Surprise! There’s a lily over there.

And now, as they say, for something completely different. I saw this surprise lily growing in the back yard the other day while I was mowing. They’re a strange flower. When they pop up late in the season, it’s just a stalk with the flower on top – no leaves anywhere. I guess I’m not really a plant lover since I searched out the nicest one I could find, and then cut it down to take a picture.

I played with a number of different arrangements, but settled on the cobalt blue bud vase and a simple, white seamless background as my favorite. I love the play of the neutral gray bacground offset by the burst of contrasting blue and orange colors. Lighting is very simple, just a medium softbox just a foot or so to the left of the flowers, and a second light on the background.