Posts in Category: wildflower
Trout Lily
Trout Lily: Emmon’s Preserve, Kennebunkport, Maine, April 2025 — This early spring flower of the New England woods has many names. Trout lily, Yellow Trout lily, Fawn Lily, Yellow Adder’s-tongue, Dogtooth Violet, or Yellow Dogtooth Violet. Dogtooth Violet is actually a different species, and is, as the name says, purple/violet in color, but many still call this yellow lily by that name. I have always called it Trout Lily. I go looking for them in late March and early April every year. I know a few spots where they grow, in addition to a couple of dense patches at Emmon’s Preserve, a short drive from home. This year I had to make three trips. The second week in April no leaves were showing. The third week I found some leaves, and only now, in the fourth week did I find the flowers. That is late. I shot photos in two different stands at Emmon’s. In one stand the pollen was yellow, and in the second patch the pollen was, as in these photos, orange. I looked it up this morning, and, indeed, there are Trout Lilies with the orange pigment, and there are Trout Lilies without. Sony a6700. Tamron 50-400 at 112mm and 114mm equivalent. The closer shot is with the Sigma Achromatic 1.75 diopter Macro attachment. On both I used my Sirui travel tripod at ground level. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Calico Aster
Calico Aster, also known as “white woodland aster” is a small flowered aster of, as you might guess, woodlands throughout North and Central Americas. It is a late summer, early fall bloomer. This one was growing in the Walsh Woods Arundel Land Conservancy. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 109mm equivalent. Program mode with my macro modifications. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! More Ghost Flower
I found this small stand of Ghost Flower, or Indian Pipe, in the forest along the Bridle Path in Kennebunk, Maine, where the majority of the flowers had not curled over, giving a great view of the inner parts. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 75 and 105mm equivalents. Program mode with my macro modifications. Program shift to f10 and f11 for depth of field. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Ghost Flower, the inside view
Occasionally you find a Ghost Flower or Indian Pipe plant with the blossom still pointing up so you can see what is inside. And here it is. The inside view of the Ghost Flower. Who would suspect that all the pigment in the plant is mostly hidden. Even viewed on phone you are seeing the flower at life-size or more. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii zoom at 106mm equivalent. Program mode with my macro modifications. Program shift to f10 at 1/30th for depth of field. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! More Ghost Plant
Ghost Plant or Indian Pipe is in full bloom these last days of August here in Southern Maine. This stand is just off the Bridle Path in Kennebunk and is among the largest clumps I have seen and one of the healthiest. I actually went back to photography it a second. I find the range of tones from pink to pure white to be interesting. I assume it is something to do with the soil as many clumps, even nearby, were plain white. Sony a5100 with Sony E 10-18 f4 zoom at 22mm equivalent. Aperture Program mode at f10 for depth of field…and clearly the camera was just above ground level for this shot. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Contrast
Northern Blazing Star and Goldenrod, Kennebunk Plains Nature Conservancy, Kennebunk, Maine, USA — It is Blazing Star season and, though not the best year in recent memory, there is a good crop on the Kennebunk Plains. It seems a bit dry this year. It is, of course, also Goldenrod season and I always look for Blazing Star and Goldenrod growing together for the color contrast. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 106mm equivalent. Program mode with my macro modifications. f10 for depth of field. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Two fungi and a flower
Three low wide angle perspective shots. Crown-tipped Coral, Golden Fairy Spindle (sometimes Yellow Coral), and a true flower…the Ghost Flower or Indian Pipe, a parasitic plant on some mushrooms, which are themselves parasitic on the tree roots. Sony a5100 with Sony 10-18 f4 zoom at 15mm equivalent. Aperture mode at f10 for depth of field. Processed in Photomator. Assembled in FrameMagic.
Maine! Jewelweed
Orange Jewelweed: Roger’s Pond Park, Kennebunk, Maine, USA. A native plant here in North America, Jewelweed is invasive all through the UK and Europe…one of those rare plants that crossed the Atlantic going the “wrong” way. It makes a bright show in July and August at the margin of wetlands and in ditches here in Southern Maine. I have been dialing in my macro technique and am quite pleased with these shots for hand held field (near) macro. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC VXD zoom at 103mm equivalent from about 6 inches. Program mode with my macro modifications. f10. Processed in Photomator.
New Mexico! Tiny in the bee-balm
Sweat Bee in Bee-balm: Randall Davey Audubon Center, Santa Fe, New Mexico, July 2024 — The Randall Davey Audubon Center has a small but highly productive native wildflower and plant garden between the buildings. It is full of Bee-balm right now, and the flowers are attracting all kinds of bees, skippers, and even sphinx moths. This tiny little bee is one of the sweat bees and you had to bend down close to see them…they are so small! Sony a6700 with Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 172mm equivalent. Program mode with my evolving birds and wildlife modifications. Insect Subject Recognition turned on. Processed in Photomator.
Maine! Bee in rose
Bumblebee in wild rose: Along the Kennebunk Bridle Path while looking for Egrets, this bee in a lovely wild rose caught my eye. Sony a6700 with the Tamron 50-400 Di iii VC zoom at 600mm equivalent. Program mode with insect recognition and my bird modifications. Processed in Photomator.