As I started on the road with my Ford Dually and Lance Truck Camper, over two years ago now, I wondered and sometimes out loud, “would I miss having a home to come back to?” The answer has been and continues to be, no. But, there is always a butt, or is it a but? There are things that I do miss and am often asked what it is/was that I missed about my home. In thinking through my answer, as I often do before answering and then my questioner is often rewarded with a flood of information that they might not have intended. Well, my following trip report will be an example of that frequent question and answer. “I miss my flower beds. I miss the hundreds of feet of raised sandstone block beds that I built and backfilled, sprinkled with many bulbs of spring splashes of color and the spring arrival of one of my favorites and short lived, Oriental Poppies.”
As the heat would set into the front range of Colorado, My Bleeding Hearts were sequestered into the deep shadows of my Ohio Buckeye Tree and canopy spreading London Plane Tree. Yes, I miss my flowers, but I will insert here, I don’t miss the weeding or the ever weekly repairs to my drip irrigation. As there were frequently ravaged by the every present Bunnies and Squirrels. These seemed to enjoy the daily battles from my Scottie dog, as much as he enjoyed them too.
As I point my Ford truck and LANCE Truck Camper, to different corners of this country, my eye is always open and seeking any splash of color, that would cause me to slow and stop and investigate even further. I find many treasures, just out walking and or hiking. But one thing for sure, the rewards are just as great as those mornings I would sit out on my back deck and look out upon my gardens and view what had transpired there, since my last morning visit. My world now is just beyond my windshield, off the kickstand of my motorcycle, beyond the dust off the top of my hiking boots or just kicking to the side of my kayak, as I slip so silently by. Please join me as I show another detail of my many travels, in my Truck Camping life, albeit, just a bit slower than most.
Deptford Pink - Dianthus armeria ~ Ellsworth County Kansas
White Prairie-Clover - Dalea candida ~ Ellsworth County Kansas 2011
Prairie Wild Rose - Rosa arkansana ~ Saline County Kansas 2011
Prairie Coneflower - Ratibida columnifera ~ Ellsworth County Kansas 2011
Buffalo Bur - Solanum rostratum Dunal ~ Ellsworth County Kansas July 20th, 2011
One thing is for sure, wildflowers are short lived and they spring forth under the mantle of heat. Heat so strong and fierce that to actually enjoy some of these wildflower displays, one has to just suck it up and go forth. Some of my ventures out, were in the heat of 111 degrees with 60% humidity. These flowers seemed to thrive in this environment, where I would just wilt. Not to be undaunted, I trekked out and about for more than 4 weeks, following the cycle of many different species and activities, such as the frantic chaos of a rumbling Wheat Harvest. To share an example of my torture, in these great extremes, I give you my typical photo shooting scene, with my ever present Umbrella, not for me, but to help shield my subject from the ever present wind. This shot location was for the following Buffalo Spur, that I found along a long abandoned railroad spur.
Milkweed Plunderer ~ Saline County Kansas 2011
Grayhead Coneflower - Ratibida pinnata ~ 29th Road, North of Old Hwy 40 Ellsworth County Kansas
Field Bindweed ~ Saline County Kansas July 18th,2011
Deptford Pink - Dianthus armeria ~ Ellsworth County Kansas
Some think it is easy to just take a picture of a flower. Well, you first need to find one. Then select the position and composition you want to present. Your worst enemy is the wind, which seem to be always blowing in Kansas!
