Then there is the issue of colour adjustments. I can guarantee that there has been some " fine tuning " of the images in many a web site and catalogue. There have been many photos of various plants that have NEVER looked like what you see on vendors websites or in their catalogues. For example the lily Purple Prince (my avatar) is often shown as this rich royal purple colour and then you read all the comments from disappointed customers when their plant comes out a much lighter pinkish purple.
When you see these plants with extremely vivid colours think MANIPULATION! Not all companies do it but there are a lot because if you can catch the eye of your potential customer you have a better chance of making that sale. This sounds very negative of me but it is true. If you look closely at the photos and the edges are a little more crisp and shadows are more defined, that picture has been manipulated. The camera taking the image, the lighting, time of day, filters and even the lens all make a difference in colour and characteristics of the flowers.
