Salvia

Bet you had a huge smile on your face!!! Nice surprise there for you. ;o)

Quite pleasing......

I thought this was a painting at first glance ... it's very soft in colour ... love it. : o ))

Thank you Shirley! It has quite a pale colour which I'm putting down to the short hours of daylight/sunshine that we have at the moment. It made it a nice subject to mess about with the camera setting though. I was pleased with the results!

I was going to say I am speechless, but looking again at the blue flower I have to agree with Shirley it does look like a painting.

Thanks Yorkshire! It took quite a few attempts to get the affect that I was after, but I got there in the end!
I'll take a more "proper" photo of it tomorrow, 'cos the light has gone now, and my shoulder is giving me real jip today!

what have you done to your shoulder.

Nothing - it's just knackered from years of abuse! Probably wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't so dragged down by this bug.

you poor thing, hope your feeling much better soon.take care..

I'm beginning to think that the doom mongers amongst my friends are right Yorkshire!! It seems to be taking forever!

It looks like a Cambridge Blue , I have several in flower at the moment , I collect the seed off them every year and always grow a lot of plants they are one of my favourites .... they don't always come the same colour some are pale blue and others a lovely deep blue ... .. I hope you soon feel much better Meanie .....

Thanks Amy - I merely feel like cr@p now, so better!!

That must be an improvement !!

Thats amazing Meanie, I've never had them flower that quick,well done, did have some this year that survived outside though, after that winter can't believe it.

Your picture is like a painting,very beautiful.

It took a number of attempts to get this "soft" effect Camillia - thank you!

Are you on professional photography too Meanie? Your pictures come awesome,almost all the time.

Afraid not Camillia. I saw a similar photo (of a Gentian I think) on Flickr and decided to try the same effect myself. The key thing to getting the colour true on the flower whilst achieving the effect was the colour of the background. It was frustrating at first, but after an hour or so this is what I got. I dislike Photoshop because it seems like cheating, so I'm quite proud of the fact that this is the photo that was taken and not made on the computer!

I agree to you completely.If its a photo, it has to be taken by the camera not made on computer.Why not try your hands on macro photography?

I'm looking at macro lenses, but it also needs a good flash which can be very dear!

Yeah that's also true.My frens who are professional too say so.Good luck with tat Meanie.

Camillia - it would be madness to spend quite a lot on the lens only to have the photos spoiled by bad lighting and shadows!

Its also true Meanie.

its like a painting ~ really beautiful.

Thanks Sticki!