i thought this photo was worth comment. this photo demonstrates the advanage of the telephoto lens used to get close detail at the same time bluring the background and forground.

Oh boy oh boy...I love flower pictures....Yeah! I love how you get the details of the flowers up close and then the flowers in the background are blurred..yes this is what I love to see....Okay...so I admit it, I love just seeing photos of anything...LOL...Fantastic work....

Its amazing that you got that one bud that is just beginning to open...It would be so neat to sit there and watch nature happen like that. I hate to sound like a moron, but what kind of flower is this? The colors of it are beautiful. I wish we could have our backyards simply nothing but a wild maze of overgrowth with all these kinds of things in it. Syyd

I love flower photos too..just did a whole series in a fernery not far from where I live, waiting for money to have them developed.. Great shot, Gwyn T, as always closeups of flowers make me think of fairytales and pixies and all kinds of imaginary creatures... ~M~

Colors are fantastic, really great pic. That blurring works.

It is a nice shot and really good picture. but to comment the fac that using a telephoto lens often bring lack of precision and brigthness.. for the pink flower i took,i use a simple 50mm but crisp 1.4 operture with a rich saturated fuji films. Just to say that it is fun to have a telelense but still don't worry if you don't! Also you may play fair if your lens is poor in ligth use a decentralised flash even in plain day it will boost the color. Also choose your time of the day the sun greatly affect the spectrum of color...all day long and an other trick bring with you a water sprayer it migth bring a final fresh touch to it..

stefbois--that's some good tips. thanks for the spray bottle reminder.