“The beauty of the unexpected lies within the surprise of the momentum,
not only at its tipping point, but also within all the moments waiting.”
― Akilnathan Logeswaran
Sauble Beach, on Ontario’s Lake Huron, is known for its sunsets. This one did not disappoint. It was the last day of a long weekend with friends and family. We had just finished our supper and packing the car for the drive back home, when this sight presented itself. So, I ran to the top of a dune and snapped a couple of shots with my iPhone.
It’s funny, I had spent the past two evenings on the beach photographing sunsets, each a lot different than the other. Day one was the end of a wind storm, the waves just beginning to calm, and narrow clouds stretched out across the red horizon. The next day was also filled with wispy cloud, yet the sky was filled with more pink and purple hues. I was not even thinking of a sunset on our final day, since I was occupied packing up. Yet, of the three sunsets we experienced, I enjoyed this one the most, perhaps because it came as a bit of surprise.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/950 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
“If you want the beautiful moments to shine, you have to contrast that with dark and gruesome moments. That’s the way life is.”
– Tony DiTerlizzi
One of the many common blossom in this ‘purple phase’ of summer blooms is, of course, the Bull Thistle. Though, it could almost make it for the ‘pink phase’ as well. During my drives north, I have seen many Bull Thistles blooming and wondered what was delaying our local thistles. Well they seem to have caught up and I found many wonderful specimens to photograph, including this ‘pristine’ flower, blooming next to a walking path just south of my home.
There were many blossoms with active bees, but I will save those images for a later date. For now, I’m just enjoying the conflicting textures of this flower. So seemingly delicate on top, with its pink/purple frills, yet so obviously painful to touch just below them’
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/40 sec, f/14.0, ISO 100
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Take one flower that you like and get lots of them. And don’t try to ‘arrange’ them. It’s surprisingly hard to do a flower arrangement the way a florist does one. Instead, bunch them all together or put them in a series of small vases all down the table. “
– Ina Garten
As I finished my studio work with a few local wildflowers, I stuck them in a vase, to eventually sit on our kitchen table. That’s a secondary benefit of my studio work. There is almost always a flower or flowers in a vase after the shoot.
As I looked over at the small flower collection, I thought it would make a nice image as well, even though I tend to avoid showing the containers for my floral shots. This one, though simple, seemed to work well and shows of the flowers, Wild Bergamot and Yellow Coneflower nicely. So, here it is for your enjoyment and consideration.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
20sec, f/36.0 ISO 100
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Dreams are the seeds of change. Nothing ever grows without a seed, and nothing ever changes without a dream.”
– Debby Boone
The next stage after the blooming of a flower, is the seed stage. I suppose I was surprised to see several of the Queen Anne’s Lace plants were already at this stage, so early in the season.
I call this the “basket” stage. The flowers have been pollinated and the seeds begin to form. In the case of Queen Anne’s Lace, the florets stems collapse inward, forming a basket of seeds. Thought it’s just the start of August, I know I will be seeing these ‘baskets’ well into winter, as the plant protects its precious cargo.
I liked the way the sun shone from this particular cluster, lighting up the seeds within, almost glowing with life.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/640 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Nothing is softer or more flexible than water, yet nothing can resist it.”- Lao Tzu
The view of a park bench that sits mid-beach at Ontario’s Sauble Beach. Spring snow melt and an unusually wet spring and summer have raised lake levels to record highs.
As we arrived at Sauble for a long weekend with friends and family, high winds from the northwest further raised the water levels higher yet, and obliterated the beach.
Despite the winds and raging waves, the park bench sat surrealy serene, made more surreal by the distant blue skies and clouds.
This photo will remain a nice reminder of the wet and windy day, at the beach that is not.
As I write, the morning dawns bright and clear, the lake calm once more and the promise of a bright mild day, water receding.
“Some painters transform the sun into a yellow spot, others transform a yellow spot into the sun. “
– Pablo Picasso
The Yellow Coneflowers literally quiver in the slight breeze, their delicate petals, like small yellow rags, seem to barely hang on.
Such is the scene in a local field, where Yellow Coneflowers are common. Even the gentle breeze of a hot summer day create movement in these flowers. It’s very nice to look at, but proves a challenge to photograph. Thus, I made the decision to harvest a blossom for the studio.
