Purple
Springtime Vibe
These sweet, tiny, wildflowers are known by a variety of names such as, Spring Beauty, Virginia Spring Beauty, Eastern Spring Beauty or Fairy Spud. Not all clusters are as vibrant in color as these, most plant blooms are white with very subtle striping.
They bloom in early spring. The life of the individual flowers is short. They bloom lasts only three days, and the five stamens on each flower are only active for a single day. They can be found in many different habitat types, especially in forests. I found these in the woods of northeast Wisconsin.
You can view a full-screen version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Brazenly Delicate
This red tulip seemed to be taking a bold stand among another group of purple and white tulips. This is another flower I captured a couple of years ago at the annual Tulip Festival held in Pella, Iowa.
Deep red colors, like this tulip, can be a challenge for photographers because most cameras have a tendency to over-saturate the red and the image will loose all it’s detail; it can turn out looking like one big blob of red, with no texture or definition. Most of my post processing on this image was working to control the red.
You can easily view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Carnival of Autumn Color
The wide variety of hues in this patch of sumac reminded me of the bright colors you might find at an autumn carnival.
I had a few minutes before I had to be an an appointment so I thought I would make a quick stop at a local waterfall to, hopefully, catch a beautiful fall scene. Well, the waterfall didn’t have much water falling; barely a trickle. Even if it were flowing, there wasn’t much color in the foliage surrounding it. However, there was a small patch of sumac in the area that was bursting with color. Normally the sumac turns a bright red. I’ve not encountered sumac in transition with such a wide range of colors before. It made my stop worthwhile.
You can view a larger, more detailed version of this image by clicking on the photo. When you do, a full-screen version will open in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
October Surprise
I encountered a number of surprises on this early morning visit to the lake shore at Kewaunee, Wisconsin.
The morning light was a very pleasant surprise. The variations of color in the sky, from yellow to blue with a hint of purple on the fringes, was another welcome surprise. The rough water was an exciting surprise – normally the lake is pretty calm in the early morning hours.
The overall result of this image was a very nice surprise. I didn’t think I’d be able to capture as much of the dynamic range as I did. As bright as the sky looked and as dark as the water looked, I thought it would be difficult to see much of the detail in this image.
To view a larger, more detailed version of this image, click on the photo.
Wild Geranium Family Portrait
On a recent woodland hike I found this nice grouping of Wild Geraniums. It reminded me of a family portrait…parents and children…including little buds.
In the interest of full disclosure, I altered the background. There were some small, yellow wildflowers (weeds) growing a few feet away. I snapped off a stem of them and placed it behind my subjects to add a little more color and variety to the image.
As I often remind people, I operate as an artist not a photo journalist. Most images I post are true to the original scene. However, on occasion, I may add or subtract elements to suit my artistic vision. Most times, it’s done digitally. In this case, a little impromptu, on-site, floral arrangement.
You can get a better view by clicking on the photo. That will open a full-screen version in a new browser tab.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Clump of Springtime
Some of the first bloomers in early spring, the Hepatica is a delightful wildflower find. This clump was photographed along a Wisconsin woodland path in April.
The Hepatica is in the buttercup family. It’s also known by some other odd names (at least, to me) such as liverleaf, liverwort and squirrel cups. I’ve read the “liver” names have to do with the shape of the leaves, which some believe resemble a human liver. I’ve also read some Cherokee and Chippewa tribes used Hepatica as a treatment for liver disorders and it’s still harvested for its medicinal values today.
You can view all the detail in this collection of Hepatica full-screen by simply clicking on the photo.
Sudden Outburst
I had the opportunity to capture a sunrise in Algoma last Saturday. Low clouds couldn’t hold back the morning sun as it rose over Lake Michigan, beyond the lighthouse and pier.
There have been few days, recently, where the sky hasn’t been overcast and grey. There have been fewer days when I’ve had the time to get out and shoot.
This is an HDR image – where I combined five different exposures of the same shot to provide a greater dynamic range.
You can view this image in a larger, more detailed version by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Dripping with Passion
On a foggy morning, moisture clings to a spider web. I love how the tiniest drops can form on the thinnest of web fibers.
This is a companion to another image taken the same morning that I posted earlier. (Connect the Dots) The first one was photographed with a black background. This one had a maroon background because this spider web was draped from the door to the side mirror of my old van.
This is some of my first work with extension tubes – a lens attachment used in macro photography. I need to work on sharpness. This image is not quite as sharp as I want it to be, but it was interesting enough to share.
You can view a larger version of this image by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Passionate Purples
The variety of tulips and colors is astounding at the annual Pella, Iowa Tulip Festival. These unique, eye-catching beauties are a perfect example.
To view more of the delicate detail in this image, click on the photo and a new browser tab will open with a larger version.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.
Lakeside Landscaping
In an early morning outing I captured the sun rising over Lake Michigan and the Kewaunee, WI lighthouse and pier. Normally I shoot the lighthouse sunrises from the edge of the water, on the beach. For this shot, I moved back into the grassy area beyond the sand.
I love looking at the detail in the plant life. You can see more detail in the larger version by clicking on the photo.
All of the photos I post are available for purchase. If you’d like to buy one, click on the blue “Buy this Online” bar below for a variety of print and frame options or contact me for digital purchase and licensing options.