Edited Phalaenopsis

illuminated!! just wonderful

Amazing effect isn't it! There was no adjustment to brightness, contrast or colours - I just took out the stray stem in the bottom right corner.

cropped and enlarged?

it is superb.

superb quality as usual meanie, a bit of editing in this context is fine, looks good.
maybe a ring-light for xmas if you already haven't got one : )

Exactly the same photo, just with that bit gone!

Thanks Steve!
I agree that it's ok in this context - Sue loves this and so I'm getting one framed as a stocking filler. But the stray stem was bugging me, so now it won't!

what a lovely present, what size will the framed one be?

27x20cm.

Big enough.........

im sure she will love it, does she know you are getting it framed or is it a surprise?

Surprise, although she keeps on about it!

thats really nice.

This is the one that I did last year.............

http://www.growsonyou.com/photo/slideshow/144609-dicentra/member/meanie

oh i love that one ~ white flowers are very special.

i was trying to think of something you could do as a joke, if she keeps on about it ~ maybe a small picture of some chilli con carne in a cardboard frame or part of an engine???

Ah..I was going to say no difference...That is how I get a Cat with a birdbath on it's back.

Amazing Meanie.

just taken 18 pictures of the moon on various settings, all rubbish.
may go out and try again.
f8 seems best, and a low number for ISO??

I will go out in the morning..4 ish and try with out street lights..

That picture is seriously amazing Meanie..I just looked again.

im going to a lane nearby that hasnt got any street lights, not choosing to be up at 4 tomorrow ~ been up before 5 for last three mornings. and its very cold.

i agree pimpernel, it just glows.

Thanks Pimpernel!

f8 is fine at that distance!!
Higher ISO will allow faster shutter speed - 400 or even 800 maybe.........

Stunning !

going to put a picture on, taken at f8 and 80 ISO ~ sorry, didnt find your comment till i came back and it was too dark to experiment with settings ~ couldnt see them!!
thanks though, will know next time.

Thanks Amy!

Poor light = higher ISO. The problem of a higher ISO is that picture quality goes down. But if you're working without a tripod, that would be cancelled out by having to use a slow shutter speed leading to blurry images anyway.

have a look, i found a fence to lean the camera on.

Thank you Homebird - a little "trickery" involved, but I'm ok with that.

I ahve been meaning to ask you about orchid care, as I bought one a few weeks ago and do not know how to keep it, it looks like the one in your picture but it is a dark pink ? thanks Ld.

Lemondog - Phals are very forgiving in terms of light, although they dislike bright direct sunlight. Fine on a south facing windowsill for the three deepest months of winter, but better to one side the rest of the year. Mine go outdoors for most of the summer in a shady spot.
They like a minimum temperature of about 15°c.
Water once a week by soaking for 30mins or so and then drain well. Feed occasionally.
Stand on a tray of gravel with water in it up to the level of the stones to provide humidity.

That's pretty much it really!

Such a beautiful flower!

And a willing one too Delonix - I found another new spike emerging from it yesterday making three in total now!

Meanie:

That's great news! I hope mine develops more flower spikes! It's been in bloom for about 3 months.

thanks meanie great advice cheers Ld.