Posts in Category: bog
8/13/2010
Saco Heath
Happy tridecaphobia day!
The Nature Conservancy has preserved this bit of peat bog in suburban southern Maine. They maintain a boardwalk that bisects it and leads to a stand of Atlantic White Cedar (One of the largest in Maine, and rare this far inland). It is unique habitat. My daughter played piano for worship at a little chapel right on the edge of the Heath last Sunday, so, after, we had to do a quick visit. I only had my Canon SD4000IS with me, but I tired some dual exposures for later treatment in Photomatix for HDR. The expanse of the open Heath dotted with cotton flower and the thin wispy clouds on a blue sky, set off by the tall snag that seems to have actually snagged some clouds…that is what I saw here.
Canon SD4000IS at 28mm equivalent. ISO 125 @ f2.8 with the exposure varied by eye with the Exposure Compensation dial.
I found that with less cloud detail in the sky, I had to try new settings in Photomatix. Tone mapping did not preserve enough of the thin detail in the sky to satisfy me. I was able to use the fusion mode, adjusting the settings by eye, and then take the HDR into Lightroom to move the Blackpoint right, add some additional Clarity and Vibrance, and sharpen.
From Saco Heath.
And just for Andrew, here it is as a B&W with green filter and tweaking in Lr. I will admit to liking it.
6/17/2010
Pitcher Plant in Bloom
Sieur de Mont Springs, at Acadia National Park features the Wild Gardens of Acadia maintained by local volunteers. In a small corner of the grounds they have recreated all of the major habitats, from the bogs to the peaks, on Mount Desert Island and planted them with representative plants. Few plants are more bazaars than the Pitcher Plant. Bog dweller. Carnivorous. Strange in shape. And with a particularly complex (looking) flower structure. This is the bloom. I got down practically to ground level to shoot low enough to see into the flower head, using Macro and the long end of the zoom on the Canon SX20IS. Generally what you see is more like the image below, also taken from a distance with the tel zoom, this time because they were in a wet area with no direct approach.
Canon SX20IS. 1) 425mm equivalent @ f5.0 @ 1/500th @ ISO 200. 2) 560mm equivalent @ f5.7 @ 1/400th @ ISO 400. Programmed auto.
Recovery for the highlights in Lightroom 3, some Fill Light and Blackpoint right to extend apparent tonal range, added Clarity and Vibrance, Sharpen Narrow Edges preset.
From Acadia 2010.