I visited Jennings Prairie at Jennings Environmental Education Center, a Pennsylvania state park. I largely missed the blazing star; the last few blooms on each plant were active, but the big show was over. However, lots of other things were blooming away. The Swamp Thistle in particular caught my eye. It is not a rare […]
There is a glow in yellow flower petals in the evening that I have long struggled to capture in camera. I think I may have stumbled across the answer. Here’s the long version of the story. In the old days of film, I would read about “pushing” and “pulling,” that is, deliberately under- or over-exposing […]
A Longhorn Milkweed Beetle (Tetraopes tetrophthalmus) hides behind his dinner. Like many beetles, his usual escape maneuver is to drop and roll when danger approaches. This one was so intent on his meal of a young, tender milkweed leaf that his only recourse was to freeze to blend in somehow. Well, a bright red beetle is […]
More interesting filter effects today. This time, we are applying a red filter from Aperture’s factory Black and White presets. The smooth oxeye, Heliopsis helianthoides, also named false sunflower, is an all-yellow flower. The red filter gives it a very rich white, almost like an infrared look. But a lot less expensively! Related articles Oxeye Daisy – […]
This stared…er, started as a rather pedestrian image of a dandelion seed head, macro, taken with a Micro-Nikkor 60mm AF f/2.8 lens on a Nikon D90. It was enough to satisfy the One Picture a Day goal. Barely. After thinking about it a bit, I decided to strike out on new ground for me. To […]
Just a common oxeye daisy, but with a twist. The blue filter effect, among the black-and-white presets in Aperture, does curious things to yellow. It tends to obscure fine details with jet black when applied straight. Playing with the mid-level contrast and the Levels tool brought details back in the center. The Fibonacci number patterns of […]
This rhododendron in my yard is likely to be gone soon in preparation for a construction project. It’s having a good bloom this year. I’m capturing it for prosperity.
Prickly Pear is peaking prolifically. Picture it before it passes. Next step: the fruit! Taken with a Tokina 11-16mm. Related articles Prickly Pear Blossom Prickly Pear Widow Skimmer Spicebush Droplets Prickly Pear Confidence Farm Fresh Tuna: the Prickly Pear Cactus
The prickly pear cactus is a cold-tolerant species that grows far north for a cactus. Like many cactus, it has a beautiful but brief bloom. The blossoms only last a day or two, so I remember to check on them frequently so as not to miss it. This image was taken with a Nikon D90 […]
I believe this to be Wild Bergamot, Monarda fistulosa, but I am not certain. It is a Monarda, and the habitat matches the dry fields that fistulosa prefers. Other common Mondarda species in the northeast U.S. prefer wetter soils. This was widespread in a large, dry field that has in recent years been converting from […]