Decided to stay home and work on more old files. These red trilliums should be coming out now, this was on March 31, 2012.
I decided that the bud really needed to be the star but like the leaf texture so tried to have them support each other in appeal. While this is a lovely flower in color, I like the greater emphasis on texture and form that black and white provide.
I am not sure what background you see when you click the image. I see a black background and this is even better viewed that way if you care to see.
Stephen Gingold Nature Photography Blog 
The lighter areas on the flower, standing out as they do against the dark of the leaves, certainly draw viewers’ attention.
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It took some finagling with the filters and color sliders in SilverEfex Pro to get the balance I was visualizing. I’ve been watching various YouTube videos to pick the brains of other photographers to vacate my current plateau.
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Funny – I see a white background if I click through to your site (then click the picture again). It’s a very atmospheric shot.
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I know that when I chose my theme I picked a darker than neutral grey for the background but apparently not everyone sees that. Thanks, Susan.
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It’s weird how it all works out and of course the Reader throws even more red herrings into the mix. It still looked good though.
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If you are using the reader then that might be it. Possibly you are not seeing my actual blog but their showing of it. I generally don’t use the reader. Too much scrolling.
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I clicked through to the site from The Reader.
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It takes two clicks to get to my actual site. If you did that then I guess it’s just different for individual viewers. Not sure there is anything I can do to have a consistent experience for all visitors. Thanks for trying Susan.
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Referring to what Steve mentioned, what browser are you using. I am seeing it on Chrome. It may be different if on Firefox or IE.
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A few years ago I found that with my regular Internet browser, when I clicked to enlarge a blog photo I got a centered image with a black background, but with a different browser I ended up seeing the photo in the upper left with a white background.
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That could explain it, Steve.
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I’ve checked four ways this morning – (1) using Firefox to view your site directly, (2) clicking through from the Reader, also in Firefox, (3) using Safari to view your site directly, (4) clicking through from the Reader in Safari. The reason I was so thorough is that the first three ways, I saw the picture against a black background, and thought I must have been hallucinating. Then I thought of trying the last option and that’s the way I see the white background. It is surprising that the route in should make a difference. So to recreate: using Safari search for ‘red trillium’ in the Reader, click on the post title, click on the picture, and then on the picture again.
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Thanks for doing the heavy lifting, Susan. I only use Chrome and rarely look at the reader so had no idea.
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I see the dark background, and it does go well with the photo. With just a casual glance, the bud reminds me of a banana flower bud.
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I’ve never seen a banana flower, either bud or otherwise, so Googled it and I can see the resemblance. I bet the scale is quite different. Glad you can see the dark background. I guess it’s another one of WP’s quirks that some can and others not.
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Just love it! Black and white is my favourite. Would love to have SilverEfx but my little system too small for it. Forces me to be clever with jpegs.
Looking forward to seeing your new season shots of those flowers.
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Thanks, Annie. I am not sure whether they will be in B&W depending on the captures and light. But I do think I will pursue more flowers this way.
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It’s lovely, Steve – filled with quiet drama.
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Thanks, Eliza. It is quite different from the original which was nice but not nearly as impactful.
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The B&W is perfect for texture and getting rid of any distractions. It makes us focus on the detail, which is dramatic and beautiful in its own right. And of course it’s one of my favourite plants.
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Thanks, Andrew. Your critique was my exact thinking. I knew you’d like it and thought about the previous ones.
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The background of the enlarged version is black for me too and is, as you say, more striking for me. It brings out the complex textures, especially in the leaves.
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Thanks, Gary. I don’t know whether the IP makes a difference, specific user settings, or if it’s just those pesky WP gremlins again.
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Very nicely done, Steve. The black & white really brings out those fine details.
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Thank you, Pete. I am glad you enjoyed this.