Prairie Wild Rose - Rosa arkansana ~ Saline County Kansas 2011
Buffalo Bur - Solanum rostratum Dunal ~ Ellsworth County Kansas July 20th, 2011 LG
Western Yarrow - Achillea millefolium ~ Ellsworth County Kansas 2011
Catclaw Sensitive Briar Inflorescence - Mimosa quadrivalvis ~ Saline County Kansas 2011
Catclaw Sensitive Briar Inflorescence - Mimosa quadrivalvis ~ Saline County Kansas 2011
- on the Grounds of Belle Meade Plantation of Nashville, Tennessee April 2011
Common Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - and Banded Bumble Bee ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Common Sunflower - Helianthus annuus - and Banded Bumble Bee ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Banded Bumble Bee ~ Montgomery Alabama April 2011
Prairie Grasses - Showy Chloris - Chloris virgata ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Common Spiderwort - Tradescantia ohiensis ~ Franklin, Tennessee April 2011
Fallen Acorns at Lake Texoma, Texas ~ January 2011
Kansas Prairie Thistle - Cirsium undulatum ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Blanket Flower and Purple Poppy-Mallow - Callirhoe involucrate~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Purple Poppy-Mallow - Callirhoe involucrate ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Engelman's Daisy - Engelmannia peristenia ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Berlandier's Flax - Linum berlandieri ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Berlandier's Flax - Linum berlandieri ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Crimson Clover ~ Trifolium incarnatum ~ Cullman, Alabama March 2011
Crimson Clover ~ Trifolium incarnatum ~ Cullman, Alabama March 2011
Flowering Dogwood Tree - Cornus florida ~ on the Grounds of Belle Meade Plantation of Nashville, Tennessee April 2011
Prickly Poppy - Argemone polyanthemos ~ Saline Country Kansas June 2011
Prickly Poppy - Argemone polyanthemos ~ Saline Country Kansas June 2011
Yellowstone National Park - September 2010
Yellowstone National Park - September 2010
Wavy-Leaf Thistle - Cirsium undulatum ~ Gove County Kansas June 2010
A brief respite from the Motorcycle trip through Idaho Stanley, Idaho ~ July 18th, 2009
Western Ironweed fillaries - Vernonia baldwinii ~ Ellsworth County Kansas July 20th, 2010
Western Ironweed - Vernonia baldwinii ~ Ellsworth County Kansas July 20th, 2010
Purple Prairie Clover - Dalea purpurea ~ Ellsworth County Kansas June 18th, 2010
Woolly Verbena ~ Verbena stricta ~ Lake Kanopoliis ~ Ellsworth, Kansas July 18th 2011
Woolly Verbena ~ Verbena stricta ~ Lake Kanopoliis ~ Ellsworth, Kansas July 18th 2011 Family QQQQ
Purple Prairie Clover - Dalea purpurea ~ Ellsworth County Kansas June 18th, 2010
Many decades back, now, farmers use to farm mainly, dry land. It is a funny term that essentially means, “What God cares to give us to grow our crops from the sky!” I use to hear that a lot, as a kid, as I watched a friends dad crushing a clod in his leathered hands and we all stood and watched, hoping it would fall to the ground in chunks rather turn to dust and blow into the wind, as often was in the case of those hot dry days of the 60s. Soon Center Pivot Irrigation would start springing up throughout the west. But before that, it was common to find these very simple and cheap weather advisors, nailed to fence posts. It was the duty of the younger farmers to travel out and check the gauges, after a passing storm. This was the way early farmers gauged their much needed water. Occasionally I will see these weather indicators still performing their work, on an equally gnarled fencepost.
Walking the trails in Kanopolis Kansas I often find many remnants of farmsteads, long gone and abandoned. In recent years, it is mostly due to the flight of the farmer for a life that is more economically feasible, if not as pleasing. As I travel along the many rural roads, I find one after another shuttered or damaged farmhouse as smaller farms are gathered up into larger parcels, that because of their size, they become more feasible to farm. In the wake of these abandonments, a life of riches can be found, be a flock of Wild Turkeys or Bob Tail Quail, but often as not, a long ago lovingly planted group of flowers. These were once nursed by the occupants of the nearby farmstead, but now to exist only due to their pure strength and determination, to be found by my camera and stolen for a moment, as I think back to whom might have once looked upon these flowers as I have, this moment. For me, it was just a brief stop, as I looked around and admired the steel and rusted brown Windmill, still flooding the adjacent stock tank.
As I often do, I travel around without any plan in mind, but I do have the idea that I will stop and even turn around, at a moment notice when I see something of interest and one mild April morning that exact thing happened. I don’t know how I got to this area, of turning here and turning there, with the idea that I was leaving the large town behind me and the landscape was opening up in front of my gear shifting motorcycle. It was one of these times that I passed a sign, announcing; “Belle Meade Plantation,” of Nashville, Tennessee. I would say it was the long row of unbroken stone walls that first caught my attention and soon I was turning and following the addition signs until I pulled up into the parking area of the Plantation. I was not disappointed in this find, as I had never heard of such a place, but I was pleased I took a detour of three hours, exploring and reading about a time long past.
