Pink water lilies in July

July 20, 2020 by Mike Powell

There were only a few water lilies in bloom when I visited Green Spring Gardens last week, one of my favorite local gardens, but I was thrilled to see that a few of them were pink ones. I love all water lilies, but there seems to be something extra special and exotic about the pink ones.

I was using my trusty 180mm macro lens, which meant that if I wanted a closer view, as in the first image, I had to physically move closer to the flowers, which, of course were floating in the water. It was interesting to try to vary the angle of view of the same flower by, shooting from a low angle for the first image and shooting the same flower from a higher angle (and farther back) for the second shot.

I also played around with including and excluding the lily pads. The water lily in the final shot, for example, is almost in the center of the frame, which is generally frowned on when composing a shot, but I liked the arrangement of lily pads so much that I kept it there.

I am very much a child of my generation, so I can’t help but think of the video game Pac-Man when I look at the second image. Did anyone else have that same response?

Posted in Art, Flowers, Nature, Photography, Summer, Water Lilies | Tagged Alexandria VA, Camon 50D, green spring gardens, Pac-Man, pink water lily, Tamron 180mm, water lily | 25 Comments

25 Responses

on July 20, 2020 at 8:18 am | Reply Dan Antion

Beautiful photos, Mike. I had to laugh about the Pac-Man reference – that was my first thought.
- on July 20, 2020 at 8:19 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Dan. I think it is a generational thing and suspect that we are not the only two who will have that reaction. 🙂
on July 20, 2020 at 8:46 am | Reply joyroses13

Such a lovely water lily! Great shots! And yes about Pac-Man. LOL!
on July 20, 2020 at 11:24 am | Reply Michael Scandling

Beautiful. Regarding Pac-Man: Chomp!
- on July 20, 2020 at 12:51 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Michael. 🙂
on July 20, 2020 at 11:36 am | Reply Jet Eliot

Really enjoyed this water lily series, Mike. You captured the light in that pink lily so wonderfully, it has a lovely glow in each photo.
- on July 21, 2020 at 6:34 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Jet. When I was there, the water lilies did seem like they were glowing, especially when the light would hit them from certain angles.
on July 20, 2020 at 12:21 pm | Reply Eliza Waters

Ooh, these look good enough to eat! 🙂
- on July 20, 2020 at 12:50 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Pretty in pink 🙂
on July 20, 2020 at 3:38 pm | Reply Suzette Benjamin

Lol Mike – yes it does looks like Pacman🤣🌸
- on July 20, 2020 at 4:02 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Some shapes, like this one, were imprinted in my mind at a young age and forever are associated with a particular object. For what it’s worth, I loved playing Pacman. 🙂
on July 20, 2020 at 9:48 pm | Reply shoreacres

Ha! I never played Pac-Man, so I went looking, and found that the Google Doodle for one of its anniversaries was a little Pac-Man game. I couldn’t figure out how to play it at first, but I just spent fifteen minutes I didn’t expect to use figuring out a video game. Thanks! (And the water lily’s lovely.)
- on July 21, 2020 at 6:23 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Chalk it up to cultural research. 🙂
on July 21, 2020 at 7:05 am | Reply nliakos

Wow, Mike, these are spectacular! I don’t remember ever seeing a pink water lily before. I love the third image with the flower centered. I love all three.
- on July 21, 2020 at 7:10 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  I am not sure if they are a separate species, Nina, or are simply a variant. The last time that I was at Kenilworth, there were a couple of the little pond areas that had the pink water lilies, but most of the other areas had exclusively white ones.
on July 22, 2020 at 7:01 am | Reply Peter Hillman

Absolutely stunning, Mike! Great experimentation with how you see them and what to include.
- on July 22, 2020 at 7:23 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Pete. I rarely have such freedom to think so much about a composition when I am shooting an insect–usually I have to photograph is as I see it before it moves away.
on July 22, 2020 at 7:42 am | Reply Reed Andariese

Beautiful series of images Mike!
- on July 22, 2020 at 8:16 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Reed. It’s always a treat to see water lilies (and lotuses too).
on July 23, 2020 at 11:33 am | Reply Ellen Jennings

Quite exotic pink, I’d agree. All very nice images, Mike, and the close to center placement works very well with the lily pads.
on July 23, 2020 at 3:51 pm | Reply Molly Lin Dutina

First shot is my favorite. It seems to be radiating the light from within itself! Just gorgeous!
- on July 23, 2020 at 4:39 pm | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Molly. The light was coming from an angle when I took the shot and it indeed seemed to be filling the water lily with a glow. I don’t know if it would be the same if I took the shot at a different time of day, but I was sure happy that I captured the image when I did.
on July 24, 2020 at 8:25 am | Reply Laura Denise

Wow! These are especially stunning! 😍 Now I can’t unsee it in image #2. 😂👻
- on July 24, 2020 at 8:34 am | Reply Mike Powell
  
  Thanks, Laura. I assume the “it” in your comment about the second image is Pacman?
  - on July 24, 2020 at 8:35 am Laura Denise
    
    Yes, though I’m more of a Centipede kind of girl. 🎮