It was an opportunity to really look deep into the structures that make up this delicate summer blossom, from the tender yellow petals to the complex structure of the ‘cone’ from which the plant takes its name.
It was a bit of a tough shot to light, the petals so bright and the details of the cone, lost in shadow, yet it turned out alright and drew my attention to the small green frills, known as ‘sepals’ through which the petals emerge. The things we don’t notice, show up in the right light.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/36.0, ISO 100
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“When you see how fragile and delicate life can be, all else fades into the background.”
– Jenna Morasca
Here’s yet another purple, mid-summer blossom. I recall very well when I first saw one, blooming at the edge of a swampy area near my home. It was the first time I had ever seen this lovely, delicate species and it took me a while to figure out what it was called.
Swamp Vervain is not an overly attractive name for this beauty, but it does grow in wet areas, so it’s appropriate. I prefer the latin name, as hastata means having a triangular or spear-shape, which nicely describes the flowers, as you can see from the photo.
The next day, it seemed they were everywhere. I guess I had just not noticed them before and my new awareness gave me new eyes for it. To get this image, I went back to the places I remember seeing it previously, and it was quite simple to find.
My lesson in this is knowing what to look for as well as where and when to look. This has made it easier and less time consuming to find good subjects for my photography. I’m removing some of the ‘chance’ which has been an element of my photography in the past. It also means I’m going out at the right time of day to optimize my lighting.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/3.5 ISO 100
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“A flower does not use words to announce its arrival to the world; it just blooms.”
― Matshona Dhliwayo
As I write this, thunder is booming and the rain is coming down in sheets. Only moments before, my wife cut one of our Annabelle Hydrangea blossoms, for fear of them being further damaged. You see, this year, with all the rain we’ve had, the blossoms are huge. By huge, I mean the size of the average person’s head, and thus, at risk in the rain.
For hydrangeas, in the rain, size is not a good thing, since they retain the moisture, which increases their weight, either bending the flower stems or breaking them off altogether. Most of our are now bent flat, the blossoms resting on the ground.
As it sat on out table, saved from the rain, I took the opportunity to move it to the studio for a few shots. I’m not a fan of showing the vase in my photos, but this one seemed to work.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/36.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Little things seem nothing, but they give peace, like those meadow flowers which individually seem odorless but all together perfume the air.”
– Georges Bernanos
Have you noticed the summer shift to purple and yellow? The pattern repeats. There is a gradual shift from pinks to purples and yellows. Thistles, bergamot, vervain for purples, yellow coneflower, sunflower, wood sorrel, and sunflower for yellow.
It’s a definite shift in colours and the pollinators, which are plentiful this year, seem to favour purple.
Wild Bergamot, or Bee Balm is plentiful in the local meadows and conservation areas. The vast clumps are literally ‘abuzz’ with bees and wasps of all shapes and sizes. The Wild Bergamot flower is a fascinating thing, appearing quite ragged, yet wonderfully complex at the same time.
I thought it would make a nice subject for a studio shot and I was not disappointed. This image gives me a chance to look at the wonderful, intricate structures that make up the blossom. It could only have been better if a bee had come with it, I did try to use my portable studio setup, but it was just too breezy today for a good outdoor shot. So, here you have it. Let the flower work its magic on you, drawing you into the frills that the bees are so fond of.
This is an immature blossom, with many underdeveloped florets, but beautiful nonetheless. There will be more to follow, be certain of that. Hopefully, the next few days offer the opportunity for an outdoor shot, without the need to pick a flower. Perhaps a bee may join in?
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.0 sec, f/36.0, ISO 100
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world.
“Manufacturer’s Life Insurance, Front Doors” – Toronto
Looking at these regal doors, you could be in ancient Rome. The doors belong to the ManuLife head office in Toronto and, at the time I made the image, stood behind locked wrought iron gates, which enclose the grounds on off hours. The pathway leading to the doors is bordered by an immaculate golf-green style lawn, which is well known to many Torontonians.
I’ve walked past these gates on many occasion, as my daughter lives close by. Even though I had a few meetings with Manulife, I have not had the opportunity to pass through these doors, as business visitors enter via a less elaborate side door.
“Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that. “
– Jon Kabat-Zinn
It’s allergy double jeopardy, a bee on ragweed.
