Rose in a Clearing at Lotusland

This rose was in a small clearing surrounded by a man-made (or woman-made) jungle at Lotusland. There was just enough opening in the canopy to allow a nice shaft of light on the rose. The setting made the background much darker offsetting the vibrant flower.

As I have experimented with my photos I have found that the background is sometimes more important than the subject itself. The right surroundings can make a mediocre subject really pop, and it will make a beautiful subject something really special. Another good example of this and one of my favorite backgrounds is in the first image on this site.