Wild Ginger, Sunlit from Behind

Wild Ginger, sunlit from behind with raindrops, April 18, 2006. This photo and others from that same sunny morning (after the evening rain) provide evidence that intense sunlight can detract from an otherwise wonderful photo. To the eye, the shiny wet leaves looked rather nice, but the image itself would have been much better if I had been able to diffuse the light just a bit to reduce some of the contrast and reflection. It was only about 10:30 AM, but still the sun was already rather bright. Compare this to the more even lighting on the Dutchmen's leaves just below. I used a diffuser for them, and they seem to look a lot better. The diffuser on the Dutchem leaves helped even out the light and allows the shape and texture of the plant to come through.