Happy New Year

Very artistic! Its always exciting when you get it right and they actually are in flower at Christmas! Mine have made it too this year - they are usually too early but I was stingier with the watering this autumn and it worked. Happy New Year to you too!

This photo appears to be in the realm of the abstract. Your choice of a monochromatic image in a black background ( a brilliant choice) has really emphasized the flower’s form with the many shades of grey giving giving great depth and shape to this bloom which really could not be achieved with colour in a two dimensional medium. When I am viewing a sculpture...especially an abstract.... I love to slowly walk around it to see its shapes change as I go which makes my thoughts about it change to. With the black background the cactus flower seems to be suspended in space without the visual point compass of up, down, right and left. I have solved the problem of not being able to walk around this subject for different points of view and thoughts about it by slowly turning it around 360 degrees. I only wonder what other viewers would have thought what this subject was had you not identified it. Thank You for taking or rather, making, this fascinating image.....just an afterthought, the time is coming where we will be able to send garden photos in holographic form. Won’t that be a kicker?

Have a very happy and safe 2022 ... :o)

Happy New Year to you also!
Let's hope for a safer and healthier one!

Best wishes to you for a happier, healthier and more positive year ahead!

Happy New Year.
with out my glasses on it looked like a frilled lizard/ Alien/Monster.

hard contrasts always make dramatic effects; lovely.

Thanks for the comments, Stera, this C cactus is very variable, sometimes waiting until Easter before it flowers, as you say seems to be on time this year but for the life of me I have no idea what I did differently

LooseS2, I am trying out B & W images this year, as you say, shades of grey , shadows etc. My Fuji allows both jpg + RAW of same image so the RAW is in colour. I may have a look at that and see how it compares for impact, I suspect B & W is the better option which is why I chose it.

BTW the black background is a washing up bowl, no posh black velvet here :-)

Thank you & the same to you Grandad g.