Flowering Redbud Tree - Cercis canadensis - on the Grounds of Belle Meade Plantation of Nashville, Tennessee April 2011
~ on the Grounds of Belle Meade Plantation of Nashville, Tennessee April 2011
~ on the Grounds of Belle Meade Plantation of Nashville, Tennessee April 2011 White Pitcher Flower
~ on the Grounds of Belle Meade Plantation of Nashville, Tennessee April 2011 White Pitcher Flower
Hibiscus
I had stopped for the night, to “boondock” and had passed an old cemetery, as I scouted for spot and made a mental note to walk over to it, on my way to a nearby grocery store, which I did. I enjoy the history one can find by just walking the rows and sometimes just a quick Google search to find a wealth of information for the person that just wanted to take the time to look it up. This evening I was rewarded as I continued my walk to the grocery store and back. It was while I was walking back, over by a group of trees I saw something, a small delicate lone colored spot. I wandered to see what it was and found the following flower, all by itself, surrounded by waving singular tall grass, while this single colorful shape held course, outstanding in it’s field. (Sorry I couldn’t resist.) J
~ Paducah, Kentucky ~ April 2010
~ Paducah, Kentucky ~ April 2010
Cardinal Flower - Lobelia cardinalis ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
Indian Blanket Flower - Gaillardia pulchella ~ Headwaters of the Smokey Hill River Watershed Kansas 2010
~ Paducah, Kentucky ~ April 2010
Even a flower, long gone, has such a presence. Or in this, a noxious weed that is often scorned.
Wavy-Leaf Thistle - Cirsium undulatum ~ Gove County Kansas June 2010
Rock Creek Ranch, Colorado
Wild Homestead Crocus ~ Moraine Park, Rocky Mountain National Park
Purple Coneflower ~ Steamboat Springs, Colorado
Guadalupe Mountains National Park ~ Frijole Ranch, Texas
Guadalupe Mountains National Park ~ McKittrick Canyon, Texas
As before, I am traveling in my Truck Camper through some very wonderful country and displays of Wildflowers. With that, there are certainly some areas that have lower blooms than in previous years. I actually attended the California Poppy Festival, in Lancaster, California this spring, but alas, the blooms were far and few in between. That said, I still found some to view and photograph. Along the way I found others chomping down on some of these blooms too, like the following example. I am told that these reptiles secure much of their moisture from eating the moisture rich blooms, as well as insects and mammals.
Fringe Toed Mojave Lizard
(Uma scoparia) ~ One of the many things I enjoy doing, is hunting. O.K., now that I have some of you guy’s attention, I hunt with a camera. I spent many weeks in the Mojave Desert and many days of each week I was out on the Motorcycle or on foot, no burro to help in sight, hunting for what really makes the desert come alive. Whether it is the repetitious views and plant life, it interests me. By seeking out the same things that animals seek, I find them. These places are their burrows, large mounds in the roots of Mesquite Bushes and dry drainages, which reveals current and past tracks of the animals that travel these thoroughfares.
(Uma scoparia) ~ One of the many things I enjoy doing, is hunting. O.K., now that I have some of you guy’s attention, I hunt with a camera. I spent many weeks in the Mojave Desert and many days of each week I was out on the Motorcycle or on foot, no burro to help in sight, hunting for what really makes the desert come alive. Whether it is the repetitious views and plant life, it interests me. By seeking out the same things that animals seek, I find them. These places are their burrows, large mounds in the roots of Mesquite Bushes and dry drainages, which reveals current and past tracks of the animals that travel these thoroughfares.
One of the things that have fascinated me is the world of Reptiles and Amphibians. Sure, I had a pet Painted Turtle, or at least he was a pet before his slow moving efforts at constant escape, were successful.
I watched this Mojave Fringe-Toed Lizard (Uma scoparia) off and on for a number of weeks, as I traveled in and out of my camp. I first saw it just as a peripheral movement. Stopping, waiting and then waiting some more, I saw it, one of the largest lizards I had ever observed. I watched for a few minutes, thinking I need to bring back my bigger camera, just in the same way Roy Scheider’s character said to Robert Shaw's character, in the infamous movie Jaws; “You're gonna need a bigger boat.. . . “
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reservedI was lucky enough to spend a few weeks in Death Valley National Park, earlier this year and was able to capture some early spring blooms while there.
