Flowers in changing light

I like to work with just existing, natural light when photographing nature, though I don't hesitate to add to it or modify it (with diffusion, reflection, etc.) if I I have the means and really think I can improve on what's already there. This time, I left well enough alone. I started with a relatively broad view of this cluster of flowers (broad is relative - the macro lens was pretty close, the flowers are quite small).

I gradually moved in closer, trying to catch my point of focus when it wasn't shaking too much due to even the gentlest movement of the air.

The following four shots show how dramatically the light changed over the course of about six minutes. After the first shot, I made a slight adjustment of camera position (it was mounted on a tripod). In the next three, the small variations in composition are a result of the flowers settling into different positions, as I waited for lulls in the breeze to grab my exposures. Although I changed lens aperture to get different degrees of background blur, the variations in "shape" of the light and foreground to background balance were the result of the sun almost, but not quite, breaking through the cloud cover.

Then I began to move out again for a broader view of one plant.

 And finally, a vertical version of my opening horizontal composition.

Now to do some printing!

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