Strange, I used to have a real aversion to bees and wasps. Now that I am pursuing more macro images, I find myself surrounded by them, as I strain for that next ‘shot’.
That was the case a few days ago, as I was making images of a few Japanese beetles. I looked up and found myself in a dense patch of ragweed, filled with bees. And guess, what, the bees were not even vaguely interested in me, as they harvested the bounty of nectar from the plants around me. I had honeybees right next to my arm, and they cared not that I was there. We were simply occupying the same space, each with our own purpose.
It really was quite an experience for me; I never gave the bees a second thought, and I believe the feeling was mutual. This has opened up a whole new world for me. I find myself making more and more images of bees busily harvesting for the bounty of wild flowers. It is certainly not something I would have considered even a year ago. I suppose you could say I’m in my element. The thought of being stung does not cross my mind as I simply enjoy being a spectator in this activity. At this point, they could land on me and it would not bother me one bit. This really is living in the moment, and I love it. I am at peace. Oh ya, I’m also, supposedly, allergic to ragweed, go figure.
This simple image, of a bee, clinging to a ragweed blossom is so peaceful and enjoyable, having experienced that unexpected moment. It is a moment of time where I am simply ‘in it’ and fascinated by the processes of life and it’s simplicity. We all need more of these moments, so I thought I’d share it.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/800 sec, f/6.3 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“With caps of regal purple,
the delicate blossoms gently sway,
on the tide of warm a summer breeze.
The sweet aroma of nectar,
wafts in the air,
an elixir for butterflies, wasps, and bees.”
– Ed Lehming
In the meadow just up the street from my home, there is a patch of beautiful purple Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum sibericum), a hybrid of native wildflower, more common in warmer climes. However, I have the fortune of living in a Carolinian micro-climate, so some more southern wildflowers can and do flourish here, when conditions are just right.
This little patch is an anomaly, and I’m assuming, since it’s a hybrid, that it’s an escapee from somebody’s garden, since the images of true Culver’s Root (Veronicastrum virginicum) I have looked at show a predominantly white flower with broader leaves. It will definitely be included in my garden, once the bloom completes.
It’s a haven for bees and butterflies right now. The whole patch is a flurry of hungry, insects, competing for an open space, attracted by its bright colour and wonderful fragrance.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/10.0 ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass under trees on a summer’s day, listening to the murmur of the water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is by no means a waste of time.”
– John Lubbock
What can I say? Wildflowers in a gentle summer breeze, what can be better? This group of Yellow Coneflowers, springing from a sea of Wild Bergamot on a clear, hot summer day, is about as peaceful as it gets and brings back to mind the Seals and Crofts song, “Summer Breeze.” Though there is no “jasmine in bloom” in this scene, the feeling is about the same.
The puffy clouds in the background are simply the icing on the cake ,in this simple composition. A sweet, sweet memory of summer to look back to when the mercury drops.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/2000 sec, f/6.3 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Lazy Summer Skies”
Here is my entry for Del Monte Y Mar’s Tuesdays of Texture Challenge Week 31 of 2017
“When people look at clouds they do not see their real shape, which is no shape at all, or every shape, because they are constantly changing. They see whatever it is that their heart yearns for.”
― José Eduardo Agualusa
An often overlooked texture is the sky above us, with its infinite variations, never the same twice, rarely the same for long.
I made this image after a few moments photographing the wildflowers and insects in the meadow at the end of my street. On my way back home, I could not help but marvel at the gorgeous cloud formations, so typical of hot summer days in southern Ontario.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/1600 sec, f/10.0 ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
“Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain. “
– Henry David Thoreau
There is no shortage of insect life on the Queen Anne’s Lace this summer. It seems to be especially popular to various bugs and beetles. Here, a Japanese Beetle tours the outer flowerettes, I’m assuming looking for a meal of nectar.
I found it interesting, while editing the image, that the reflection of my red tee-shirt shows up on the beetle’s metallic shell. I’ve got to be more careful in the future.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/640 sec, f/10.0 ISO 400
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Art is not a handicraft, it is the transmission of feeling the artist has experienced.”
– Leo Tolstoy
This is a very non-typical photo for me, but I do have a habit of making images of things that I find interesting or unusual.
