It was 115 blistering degrees on the July day I made this image. I was working with one of my tutorial students in my own backyard, and it was too hot to remain in the sun for more than a few moments. Besides, the sun was directly overhead, making nature photography very difficult. These factors drove us deep into the shade of the palms, forcing us to work in flat light, without benefit of shadow or highlights. We had to concentrate instead on line, pattern, and most of all, the blending of harmonious colors. This Bird of Paradise plant, with its complex and delicate tangle of blooms, stems, and buds offers all of them and more. Because natural shadows are missing, we lose the typical three-dimensional perspective we usually see in nature photographs. Instead, this image looks more like a Chinese silk-screen painting than a photograph. The peach colored stucco wall harmonizes with the red and orange blossoms and buds, and offers a softly textured backdrop, illuminated entirely by reflected light. Sometimes a difficult photographic situation not only can teach us an indelible lesson, but can lead to unexpected success.