Bleeding Hearts

Among the more eye-catching spring flowers are the unusual plants known as "bleeding hearts." There are actually several species known by this name. The one in these images is one introduced from Asia, Lamprocapnos spectabilis (sometimes classified as Dicentra spectabilis). Bleeding hearts have an outer pair of petals, shaped like a heart, and an inner pair that hangs down past the outer pair. In some bleeding hearts species, the inner pair is colored dark red and looks more like a drop of blood.

The photos above were taken when the light was soft and diffuse. I took the one below under different lighting conditions, with strong backlighting.