Yesterday, I spend a few hours touring the area of Bloor Street and Church Street in Toronto. It’s an area which I drive through frequently when visiting my daughter, who lives in the area. During these drives, I have noticed some interesting architecture and have made note of them for a future walking visit. That opportunity presented itself and I went to see some of these features close up.
One of the features that I’ve been intrigued with is this art installation at the very top of Jarvis street. It’s a series of tall red tubbes, which stand about ten to fifteen meters tall. There is a complimentary installation just south of it, consisting of thinner blue tubes on an angel. I prefer these red tubes, which appear to be reaching up the side of the building like some subterranean monster.
Like I said, this type of photography is not my forte, but I was please at how the resulting photo portrayed the scene I witnessed.
For those interested, here’s a Google Streetview image of the location.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/670 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
“Stretching his hand up to reach the stars, too often man forgets the flowers at his feet.”
– Jeremy Bentham
A quick shot today of a honey bee stretching for the nectar of a milkweed blossom.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/160 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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The more often we see the things around us – even the beautiful and wonderful things – the more they become invisible to us. That is why we often take for granted the beauty of this world: the flowers, the trees, the birds, the clouds – even those we love. Because we see things so often, we see them less and less.
– Joseph B. Wirthlin
The quote above really resonates with me. I have often commented about how my brain has learned to ‘filter’ out so much of what I see. Just how clever our brains can be came to light in a very real way a few months ago when I underwent a surgical procedure on both my eyes called an iridotomy. Essentially, a laser is used to drill small drain holes in my irises to prevent pressure build up behind the lense, which is a hereditary trait in my family, and a real issue for me as a photographer.
After the surgery, these small holes allowed additional light into my eyes and caused bright lights to create a secondary ‘ghost’ image. This ‘ghosting ‘ lasted about four week and my brain gradually filtered it out. Now, I can’t see the ‘ghost’ even when I try. The brain is that powerful.
So, I am making it a point to re-see the world around me and try to remove some of those filters. Photography is a huge enabler to the process.
If you look closely, you’ll see the tiny purple blossoms, which are clearly attracting yet another hoverfly. A whole new world is opening to me this summer, as I make images of the flora and fauna in the small meadow at the end of my street.
I’m discovering a complex network of life in this mundane place, which is mundane no more. Even on a quiet morning, the place is alive with activity and colour, you have bt to look for it and once you see it, there is no going back.
It does look odd to the outside observer, as I focus my camera on a stem of grass, but that observer would have no idea of the wonder I am seeing. So be it. Too often I hear photographers saying they live in an area that is boring, that there is nothing worth photographing. Well, this small meadow is an example of just how untrue statements like that are. They have stopped seeing. I am learning to re-see, with the same fascination I had as a child and it feels great.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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A soul mate’s purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master…”
― Elizabeth Gilbert
I gazed at this Queen Anne’s Lace flower in amazement. I had never noticed the pink frill. As I observed other, it became apparent that this was unique to one small patch, all the others were plain white.
What made this one particularly special was the slight heart shape, or am I imagining this?
The shape caused me to drift into the realm of emotion and life. My wife simply loves Queen Anne’s Lace and has made several lovely photos of the blossoms. That makes my photography expeditions so much nicer; having someone who also appreciates nature and photography, and is so incredibly supportive and encouraging of my journey into this art. This, of course, means infinite patience on drives, as I pull over to capture some roadside image, though she may not see it as I do. It means helping me overcome my self-doubt about my abilities, as she challenges me to be better than I believe I can be. As in the quote above from Eat, Pray, Love, she pushes me to be more, and for this, I am eternally grateful.
I truly believe that if it were not for her I would still be taking snapshots, suitable only for the family album, and nothing more. Instead, she has opened me up to sense the life and energy around me, by being a part of it. Thus enabling me to focus on the essence of what I am photographing.
Which brings me back to the image of the Queen Anne’s Lace blossoms, with its unusual pink frills, encircling an incredibly complex cluster of sub-blossoms. Each of the ‘pinks’ are small flower clusters as are the component bundles they surround.
Be sure you have a close look at this lovely blossom, go deep, and enjoy this moment captured on a recent summer morning. From the heart.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/320 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
“Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul. “
– John Muir
Simple beauty will suffice for me. In this case, a brightly coloured Box Elder beetle, one of many insects partaking in the bounty of nectar within this patch of Canada thistles I’m spending a lot of time with.
