While working in the garden yesterday, I found a sunflower bloom on the ground. I do not know why it fell off the stem. I brought the sunflower inside to scan close up images of its parts. The image to the left is scanned at 100%. If you would like to see the rest of the images, please keep reading.
This particular sunflower blossom is a small one, only 3.5 inches across, counting its petals. It came from a branched sunflower plant. The flower is in what sunflower experts would call stage 5.6. Stage 5 indicates the ray flowers are open. The decimal indicates what percentage of the center disk flowers is open. In this case, 5.6 means 60% are open. A sunflower center consists of many tiny flowers (disk flowers) and row by row, from outside to center, they open. The big yellow petals are the ray flowers; they serve as the landing strip indicators for bees to land. All sorts of bees visit the little flowers.
200% | 400% | 1000% |
Halves
After scanning several more images, up to 2000%, I did the next most logical step; I cut the flower in half. Now I will show you three more pictures from the batch of images. The images of the halves seem creepy to me.
In these images, you can see the developing seeds. |
In case anyone is curious, the scanner I have is an Epson Perfection 1200U. I bought it 7 or more years ago. I use the scanner’s twain program in the advanced mode to set the percentages.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Donna Young
Michelle says
“You needed a driver, but couldn’t find one, right? ” No, hubby broke it. 😥
Hubs is looking over my shoulder and he said he didn’t break it. He said I poisoned the computer. 😡 He broke it.
I have an hp laserjet 3330. I can’t find anything like a twain program in it. I’ll have to play with it when it is fixed.
Donna Young says
Poisoned it, did you? 😆
In that case, I omitted one bit of information. When I scan a flower or pile of dirt or something, I open an image program first.
Then from the file menu, there is something like “Acquire Image” or “Import.”
After selecting “Acquire Image” or “Import”, I have to choose “Select Source.”
And then, I select my scanner’s Twain.
THEN, finally, I choose “Acquire Image” or “Import” again, and select the twain.
That sounds so complicated but it isn’t. Just have a look at this webpage:
Accessing TWAIN https://donnayoung.org/forms/help/twain.htm
Elaine says
That is just so 😎 Donna.
This is why I love your web site & blog, you make even what seems ordinary into a learning experience for me – and sometimes I pass it on to my kids. 🙄
I loved the pictures but even more is the technical stuff of how you do things. I’ll be checking out that TWAIN link and see what that is all about.
Would PhotoShop be a good program to use w/something like this?
Michelle says
I think the split flower is worth framing. 😀 Going now to look at that wonderful webpage.
Michelle says
Elaine, scroll down the page and you’ll see where Donna gave the information for photoshop.
Well as of right now, I can’t do it. I don’t know if it is because my scanner is not hooked up to the computer or not.
I’ll have to make the hubs fix what he broke and come back here and give it a try. 😀
Thanks Donna. As always you’re the best.
Tressa says
Those are really neat. I think the halves are a little creepy too. 😉 They look like little squids ready to burst from their birth place. 😀
Tresses says
Those images are works of art! Very cool. 😎
Sheri says
The half-sunflowers picture is actually quite interesting and I guess I agree, appealing, in a creepy sort of way.
I’ll be searching for Twain tomorrow. 😉
ginger says
Donna, there is an art exhibit at the Smithsonian by a guy who does this as his art. I have to laugh…when I saw the exhibit, all I could think was how exquisite the photographs were…then sat and watched a video on how he does it.
Scanner just like you are doing….I was so indignant. As a photographer I kept saying he was cheating….but the images you can get are so striking.
Who knew….You could be doing an exhibit at the Smithsonian.
I would love a print of the cut in half sunflower…..
Here is the exhibit and photographer…Robert Creamer
http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/creamer/
I think you will enjoy pictures…
Donna Young says
Thank you for the link Ginger. I did enjoy looking at the images and couldn’t help thinking that I’ve been scanning plants specimens for years and I wouldn’t mind doing that for a living.
I have some of my older scanned specimens on the YoungMinds CD-Rom at Science | Ground Team | Album.
The Bug-Eaten-Oak Leaf is made with my scanner as well as my bug movies.
Elaine says
I need to find out if my friend, who I gave one of your CDs to for her birthday a year and a half ago, has down loaded this yet. She doesn`t have MSWord or Office and our Pastor suggested that she get this as it would be with in her budget I need to get her to coming to your site for the updates and all that good stuff that you`ve added to your site. Of course I need to make better use of it as well.
Elaine says
Donna,
for you for all that you do for homeschoolers. I really hate to think what I would have done if I hadn`t found your web site. Thanks for creating all of this. I`ll have to save this to my hd and incorporate the pages into my planner.
Elaine says
Thanks Donna.
Once again you come forward to help the homeschooling parent!
Donna Young says
Hi SmockLady, your blogs look nice! I’ve been looking over Tadlock’s new theme, it’s a nice piece of work.
Donna Young says
Hi Robin it is good to see you. 🙂
Yes, you can put the link in. Those links are at this page https://donnayoung.org/faqs/link-to-dy.htm
I hope you have a lovely day!
Jessica says
Thanks for sharing your school/dining room. When we first started we did school in the kitchen. I am so glad to have a room dedicated just to school. It makes the rest of the house somewhat cleaner.