2/28/2009
Barberry (Laudholm Farms)
Evidently I have never been to Laudholm Farms (Wells National Estuarine Research Center) when the Barberry was in bloom, or perhaps, as it seems, it is simply a bumper year for wildflowers and flowering shurbs of all kinds. I certainly remember nothing like the Barberry show this year.
Barberry produces pendent clusters of yellow flowers, like hanging bells of yellow bells, along the length of the sharp barbed whips. For this shot, I framed a whip against the sky and fields of the farm.
Sony DSC H50 at full wide. F5.6 @ 1/640th @ ISO 100. Programed auto.
Because I wanted to get the foreground detail and maintain realistic exposure of the background, I had to let the camera underexpose the flowers. In Lightroom, I used the Fill Light tool to bring them back up, remembering that they were not in full sun and need to be darker. Added Clarity, and very slight added Vibrance (vibrance can easily over do the yellows). Sharpen.
From Around Home Kennebunk ME.
And here, for context is a shot of the underside of a laden whip.
Barberry from Below
And one showing the larger structure of the plant.
The full context...
A nice couple of images. I like the way you have added your own creativity to an already beautiful subject. Blue sky and yellow flowers compliment each other wonderfully and you have used it well.
Including ‘the full context picture’ was a good idea because it highlights your creativity in the other two!
Gorgeous shots…no wonder people want this plant. But I believe it needs a disclaimer–isn’t this the very invasive nasty barberry?
Lovely composition, especially the in the first image.
Liz is right. This is not a “nice” plant. Invasive. Districtive. But pretty in it’s season.