“Nature’s gifts are always fleeting. These moments must be savoured while we can, and then the moment is gone, leaving only fond memories and dreams for tomorrow.” – Ed Lehming

Alas, the final days of the wake-robin are at hand. These flowers which have brought me so much joy this summer are fading fast, with only a few intact specimens remaining. What the sun has not dried and the wind and rain (and snow) have not pummeled, slugs have scarred.

I recall only ten days ago, seeing and photographing the first few blossoms to emerge on a rainy, sleet filled day. At the time, they were among the only blossoms brave enough to open on that cold spring day. But now, the sun is rising every higher and white trilliums dominate the landscape. I looked along the path for an intact flower, for one last photo, knowing that by tomorrow they will all be gone.

I’ve really enjoyed the wake-robins this year, more than others. They have been plentiful and I’ve been able to get good images through a combination of good fortune and getting down low to the ground with my tripod. The light has been exceptional, with a few slightly overcast days providing me ideal conditions. Today was quite a bit brighter but I was able to find this blossom on the edge of the shadows, just enough so that the image is not overly harsh. I also wanted to make sure that all the petals were in sharp focus, so I used a very narrow aperture, higher ISO, and slower shutter speed to get me what I was after.

So, here it is, the final blossom, so I can enjoy one last look.

Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/20.0, ISO 400

For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com