Happy New Year 2011

Hello folks,

Just jumping in to wish everyone a Happy New Year. I am looking forward to another year of spending time with family, friends, the night skies, and Wildflowers.

All the best to you.

Michael

Been shooting, just not posting...

I was really bad about it this year. I was definitely shooting more images than I had time to go through to post. Once I got behind, I just felt like I could not come close to catching up, so I just "let it ride". Not a good idea if you have a blog. Well, now that it is cold outside, and wildflowers are mainly a distant memory, I will attempt to bring my images up to date. The images in this posting were taken in the first two weeks in April 2010. Let's see what we have here.

Primrose (Pimula vulgaris).

This wildflower is known as Money Plant (Lunaria annua).

This is Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). It is an early spring bloomer, and always beautiful.

The beautiful Apple Blossom.

These wildflowers are Snowdrops, and its variety is known as the Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis).


More Snowdrops, this time with a visitor. I did not like the movie "Titanic", but I cannot help but think that this bug is doing it's impression of Kate Winslet on the bow of the ship.


This is Cypress Spurge (Euphorbia cyparissias)


This is Wood Poppy (Stylophorum diphyllum).


Spring Beauty (Claytonia virginica).


These are Virginia Bluebells (Mertensia virginica). These are also known as Virginia Cowslip, Lungwort Oysterleaf, and Roanoke Bells.


This is Periwinkle (Vinca minor). This prolific wildflower is always a pleasure to photograph. This one was fun due to the "pinwheel" look of the petals.

On Mill Mountain with the Garden Club

I was out in the morning getting some shots while the weather was pretty decent for images. Lightly overcast skies gave a nice, even light for imaging, but not taking too much of the suns intense light. At the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden, I was mainly seeking out Bloodroot, which was in abundance. I also found a couple of wildflowers that I was not expecting to see. One I had never seen before and I consider myself lucky that I even saw it at all. It was then I met the Mill Mountain Garden Club, and very nice group of young women that take care of the Wildflower Garden. I must voice a hearty "Thank You" for their hard work and determination in providing this beautiful destination for us. Again, if you have not been to the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden, it is located between the Discovery Center and the Mill Mountain Zoo. I then dropped by the Virginia Western Arboretum where more Bloodroot was in bloom along with Lentin Rose. I hope you like the images.

This is Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis). It is an early spring wildflower, and one of my favorites. I have seen more Bloodroot this year than in years past. This image shows it in various stages of bloom.

Another image of Bloodroot, also at the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden.

This is Rue Anemone (Thalictrum thalictroides). It blooms close to the ground and has small blooms about one inch wide.

This is a Trout Lily (Erythronium americanum). Also called a Dogtooth Violet, this one bloomed very close to the ground and almost did not even see it amongst the bed of leaves. Notice the mottled leaves.

This is the Mill Mountain Garden Club, at least the members that were at the Wildflower Garden when I was doin ' some shootin'. Thanks ladies for the work you do. It is appreciated.

This group of Bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis) was blooming at the Virginia Western Arboretum on Colonial Avenue. You should stop by and check it out when you get a chance. A very beautiful, peaceful place.

This is Lentin (Helleborus orientalis). This is a red bloom of the species. Located at the Virginia Western Arboretum.

This is also Lentin (Helleborus orientalis). This is a green bloom of the species. Located at the Virginia Western Arboretum.

More Images with Different Lenses

I am always looking for different ways to image wildflowers. This day I decided to image some of the wildflowers in the yard with a different setup. This setup is, basically, a 960mm f5.6 Macro system. It allows me to get relatively close-up images of wildflowers that are 10 to 15 feet away. It also provides a visual cue of compression, or flattening. This can be an interesting addition to an image if used properly. Controlling depth of field at the increased distance is difficult to do correctly. Two of the three images below used the extreme telephoto macro system. These images were shot on March 21, 2010.

This is a Kaufmann's Tulip (Tulipa kaufmanniana). This image was taken with my 100mm f2.8 Macro lens. The front of the lens is about 24 inches from the tulip.

Here is the Kaufmann's Tulip (Tulipa kaufmanniana) again. This time the image was taken with my 960mm f5.6 Macro setup. The front of the lens is about 12 feet from the tulip.

This is Grape Hyacinth (Muscari armeniacum). This image was also taken with my 960mm f5.6 Macro setup. The front of the lens is about 14 feet from the Grape Hyacinth.

Around My Yard

As the wildflowers start to break out of the ground, they have been popping up in my yard in areas that I have never noticed wildflowers before this year. Like the Star of Bethlehem that grew in the middle of my lawn, these beauties have made their presence known on their own, with some help from birds I suppose. Included is a wild tulip. I hope you like these images. These were shot on March 19, 2010.