During a recent visit at a dear friend’s rural location, near Placerville, California, I stole around their property capturing the following Wildflowers.
Leopard Lily (Lilium pardalinum)
Mineral, California ~ June 2012 ~ I was able to find patches of these tall stalked plants, growing within broadleaf understory plants, in the Cascade Mountains in and around Lassen Volcanic National Park. These planets are members of the Lily Family (Liliaceae) and are found widespread in California. They have long and narrow leaves on a tall stem, up to nine feet. They hang downward in clusters, ranging from pale orange to red with maroon spots outline in yellow or orange. What is really interesting is the size of the bloom, more than four inches. Leopard lily are found in moist habitats and I was looking specifically for areas shaded from the sun, for the majority of the day, to find blooms that were not already melted from the sun’s heat. They were once found to be in abundant quantities, by their numbers have been decreasing more, in recent years. This photo was captured while hiking near the summit of Mill Creek Pass, South of Lassen Volcanic National Park ~ July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Mineral, California ~ June 2012 ~ I was able to find patches of these tall stalked plants, growing within broadleaf understory plants, in the Cascade Mountains in and around Lassen Volcanic National Park. These planets are members of the Lily Family (Liliaceae) and are found widespread in California. They have long and narrow leaves on a tall stem, up to nine feet. They hang downward in clusters, ranging from pale orange to red with maroon spots outline in yellow or orange. What is really interesting is the size of the bloom, more than four inches. Leopard lily are found in moist habitats and I was looking specifically for areas shaded from the sun, for the majority of the day, to find blooms that were not already melted from the sun’s heat. They were once found to be in abundant quantities, by their numbers have been decreasing more, in recent years. This photo was captured while hiking near the summit of Mill Creek Pass, South of Lassen Volcanic National Park ~ July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Crimson Columbine (Aquilegia Formosa)
Mineral California - The scientific name, Aquilegia formosa, translates from the Latin as “beautiful eagle,” and it is said that the eagle part of the name (aquila) comes from a supposed resemblance between the pointy spurs that stand upright on top of the flower (containing the flower’s sweet nectar) and an eagle’s talons. How it came to be called beautiful (formosa) requires no explanation.
The Crimson Columbine is a member of the Buttercup Family (the Ranunculaceae), this hummingbird favorite is native to western North America, from Alaska to Baja. As you can tell from my photo, the season was already late for photographing this beautiful and the Bumble Bees were wasting no time in harvesting as much pollen in the time remaining. The flowers are found in clusters, hanging downward. They are very unique in that they possess horizontal tube like formations.
While hiking along an unnamed creek, southwest of Mineral, California, I was able to fight off these huge Bumble Bees to photograph this Columbine. There are many species of Columbines, in the Northern Hemisphere, but there is only three species found in California. This Columbine is the most common found in this area of California, up to 11,000 feet of elevation. ~ June 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Snow Plant (Sarcodes sanguine) ~ Lassen Volcanic National Park ~ July 2012 ~ I have been told that a person seeing this plant for the first time, never forgets how different this plant is, from what you would expect to find, as it is startling red. In a world of plants that are green, the starling red color of this plant and the structure of this plant leaves you with a memorable impression.
This plant, grown under the mantle of snow and debris of the forest canopy, often carries this detritus upward, as one often sees tulips do. As it grows upward, it reveals the specialized bracts, exposing them as the plant matures and the flowering portion of the stalk develops.
Snow plant has no chlorophyll; it derives nutrition from fungi underneath the soil, and for this reason the plant is called "mycotrophic". These fungi are the mycorrhizae ("fungus-roots") of conifers, an interesting topic by itself. Many conifers (among other plants) require these fungi to live normally. Mycorrhizae are composed of strands of cells (mycelia) that grow about in the soil; these strands are quite numerous and extensive, and the conifer uses them to bring water and minerals to itself. In return, the conifer provides the fungus with some of the products of its photosynthesis. Snow plant takes advantage of this felicitous arrangement by parasitizing the mycorrhizae of the photosynthate provided it by the conifer, which makes sense, given that it is a plant without chlorophyll, and therefore a plant that cannot photosynthesize. In this indirect way, Sarcodes is a parasite of conifers; this is why they are always seen beneath (or very close to) them.
