Songbird, photo by Harold Davis. View this photograph larger.

This is a columbine, called a Songbird Columbine, that I photographed today in classical mode using a long macro lens, high depth of field, and a moderately long exposure. (Specifically, 1/8 of a second at f/40 with my Nikon 200mm f/4 macro lens.) In this kind of situation, it is a case of waiting for the right light, then waiting more for the subject to be absolutely still. The absolute stillness is a real issue with a flower up on a stem like a columbine, because the mechanics of the situation means that the slightest breeze is amplified in the movements of the flower.

What caught my eye was the symmetry of the flower, the contrast between the reds and the yellows, and the way the long lens compressed the perspective of the flower. I think someone coming on this photograph will not be sure when they first look at it what the scale is. Hopefully, this will make the viewer do a double-take, then look harder at the photo!