This is a Species Crocus, (Crocus speciosus). It is a wild Crocus, and this one was growing an inch from the base of my Magnolia Tree. This bloom was almost 3 inches wide.

This is an English Primrose, or Common Primrose, (Primula vulgaris). The name Primrose comes from Latin, Prima Rosa, or "First Rose", denoting the wildflowers early spring blooming period.

This is Corn Speedwell, (Veronica arvensis). This wildflower is considered a weed in most lawns, but if you get close up and personal with the tiny, 1/4 inch blooms, they are beautiful.

I was having quite a hard time trying to figure this one out. It was in none of my books and I was at a loss on what it was. I sent this image to a knowledgeable friend, Katherine Hix. She identified it almost immediately, and I then researched it. This is a Kaufmann's Tulip (Tulipa kaufmanniana). It is a true wild tulip, but it is native to rocky slopes of Kazakhstan and Russia. How it got to my yard, I have no idea.

Start of the Wildflower Season 2010

It is another year, and time to break out the cameras, assorted macro gear, and head out in search of more beautiful wildflowers. I travel more during this season than any other. and these little wonders of nature never cease to amaze me. They seem to grow in some of the oddest, most unforgiving places, yet bring beauty and grace to wherever they bloom. This year, the first image of the year was a wild Crocus, blooming in the middle of my lawn on March 10th. Like the Star of Bethlehem last year, I have no idea how it got there. A bird, most likely. Anyway, here are some early images of the early bloomers. Winter Jasmine, Hellebore, Snowdrops, and Crocus.

This is Crocus, (possibly Crocus vernus), it is an early spring crocus, or snow crocus. This is the one that bloomed in my lawn.

This is Hellebore (Veratrum viride). This is early in its blooming cycle, and is very obvious amongst the still dormant forest floor. This is in the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden.

This is Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum). These flowers were growing on Wiley Drive.

Some more Winter Jasmine (Jasminum nudiflorum) on Wiley Drive.

These wildflowers are Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and are located in the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden. They are early in their bloom cycle and have not spread their petals.

Some more Snowdrops located in the Mill Mountain Wildflower Garden.

These Common Snowdrop (Galanthus nivalis) and are located in a private Franklin County Wildflower Garden. They are later in their bloom cycle and have spread their petals.

These Crocuses, (possibly Crocus vernus), are also in the private Franklin County Wildflower Garden. These are some of the most stunning Crocuses I have ever seen.

More Late Spring 2009 Images

I am slowly posting images from last year. Except for the Nightshade image, these images were taken on June 6, 2009 on the Blue Ridge Parkway north of the Rt.460 entrance to the Parkway. Several of these images were wildflowers growing in the dry, rocky cliffs that are beside the parkway in this area.

This wildflower is Horse Nettle (Solanum carolinense), a member of the Nightshade family.

This wildflower is Eastern Gray Beardtongue (Penstemon canescens)

This wildflower is Flowering Spurge (Eurphorbia corallata). Thanks to Bob Zuberbuhler for the identification.

This wildflower is Rough Fruited Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

Another image of Eastern Gray Beardtongue (Penstemon canescens)

This wildflower is Bowman's Root (Porteranthus trifoliatis)

This wildflower is a wild Phlox, but the exact species is not known. Thanks to Bob Zuberbuhler for the identification.

This wildflower is a Common Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)

This wildflower is Yellow Hawkweed, (Hieracium pratense)

Another image of Rough Fruited Cinquefoil (Potentilla recta)

More Images from Late Spring 2009

These images were taken on June 3, 2009. I cannot remember what had delayed my posting of these images, but I often shoot many more images than I have time to go through. I do remember that I shot these in the early afternoon because a pretty nasty storm came through later in the afternoon. I hope you like these images.

These wildflowers are Sundrops, (Oenothera fruticosa). Very bright yellow.

These are also Sundrops, (Oenothera fruticosa), but I wanted folks to see how difficult it is sometimes to glean which leaves belong to the wildflower you are trying to identify.

These wildflowers are Small Flowered Phacelia (Phacelia dubia). The colors are subtle, yet intense.

This wildflower has been identified as Yellow Sweet Clover (Melolitus officinalis). Thanks To MW Kluge and Bob Zuberbuhler for the identification.

This wildflower is a Golden Star, (Chrysogonum virginianum). The leaf in the upper left of the image is from an unrelated plant next to the Golden Star. I just couldn't resist the composition..