Captured with a Nikon D800 converted for infrared photography, this macro image isolates the delicate remains of a dandelion’s seed head in haunting detail. Shot with the AF Micro-Nikkor 70-180mm f/4.5–5.6 D lens, the image reveals the textured, cratered surface of the seed receptacle—ghostly and exposed—surrounded by the last wisps of seeds, their feathery parachutes drifting into soft shadow.
The use of infrared adds a surreal, almost ethereal quality to the scene, giving the organic textures a subtle glow while enhancing contrast between the soft filaments and the darkened background. Sepia toning deepens the mood, evoking themes of fragility, loss, and the passage of time.
This photograph transforms a fleeting moment in nature into a timeless study of form and impermanence, made possible by the precision of macro optics and the dreamlike palette of infrared capture.