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Nice image! I’ll only discuss viewing it at your blog to simplify. Your initial blog page has a white background. If I click on the image then I get a smaller-size image on a dark background (with the file name at the bottom). Because the image is smaller it’s not really worth going this far – I can’t click on the image again to enlarge it and no scroll bars are provided. I tried saving both images and the first image was 400px-wide. When I click on it and get the dark background, the image is only 370px-wide. It looks very nice on the dark background but shame that it’s a smaller size. For the record I’m using a wide-screen laptop.
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I wonder if the laptop makes a difference compared to a desktop. I sized this image at 600px x 400px. So your first view was correct. Why it shrunk I have no idea. Thanks for the research. I usually size to 800 wide.
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The image with the dark background displays with a file name beneath and the opportunity to comment or reblog – these take up quite a bit of screen space at the bottom of the screen and may account for the smaller image. If you can turn those off I think it’d improve things. Just as an aside, given that you take beautiful detailed images I’d often like to get a closer look – perhaps you could consider making a horizontal image say 1000 or 1200px-wide. Of course I don’t know how you put your post together but for comparison, I add the image to the media library and insert it into my post. If I’m doing a caption I do that first, then I click on the image and immediately click on the “link” icon in the top menu to link to the media-library version. The image displays approx 680px-wide on my blog page and when a visitor clicks on the image they’ll get the opportunity to see it at the full-size of what’s held in the media library (with scroll bars if the image is larger than their screen). Dunno if any of that helps Steve!
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I always have the full size image posted. I don’t think there is a size difference when you click but there won’t be any distracting menus etc. I have no idea how to remove the stuff at the bottom and also why the image would become smaller when clicked. I also don’t know how to make it even larger with a double click like Pete does with his insects. I’ve never heard about a problem with the image size until now.
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Ok, helps I know a bit more about your end. First of all save your image at a larger size – at least 1000px-wide for a horizontal image – or much bigger depending on how much detail you want the visitor to see e..g 1400px-wide. Upload it into your media library, then insert it into your draft in the editor. Click on the image (you’re now in the editor) and then click on the ‘link’ icon (top menu). A window will open and the file path will already be in the box for you. I always click on the checkbox so that it shows a tick (so your visitor will see the enlargement in a new window). Click on ok or accept (can’t remember what the button says) and you’re done. Now your visitor can click on your normal size image in your post in order to see the much bigger image.
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My horizontal images are saved at 800 px high and either 1200 or 1421 wide generally. The vertical ones are also saved at 800 high but obviously narrower which is what you were looking at. Although I am not a pro I don’t want to make my images any larger so that if someone lifts one they won’t be able to print it much larger than a sheet of stationery. I am not sure about the rest of your instructions. I place the image into the editor as you said uploading from my images folder into the library then click to have it placed in the editor’s text area. If you click on my image you do go to a new window with just the image, should be on a black background, and the two items at the bottom that you mentioned.
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I get a black background when I click through to your site and then click on the image again (Chrome). The black background enhances the mysterious feel of the dark leaves – very atmospheric!
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Thanks, Ann. I am glad it is working as intended.
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Oh, I love this in B&W. Great low key processing!
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Thanks, Dnise. I wanted the bud to shine and low key did it.
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Nicely done, Steve. The bud is certainly the focus, but like you said the texture of the leaf looks nice and works very well against the bud. I really like the darker overall look to the image.
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Thanks, Todd. I think these leaves could be the star of their own image but they do make a good complement to the bud.
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I’m sure you know I’m a fan of black and white for flower pics – it really brings out the textures. Nice edit job.
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Thanks, Dave. You’ll see a tie in with your recent post related to trilliums et al.
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I don’t use the reader much at all and get your posts in my email, and when I click on the image it appears right away by itself on black. Very elegant! 🙂 And the Trillium is, of course, sheer elegance, especially in black and white. I like the slight tension that happens here because the bud is centered and straight up and down but the leaves swirl to the left. Lovely. (I was very frustrated the other day to see that a local photographer found a Trillium here on the island, and I can’t figure out where that would be. Maybe I’ll get lucky and come across one in my wanderings).
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If there is one then there must be others. Good luck with your search. If it helps, I most often find them in wet conditions although not always.
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