A bract is a modified leaf, which is usually located near the flowering portion, much like a Corn Stalk. A bract can be as simple as a leaf that is much smaller in size, as in a Broccoli Plant, or it can be modified to serve an auxiliary function, such as in a petal. Long red strips overlap and create a protective barrier, in a Snow Plant. This function provides a protective barrier as it pushes itself through the forest floor’s carpet web of dense pine needles, cones, twigs and other debris. Its bullet shape enables this progress, as the snow’s mantle retreats. Once fully erupted, the plant enlarges in size, as the bracts unwrap themselves, exposing the flowers. It is only a matter of a few days, before this process is complete, bracts withering and the exposed flowers fully developed. I captured this shot while hiking in Lassen Volcanic National Park ~ July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Western Wallflower (Erysimum capitatum) ~ Is a member of the Mustard family and much less widespread as Field Mustard (Brasica rapa). The flower is characterized by it’s prominent four petals and its ovary is up inside the flower. As you can see by the photo I grabbed, the flower is past peak, as they are a short lived perennial and the plants range upwards to 12 inches high. The leaves are down low, leaving the stalk to extend upward. These leaves are spoon-shaped, obtuse. The flower’s petals are over ½ inch long and the ascending seedpods are two to three inches long. This photo was captured while hiking along the trail to Lassen Peak, in Lassen Volcanic National Park ~ July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Mountain Mule Ears (Wyethia angustifolia) ~ This plant is undeniably a member of the Sunflower family (Asteraceae), with their heard of small tubular disk flowers, with narrow petal-like ray flowers. Mule Ears are a resin-dotted perennial that is often described as a wooly appearing species in its early growth. Their stems are 1 to 2 feet in height and its basal leaves are 8 to 16 inches long, with their stems much shorter. These stems will bear 1 to 4 flowers head about 1 inch across. One of the unique features of this flowering plant is they have only 5 to 11 ray flowers. These flowers are found on dry, rocky and woody slopes from 4,000 to 11,000 fee from the northern and central Sierra Nevada though the Cascade Mountain range to southeastern Oregon. The flowering period is from May to August. I found this group of Jessica Stickseed, just up the mountainside from “Bumpass Hell,” In Lassen Volcanic National Park. ~ July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Jessica Stickseed (Hackelia micrantha) ~ Is in the same family as the familiar Forget-me-not (Myosotis latifolia), Borage. It has erect and ascending stems that range from 1 to 4 feet in height and grow from a heavy perennial root. There are many leaves and they are distributed along the stems, in an open inflorescence of several divergent coiled branches with pale blue flowers. These flowers, a strangely pale blue and are about 1/6 inch wide. The nutlets are very prickly, which gives the genus their name. It blooms in July and August. I found these flowers in large groups of patches, making them difficult to photograph, due to the size of their blooms and the non contrasting background they create. I love photographing flowers and my feeling is that the background is often what makes the flower pop out. I spend as much time composing what is going to frame the subject, as the subject itself. Having a complimentary contrast to the colors and shapes are often times what makes the composition unique. Blue stickseed may be found on moist to dry ground from the foothills to fairly high elevations in the mountains. It is common in forest openings, meadows, and along stream banks. I found this group of Jessica Stickseed, just up the mountainside from “Bumpass Hell,” In Lassen Volcanic National Park. ~ July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Western Salsify (Tragopogon dubius) ~ Is non native, being introduced from Europe and often found in soils that have been disturbed, plains to mountains. This plant is a Biennial (sometimes annual) herb. It is stalky plant with leafy stems 7 to 24 inches in length. It bears a yellow flower, 1½ to 2½ in width, visible late spring to early summer. The flowers will open in the morning and close up by late afternoon in a very curious, tight bud. The seed head will resemble that of a dandelion, but is distinctly larger. The seeds (achenes) are 1 to 2 ½ inches in width in a feather light umbrella like sail. These are sometimes called a Wishie or Clock. The Wishie terms comes from the child behavior of blowing the Feathery tufts to accelerate their flight. I found this particular plant in Lassen Volcanic National Park as I was loading up to leave a trail head. It was obvious that the plant was probably introduced to this fauna from recent road and infrastructure work in the area. July 2012
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Then you have what is left over, after the bloom has flown the “Coop”
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Pussy Paws
Birdfoot Trefoil (Lotus corniculatus)
This plant is a non native flowering legume plant. It was introduced to provide foraging for cattle in supplement for alfalfa and other grassland species. After introduction, the plant has become an invasive perennial plant. It is often mixed with seeds of other pasture species to provided forage for horses and cattle. The plant grows to a height of 18 to 20 inches. I found these plants when hiking through an open meadow that showed previous grazing of cattle or horses. This was in an area southwest of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Recently some have asked me for some help in getting more out of their photography, especially in photographing flowers. Personally, I don’t think there is ever a bad picture of a flower and maybe with a few things that I do, might enhance what you are already doing yourself. On disclosure, I don’t do any photoshopping of my photos, but work at using the tools I have at the point the picture is taken. Some of these things are available for you, by just exploring many of the point and shoot cameras that many of you already use. One is using the Aperture adjusting tool on your camera, as well as the Close up function (often highlighted but an icon of a flower). By changing your exposure default, by + or – your exposure, will impact your white balance. Look for them in that manual you stashed in a drawer somewhere.
