a google search and you are completely right. They are in the same family. Shut up, Ali!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hey, Ali – I was wrong about the ‘violets’, LOL! An experienced gardener friend has just told me that these are actually pansies, even though they’re so tiny. (I had always thought that pansies were just the bigger ones. I have still a lot to learn about gardening, but that’s a large part of the fun! 🙂 )
LikeLike
Gorgeous Violets, Ann!
We can expect more flowers from you, I suppose 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thank you Indira! Yes, you can always expect some flowers from me…hehe!
LikeLike
I loved seeing these flowers, Ann! My mom has African violets inside. They are lovely.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m happy that you enjoyed seeing them, Shelly! It’s lovely to have flowers inside because you get to see them closer-up and you’re more aware of them. 🙂
LikeLike
I love violets – I keep them inside year round though. Beautiful images of them! Hope you get some good weather to take images of your flowers outside.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Syd, I’m glad you like the photos! Lovely to have the violets all year round and having them inside means the scent is there too. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
Such a Beauty … for summer Feelings!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Petra! The idea of summer is very appealing right now…
LikeLiked by 1 person
These are beautiful Ann. It’s great to see these…how would you say… brought into focus😁. As you say, they are so common, we don’t pay attention to them, but they’re so striking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hehe, Laurel, thank you! I’ve always loved their colours and the way they can blend into each other – makes me think of watercolours. 🙂
LikeLike
Great image!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Thanks Mark! 🙂
LikeLike