Icarus

nice shot. a bit much of the star filter though. nice framing and everything but it just looks extremely photoshoped. i guess thats the look your going for. i looked at what i think is the original on your site and you could have done a little better editing. in this case a little less.other than that its a very colorful and creative shot. good job!

Absolutely stunning! This photograph has captured the untouched summer fields of my youth (even though those fields existed in Minnesota for me)! I love it and am completely mesmerized by the intriguing beauty of the butterflies and flowers. Thank you so very much for sharing!

Absolutely, Absolutely……. Amazing.
What an incredible mixture of Flash and natural light!! I never realised that the skinny pop of the D300 -(I am a D 300 user)- was capable of this.
Hats off!

Wowww! Such amazing pic!! Really fantastic! I’d like to have it on my PC’s desktop..

It is a nice shot really but there is too much evidence of photoshop in it that it almost looks surreal. The filter for the sun, the flowers are too sharpened. Other than that its a great shot, but please do not dishonor photography by too much photoshop.

Superb shot! Great colours and a unique image.

That is a spectacular photo.

There seems to be and has always been a bit of hoopla and too much that says photoshopping is negative. More folks are beginning to understand that PS and processing SKILLS and KNOWLEDGE that go beyond photography probably take more time and learning curve than (ok sorry folks I’m going to say it-don’t run me out of town)basic pre digital era photography; darkroom, chemicals and pans. Would anyone say to Mr Adams if he were still alive; “Ansel, your skies are just too dark, and your trees too hazy looking– looks way too manipulated in your darkroom, what did you do?”
I have read that he did some of the same things without a computer software program. (Archaic, yes)
The saying from people who don’t do this kind of art, or who don’t know how to do it say Anyone can do it. Please.
Beautiful website Kirk, keep up the poetry and praise!

What a wonderful photo – incredibly creative. To be honest, I have no reason to believe this is photoshopped. The vibrant colours, frozen motion and exposure into the sun is all perfectly achievable through good use of flash.

Simply wonderful

I am kind of happy of not being technically educated about photography because when I see beauty on that level, my fascination is not filtered by cerebral analysis and I don’t want to loose that attribute. There must me experts so we can be better at it but … but it is also nice to see with untaught delight such marvel. This morning, in Québec, it’s raining and the sky is so dark that this photo gave me a shot of vitamin D. Merci bien Kirk.

really, really beautiful

Thanks to all for the many delightful comments. I certainly experienced joy taking the image. As for post processing – I may have over-saturated the colors, but everything else is real. (I have been critical of others using too much post-process in the past, so I should be open to the same challenge) As is, I did NOT use a star filter, though the lens was closed down and flared. Part of the tampered feel has to do with fill-flash into the sun.

Very beautiful indeed Kirk! simply amazing

I love it!

Simply the best picture to make it onto this site for as long as I can remember.

Well done.

Exquisite! My favorite Photographer!!!! From The Butterfly Lady!!!!!

Photoshop is integral to photography now. And Naysayers risk being left out. Don’t be to old to learn, except the inevitable I’d say.
“The old order changeth…. Period”

I agree with you Anurag I entirely do but our responsibility is to keep a balance just like nature does. It gives us all her tastes winter then summer, a balance. Photoshop is today’s’ dark room so yes it is the way to go but with good control thus without editing too much rendering a wonderful image like this one, surreal.

Of course Ruben, Photoshop is a tool. Just like a Hammer & chisel. Either you can carve out the Venus with it, or you can use it to bring down a brick wall.

A lot of interesting comments on this image. If it is real and not photoshopped then it is indeed a great photograph of nature. But you know that is the problem with digital photography – done well – you cant tell what is real and what is not. In the UK we have a photo contest called – Wildlife Photographer of the Year – you may have heard of it – and images digitally altered are not allowed – and guess what – this comp is the leader in its field.

Very beautiful! brings back summer vibes as well as joyful and free-spirited ones! Amazing

Fantastic shot and as far as I can tell has got the most comments, thankfully most of them good I think a wonderful shoit.

The colors and the bright Sun make this an amazing picture.

Splendid capture and fab use of fill flash! I love this image ♥