So here is what I do. Yes, I do use;
1. A polarizer filter (For Digital make sure you use a Circular Polarizer.)
2. I bracket my photographs.
3. I adjust my ASA (exposure) for my White Balance, determined by the light.
4. I always use natural light, sometimes enhanced with reflectors, (such as my coat.)
5. I use specific times of day to hunt for and photograph flowers (Middle of the day).
6. Most important of all tools? [b]A good tripod[/b].
The techniques I use are really simple;
1. I try to always take a picture from an angle, never head on to the plane of the flower. (Just like photographing people, it is more complimentary.)
2. Don’t search for the most perfect flower of the group, as the “Charlie Brown” one will often yield the best results.
3. Find contrasting colors to accent off the flower you are photographing. (Examples shown below)
4. With taking pictures of flowers, Aperture and Shutter Speed is your friend. (Flowers never seem to be standing still when you want to take their picture!)
5. Get in close to your subject; don’t make your viewer guess what they are looking at.
6. My most important technique? Choose your background carefully. The following pictures are examples of how this can impact your photographs by making some simple changes while tripping the Shutter.
Diffused busy background makes the subject melt into the background, resulting in a subject that is undefined. Adjusting the Aperture will correct this. I could tell you how, but just going out and practicing your Aperture up or down (Numbers get bigger ~ less light gets into your camera and Numbers smaller allows more light into your camera. Essentially known as over or under exposing your picture. There is one picture coming up, where the flower (Snow Cinquefoil) is in the light but the back ground is in the shade, resulting in the flower being over exposed.)
This plant is a non native flowering legume plant. It was introduced to provide foraging for cattle in supplement for alfalfa and other grassland species. After introduction, the plant has become an invasive perennial plant. It is often mixed with seeds of other pasture species to provided forage for horses and cattle. The plant grows to a height of 18 to 20 inches. I found these plants when hiking through an open meadow that showed previous grazing of cattle or horses. This was in an area southwest of Lassen Volcanic National Park.
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
So here is what I do. Yes, I do use;
1. A polarizer filter (For Digital make sure you use a Circular Polarizer.)
2. I bracket my photographs.
3. I adjust my ASA (exposure) for my White Balance, determined by the light.
4. I always use natural light, sometimes enhanced with reflectors, (such as my coat.)
5. I use specific times of day to hunt for and photograph flowers (Middle of the day).
6. Most important of all tools? [b]A good tripod[/b].
The techniques I use are really simple;
1. I try to always take a picture from an angle, never head on to the plane of the flower. (Just like photographing people, it is more complimentary.)
2. Don’t search for the most perfect flower of the group, as the “Charlie Brown” one will often yield the best results.
3. Find contrasting colors to accent off the flower you are photographing. (Examples shown below)
4. With taking pictures of flowers, Aperture and Shutter Speed is your friend. (Flowers never seem to be standing still when you want to take their picture!)
5. Get in close to your subject; don’t make your viewer guess what they are looking at.
6. My most important technique? Choose your background carefully. The following pictures are examples of how this can impact your photographs by making some simple changes while tripping the Shutter.
Diffused busy background makes the subject melt into the background, resulting in a subject that is undefined. Adjusting the Aperture will correct this. I could tell you how, but just going out and practicing your Aperture up or down (Numbers get bigger ~ less light gets into your camera and Numbers smaller allows more light into your camera. Essentially known as over or under exposing your picture. There is one picture coming up, where the flower (Snow Cinquefoil) is in the light but the back ground is in the shade, resulting in the flower being over exposed.)
