Dorde Woodruff of SLC thought on 5/30/2004 that this photo was displayed properly and added the following:
"this is not Opuntia polyacantha but rather O. basilaris, beavertail. Note that it doesn't have regular spines, just glochids, the fine barbed minature spines. The pads are bluer than O. polyacantha, and a different shape. The plant is more compact. Gorgeous photos! " 5073

Bruce Wilson thought on 4/19/2001 that this photo was 'interesting' and added the following:
"It is a macro shot (using a 25mm extension tube), and using the angle finder. Angle finders are essential for getting shots that most people don't see, because you can get your camera in odd locations (on the gorund looking up) and using the finder still see what you're shooting. Were I to do this again I's stop down a little more and keep everything in focus. Most macro photography has a depth of field problem. I think it's usually done to keep the background fuzzy. It's much better to stop down then remove the background with black velvet . With an angle finder you get sky in the background, and fuzzy sky is still sky. This shot was done on a tripod (set very low), but I had to keep the shutter speed high because the wind was blowing and moving the subject." 3310