Queen of the Night (Selenicereus Grandiflorus)

[Greg_C]

It had to pick tonight to flower didn't it. Nice steady rain outside tonight and my Queen of the Night cactus decides it's ready to flower. The things we do, picture me outside in the rain trying to balance an umbrella an camera at the same time. Now AF doesn't work real well in total darkness (no kidding) so it was MF all the way and then only looking at the blurry blob in the view window change as I adjusted focus.

For those that don't know the Queen of the Night, it flowers only at this time of the year and the flower buds only open at night, for one night only. I missed the 4 other buds on the same plant that flowered last night. They are now a wilted mess.:(

I think they are ok for the conditions, especially high ISO. I'll try to get a few more very early tomorrow morning, weather permitting.

Canon 180mm 1/125 s at F 9.00 with ISO 1,600

No.1
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image30548.jpg

No.2
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image30549.jpg

No.3
http://www.steadyhands.net/photogallery/albums/temp/image30550.jpg

[leitch]

Ah, Greg! Unfortunate timing! All the same, the images are all great, I love the DoF in the second.

Interesting plant!

[Greg_C]

Ah, Greg! Unfortunate timing! All the same, the images are all great, I love the DoF in the second.

Interesting plant!
Thanks Andrew

[DAdeGroot]

I think they are ok for the conditions, especially high ISO. I'll try to get a few more very early tomorrow morning, weather permitting.



Definitely ok :)

You have to wonder just what weird path of evolution lead to a plant flowering once per year at night....

[Greg_C]

Definitely ok :)

You have to wonder just what weird path of evolution lead to a plant flowering once per year at night....
Thanks Dave, yeah it would have to hope for a lot of others nearby to have any chance at reproducing.

[wakko]

cor blimey :D nice :)

I think the weather you had really enhances an already great shot :)

[LordV]

Like the last one- well worth the trouble :)
Brian V.

[GaryT]

Great shots Greg. Really like #3.

[gardengirl13]

Oh I love number 3 great shot!! The lighting anf rain really adds to it!

[TheFishGuy]

Very cool. I thought they were pics of a sea anemone! Especially the second one.
Chris

[ben_r_]

Wow, what an amazing flower! It looks like it belongs deep under the sea!

[headster]

Very cool shots of a very odd species! I feel your commitment to get the shot really shows in the pictures.

Dennis

[Greg_C]

cor blimey :D nice :)

I think the weather you had really enhances an already great shot :)
Thansk Feng
Like the last one- well worth the trouble :)
Brian V.
Thansk Brian
Great shots Greg. Really like #3.
Thanks Gary
Oh I love number 3 great shot!! The lighting anf rain really adds to it!
Thanks
Very cool. I thought they were pics of a sea anemone! Especially the second one.
Chris
Thanks Chris
Wow, what an amazing flower! It looks like it belongs deep under the sea!
Thansk Ben
Very cool shots of a very odd species! I feel your commitment to get the shot really shows in the pictures.

Dennis
Thansk Dennis

[inthedeck]

There's no way that you can take the flower inside? I mean, if it's a wilted mess only a day later, why not 'cut' it, and take pictures of it inside, against a black background?

Its an interesting plant, and the last picture, as others have mentioned definately shows it off. The rain adds interest too...

I like it.

[Greg_C]

There's no way that you can take the flower inside? I mean, if it's a wilted mess only a day later, why not 'cut' it, and take pictures of it inside, against a black background?

Its an interesting plant, and the last picture, as others have mentioned definately shows it off. The rain adds interest too...

I like it.
Thanks for the comments. I've never tried to take one inside, not sure what would happen. You'd have to cut it at the very base of the bud shown in no3.