How do they get the flowers so perfect for photos?

[K-Sci]

I'm sure there are people who use splints and tape, but seriously, how do they do it. Here's an example. Both photos are links to Cattleya walkeriana 'Jungle Queen' photos. The first flower has flat petals, the side lobes above the lip are uniform, and the lip is straight and nicely presented. In the second photo the petals are ruffled and curled back, the side lobes are not uniform, and the lip is ruffled. Edit: I added one more photo. I want my pictures to look like the first flower.





-Keith

[Shadeflower]

isn't this just genetics. Like why some cultivars have ACC FCC or whatever to represent they are slightly better than plant 2?

Humidity to some extend can play a role in the ruffled look I think. To me plant 1 looks in better shape with plant 2 having lost older leaves, possibly humidity issues but I'm guessing it's genetics mostly.

That is why it is best to have a few to always be able to pick the best one? Kim mentions this every time he shows a flower.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by Shadeflower

isn't this just genetics.

They're either divisions or clones of the same plant, so genetics shouldn't be a big factor. I have original divisions that never look as good as some of the internet photos. Like magazine photos of people a good bit of air brush, makeup, and photo editing can improve surfaces, but to remove ruffled edges and straighten petals would be extremely difficult and time-consuming.


-Keith

[Paphluvr]

With some plants it's just a matter of timing. I can think of several of my plants that if I took a flower photo shortly after they opened and then waiting a week or two to take another, you would think I had taken a photo of two different flowers. Some change shape and others change color.

[K-Sci]

Originally Posted by Paphluvr

With some plants it's just a matter of timing. I can think of several of my plants that if I took a flower photo shortly after they opened and then waiting a week or two to take another, you would think I had taken a photo of two different flowers. Some change shape and others change color.

Thank you for your thoughts. I know you're right, I've done it a few times myself, and always had a nagging feeling that I was somehow cheating.

In the OP, I focused on a single flower. It is not hard to find similar photos with flower groupings. I think shadeflower is probably right about humidity being a factor. I'm hoping someone who shows orchids for awards could let us know what, if anything, they do.


-Keith

[SouthPark]

For the third (bottom-most) pic ...... the right-hand side petal is merely just facing forward a bit more, and just got stuck in that position. It's not a problem. All you have to do is to use your fingers ----- and gently push that sepal ----- a little gentle force ----- and it will likely end up in the fully opened position.

With the very first (upper-most) pic ----- the lip is sort of curled downwards --- where-as in the third pic, the lip is spread out a bit more. Having all these variations is nice.

[camille1585]

Even with identical plants (ie divisions) the environment (temp, humidity, light) the plant is grown in can have a pretty big effect on the flowers and how well they open.

As already mentioned, the timing of the photo is important. I only have a couple Catts and one just started blooming on saturday, but the petals are still a bit wrinkled and not completely flat. I know it will look better in a couple days, and that's when I'll take some photos!

Being a photographer myself, from experience, here's something else to think of: the quality of the lighting when taking the photo. In the first photo, the person used a nice, even and diffused light. There are no strong shadows and little indication of which direction the light is coming from. This helps 'flatten' shapes a bit. In the second photo the lighting is not as even, seems to come from one direction, and there are more shadows/contrasts. The curves in the flower are much more visible. I suspect that if the plants in photos 1 and 2 were photographed in the same conditions, they would look much more similar.

[K-Sci]

Southpark and Camille, thank you for your replies. I know you're right.

Here are two photos of Norman's Bay Low FCC/AOS. The first is off-color (too red). I suspect this is because it was photo edited and the intensity, hue, and saturation were changed. [EDIT: This may not be true, or it may be how it looks on my monitor] I can usually color-correct photos like this one, but it isn't mine. Still, it is a very nicely shaped flower, as is the one next to it, which appears to be still opening.

The second photo illustrates how most of my big Cattleyas look when I want to photograph them. - they're just not uniform and tend to reflex back, especially at the tips. On this flower, the petals are twisted, the sepals are curved back and the lip isn't as neat.





-Keith

[Diane56Victor]

Well I think the photo of your bloom is stunning!

The quality of the photo and appreciation of the time and effort taken can be acknowledged but
I suppose even with the most posed, perfected, tweaked and photoshopped picture its still down to the eye of the beholder regarding subject matter.

[Shadeflower]

yours is lovely keith.

It's just a matter of lighting.

tend to reflex back

Low humidity makes the sepals reflex back more