Even though I've posted stargazer lilies here and some would say, "If you've seen one stargazer, you've seen them all," I feel obliged to post photos of these beautiful flowers again and again.

And, with this photo, I was trying to figure out a way to "make it new," in the words of the poet Ezra Pound. So how did I try to do this? For one, I was using flash. Yes, flash! Photography is all about good light and I am starting to use more fill light when nature doesn't quite get the job done. The secret to good use of artificial light is to use somewhat surreptitiously.

And the other thing I tried was to play with depth of field and a composition in a way that allows the viewer to see that this lily isn't alone but he/she is the one you are supposed to look at. In case you didn't know it, photographers use things like leading lines, bright and dark areas and depth of field to manipulate those who look at their photos. Yes, I am manipulating you. And I like it!

Is it a good photo? Technically, I think it's good and I do think it is pleasing to the eye. Is it unique in the realm of stargazer lily photographs? I doubt it. But here it is anyway. And in another year, I'll probably be out in Deb's garden with my camera, working to get something worth looking at again.

Canon 5DIII 1/100s f/2.8 ISO100 100mm