A Mexican hat coneflower rises from a soft wash of pale yellow and green, its tall central cone crowned in pale green and its swept-back petals glowing deep red edged in gold. Another bloom drifts out of focus in the distance, a gentle echo in the haze.
Bathed in luminous, high-key light, the flower seems to float rather than stand. The image captures the airy delicacy of a summer prairie, where even the boldest wildflowers can appear soft, graceful, and quietly dreamlike.
