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

This is another photograph using classical techniques (like this delphinium): tripod mounted, high depth-of-field, moderately long exposure, head-on point-of-view. (If you are interested, the photo was exposed for 1/2 of a second at f/40, ISO 100, using my 105mm macro lens.)

The classical head-on view partly works because of the detail it displays. This is not a character shot, and it is not about quirky focus, lighting, or angle. Best accomplished in bright, windless, overcast conditions—overcast conditions tend to produce more saturated colors, and too much high contrast in lighting (such as under direct sun) tends to defeat the high definition effect.

Of course, any wind at all makes the long exposure needed for the depth-of-field extremely problematic—in total distinction to this photo of a Califonia poppy where I took advantage of the wind as a technique, and on purpose.