This is a study of the "Sacred Lotus Flower"that is part of many Buddhist, Hindu and Egyptian religions. It is a fascinating part of botany. Image 1 and 2 are focus stacks of entire flower. Image 3 shows remarkable ability of the leaf. The process is ultrahydrophobicity where debris is carried off of the leaf. The water forms round, gem-like globules that contain soil and other debris. Image 5 is the lotus stem just after the leaves have dropped and it begins it process of forming the seed pod. Image 6 is a flower arrangement of different parts of the plants in different phases.
I discovered the lotus flower last summer at a nearby pond and have studied and photographed it throughout the seasons.
For this series, I photographed parts of the plant in a studio setting to showcase remarkable and abstract forms of the plant.
The lotus is a unique creation -- all of its parts are edible, it's scent is delicious, and the leaves have the unique property of ultrahydrophobicity (otherwise known as the "lotus effect" where debris is carried off via water droplets that can form into one large gem-like globule. The plant stands over 5 feet high in the ponds. The abstract, but complex nature of the plant is a sheer pleasure to both study and photograph.