Dgrin Mini-Challenge #276 - Dead Flowers

DavidRGillespie

There is a Japanese aesthetic called wabi-sabi, which is the art of imperfection. With this mini-challenge, I am asking you to find the art and beauty in dead or dying flowers. I am not looking for seed head images, but rather flowers or groups of flowers that have served their purpose, or succumbed to seasonal transitions (frost, drought). Images taken for the purpose of this mini are always nice, and I am hoping the season is not too late for you to capture new images outdoors. But, studio images of spent bouquets and flowers are fine too.

Here are some examples from my files, and I know all of you can do much better

Have fun with this mini. I am really looking forward to seeing your images. This mini will stay open until Wednesday December 12, 2018, 20:00 Pacific Standard Time

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grandmaR

I don't have too many of growing flowers but I have played around with photos of flowers in bouquets that I have been sent for Mother's Day or my birthday. The first one is a dead rose. The second one is more what I think you want - it was a blossom that dropped off onto the steps. And the last one was where I was playing around with the texture of the petals of a tulip after it had withered

1 Dead Rose

2 Fallen Blossom

3 Tulip Petals

DavidRGillespie

Thanks, @grandmaR, for adding some images. The rose and blossom are right in the zone. The tulip petals might, ultimately, be a bit abstract (but its a lovely image too).

JAG

This is a tough one as everything is iced over. I might try and go out to get some other pictures, but here is what is in my archives.

Spent Fireweed

Queen Ann's Lace under snow

Forgotten Sunflower (this is a fresh image taken with my cell phone. I had forgotten I picked the sunflower head when the first snow fell in hopes it would mature enough to get seeds. It was sitting on my workbench with all the other potted flowers that are kept under grow lamps in the winter. Unfortunatly, no seeds were produced.)

DavidRGillespie

Very nice Joyce. Thanks for posting. Good luck with the snow shovel.

sarasphotos

A really interesting concept, David. Once again, I learned something new. I did a bit of reading about wabi-sabi and came up with these three pictures, going for the idea of appreciating the beauty in imperfection. I hope they fit the bill for you.

1) Fading tulip

2) Drooping roses

3) Sunflowers past their prime

pegelli

What a neat theme, I have quite a few but they're usually not to everyone's taste, so thanks for the opportunity to show some

Hydrangea

Iris

Amaryllis

DavidRGillespie

Thank you Sara and Pieter. Wonderful images

StueveShots

I am slightly ashamed to say that I have lots of dead flowers in my garden beds right now (around here, these should have been taken care of already)--so if I come home to good light, I may swap these photos out. But here are a couple of older shots for now:

1. Fading (Meadow Flowers, Ochoco National Forest)
   

2. Waited Too Long to Harvest (Lavender, my front yard)
   

DavidRGillespie

Thanks for posting @StueveShots . I sympathize with the garden cleanup!

Cavalier

Fun topic for a mini. Here are my entries:

Fading Roses spotted while traveling through Placerville, Ca.

Cactus color quickly turning ugly

Day Lily passed it's prime, while a Mantis enjoys the resting place. She eventually moved on to a neighboring flower that had just opened.

DavidRGillespie

Thanks Jo, @Cavalier for contributing a nice set.

DavidRGillespie

There is just a week left to get your images in. Keep them coming!

slpollett

I had a few options for this mini, but I couldn't find those files. I ended up shooting some new ones just to participate, even though I still hope to find the images I have in mind.

1. Slightly past prime violet bloom.
   

2. This was one of a bunch of cosmos that I had blooming, but an early freeze killed them all.
   

3. I found one of the photos I was looking for. Now that I've found it, I'm not sure that I like it as much as the others. But since I searched so hard for it, I will post it anyway, lol. I had planted some daffodil bulbs and they actually grew for me (I'm not much of a gardener, but that's another story for another day.) I was SO excited about these daffodils! Then, the day they bloomed we had a freak snow storm. We rarely get snow where I live and it's usually just a few flurries and no sticking. This time, we got a couple of inches and it hung around a few days. So, my beautiful little daffodils only lasted a few hours.
   

This one is not for judging, but it's another one of my short-lived daffodils.

Sherry P.

pegelli

My advice is to not change out #2 Sherry, even if you find your old pictures. I find that one a really nice shot

slpollett

Awwwww, thank you so much Pieter!

Sherry P.

DavidRGillespie

Thanks for contributing, Sherry. A very nice set.

lkbart

Great & different topic! Some great shots already posted. I didn't have much to choose from & not much time either, managed to take a couple shots to participate.

1. My Christmas cactus blooms early, & they don't last long
   

2. Dried Orchid in a tiny teacup
   

3. The one shot I had - Coreopsis
   

bfluegie

Squeaking in at the end, yet again...

1. A few remaining blooms
   

2. Hydrangea snowcone
   

3. Hydrangea fallen among the leaves
   
   I just saw this outside my door today when I went to pick up a package. I suppose I need to clean my porch...

ky1

DavidRGillespie

Sorry folks, computer issues prevented my from making a note last night. In any case the mini is now closed. I will have the results posted in a couple of days.