About the Image(s)

Although found world-wide, these drying Chinese Lanterns were photographed at a flower stall in the Viktualienmarkt, a historic open-air farmer's market and beer garden in Munich, Germany. Maturing in early fall, this plant consists of brightly colored, bulbous seed pods. The seed pod is green when young, transitioning through shades of yellow, orange, to orange-red with maturity. As the pod develops it will also become thin and brittle with a paper-like consistency. Dried Chinese Lanterns retain their vibrant hues and will keep for years without deteriorating.

ISO 200, 34mm, f5.6, 1/125 sec. I darkened the background, removed some of the stalks and a few seed pods from around the edges and added a vignette.