Undiffused busy background makes the subject indefinable in the composition of the photograph.
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Wandering Daisy
I am always glad I have my iPhone with me on my morning walks, especially this morning after yesterday's day long rain. It smells so wonderful, here in the mountains, after 5 months in the desert. This is an example why the largest selling digital camera sold now is the camera phone. With some technique and just pure luck, you can take some excellent photographs.
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Chicory ~ (Cichorium intybus)
Chicory is one of those plants that many of see all of the time and recognize it when we see it, but don’t know anything about it. Well, probably the first thing that might come to mind is that we hear about it when we think of coffee. Yep, this plants tubers has been used as a coffee substitute or replacement and was often used during the Civil War by Confederate troops for their daily beverage. The roots, or tubers, are often boiled or dried and then dried before grinding to a coarse texture, for boiling.
Chicory is one of those plants that many of see all of the time and recognize it when we see it, but don’t know anything about it. Well, probably the first thing that might come to mind is that we hear about it when we think of coffee. Yep, this plants tubers has been used as a coffee substitute or replacement and was often used during the Civil War by Confederate troops for their daily beverage. The roots, or tubers, are often boiled or dried and then dried before grinding to a coarse texture, for boiling.
This plant is found in all states of America, in various locations and the most common, along roadsides. Chicory often grows in large groups of plants, thus giving the blooms even more of an opportunity to capture a passerby’s attention. The leafy portion is along the ground, as singular woody stalks extend upward to heights of 40 inches. The multiple bright blue blooms range from ¾ to 1½ inch in diameter. There are two rows of involucral bracts; the inner are longer and erect, the outer are shorter and spreading. Chicory flowers from July until October.
This photograph, and the ones that follow, demonstrates how an undiffused background of the same patch of flowers can be isolated for different techniques in capturing that one photograph that makes people stop and look.
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
Then use your camera to get closer (Point and shoot cameras have a special option to allow you to photograph flowers like this. The off shoot, is that I use this option to photograph signs, as the lens magically focuses on the text somehow!) A diffused close-up from the side.
By getting in close, using your Aperture and +/- bracket features on your point and shoot cameras these techniques are not just for flowers, but can be used for many other subjects, like capturing a special moment when a child is “in the moment.”
I hope some of these tips will allow you to feel more comfortable, thus having fun in taking closer picture of subjects like flower, animals and people.
Ok, back to the main feature, looking at flowers found while traveling in a Truck Camper!
Is a white-wooly, loosely tufted, perennial herb, of the Rose Family (Rosaceae). The stems are 2 to 10 inches tall. The basal leaves are often hidden by the blackish-brown leaf remains. Each of the toothed, wedge shaped or oval leaflets are covered with long, yellow-gray, silky hairs. Each of the flowering stems may contain 1 to 3 flowers. The petals are a very deep yellow, fading to a pale yellow.
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
© 2012 Bryan Appleby, all rights reserved
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, in Austin, Texas was closed when my son and I stopped in for a visit. Being the time of year that most plant life was dormant, January, even in Texas we still made the trip through the ever growing suburban sprawl. We were rewarded with a wonderful center and hope to visit it again, when the center is truly in resplendent color, but we both loved the monochromatic color of a winter season and enjoyed the unique architecture. Did I mention we had the place to ourselves? Well, we did. Not a single visitor, other than us a few LBJ Center workers. They seemed pleased to see us, on a warm January afternoon. For flower lovers, like myself, one should certainly put this on your to do list to visit.
Thank you for visiting and I hope you will join me often, as I continue to update this thread.
bryan
I've heard the term "riotous color" in some other context, but your wildflower post is the first time I've seen it in action. As a fellow wildflower enthusiast I have to admit a twinge of jealousy over your ability to capture blooms in the absolute prime of life, shapely and full of vivid hues. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHi Eric! Thanks for stopping by. I am humbled by your words and of course, passion for the outdoors and everything in it. I have followed your travels for a very long time now and if anything, I am awe of your photography and narrative. I understand your expression of jealousy, but for me, it is more in competition in that I want to do better with each subject and photo. Come back often, my friend!
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