Soon, they will fade and go to seed and other plants will dominate, but for now, I’m finding beauty aplenty right here.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
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This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
Thursday Doors is a weekly feature allowing door lovers to come together to admire and share their favourite door photos from around the world.
“SV Blackjack” – Cabin Door
This image is quite a departure from my regular ‘doors’ images. A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to see a Tall Ship Regatta stop in the small port town of Bath, Ontario. Bath, is a small village on the south shores of Lake Ontario and made an ideal spot for these magnificent vessels to harbour for the night.
I have a very real love for sailing ships. I love the sound of rigging creaking, the snap of the sails as they fill with wind, and water sloshing against the hull. I’m a bit of romantic, picturing these ships plying the lakes and seas in bygone days. Most of the older vessels still have a lot of brass and wood on their trim and fittings, including this cabin door, though not ideally lit, it was an opportunity for me to add another door to my collection.
Though I posted images of other ships earlier this month, I’m including an image of this particular ship for your enjoyment.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/320sec, f/9.0 ISO 200
for more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
“The blues of summer,
flowers and bright skies.
Days of warmth and laughter,
and lakefront evening sighs.”
– Ed Lehming
This seems to be season of the hoverfly. They are everywhere I look. Not that’s a bad thing, by any means, they are an interesting insect and quite colourful too. Though, I have yet to photograph one in flight.
I found this pair while photographing a chicory blossom a few days ago. The one seems to be as deep into the flower as it can go, perhaps that’s where the nectar is to be found? It made for an interesting image, since it also gives a nice side view of the other hoverfly.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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http://www.edlehming.com
We have to know our place in the ecosystem of which we are a part, and this means living ‘consciously’: being aware of nature and how it affects us and how we, in turn, affect nature.”
― Sebastian Pole
I am so pleased lately to see so many bees. For the past few years they have been scarce, especially honeybees. There are many pollinators out there, but honeybees have been exceptionally rare around here. It’s a frightening thought, to lose our bees, though I know many efforts have been made to preserve and increase the population. Thankfully, those efforts seem to be paying off.
When I went out today to check on my herb garden, it was with great pleasure that I noted the many honeybees flying from flower to flower. Purple, seems to be the draw this month.
Of the many images I made today, this one pleased me the most. The bee itself is in sharp focus yet even at 1/400 sof a second, the wings are still a blur, emphasizing the speed with which these bees move. It was, despite the bright light, tough to get a clear shot. But, here it is, a moment in the garden, the cycle of life, captured.
One of the pleasures of gardening is having these processes close by. The oregano plant itself is from last year’s planting, asi t winters over quite well. This garden also has basil, mint, and rosemary, but the oregano is the one with the bright, fragrant blossoms. Of course, bees were not the only participants, numerous flies, wasps, and beetles joined in the feast, but the honeybee stole the show for me.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
― Germany Kent
“Nodding in the Garden”
Here is my entry for Del Monte Y Mar’s Tuesdays of Texture Challenge Week 30 of 2017
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/125 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“When you overlook the small blessings in your life, chances are that no amount of blessings would ever make you happy.”
―
I thought today I’d go out and capture a very simple image of a flower, which sadly, flourishes in my gardens. I have no idea where it came from, but I do know it loves to call my gardens home, despite me constantly weeding it out.
The plant is known as common yellow wood sorrel and starts out looking like a three leafed clover, till it blooms with it’s pretty yellow flowers. Yet, after a while it shows up everywhere and I can hardly keep up with it by the end of the summer.
In the good soil of my gardens it grows to a height of nearly 20 centimeters and seems to fill every vacant patch of garden, if not quickly removed. It’s doing particularly well this year, with our non-stop rainfalls.
So, I decided to make a photo of it, close up, so that I could “try’ to appreciate it. And I do, it’s a beautiful little flower, but I’d appreciate it more if it was not so prolific in my gardens. 🙂
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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“Peculiar I say, how so often the smallest, most seemingly insignificant details later unveil their faces as vital means for progression.”
― Criss Jami
What struck me about this image of a stem of hosta blossoms was the progression of the flowers along the stem. The bottom three are spent flowers from the previous day, the next two above are in full bloom, and above, new blossoms are forming.
I’ve considered photographing them before, but they have not appealed to me, for some reason. Yet, this time around, I really noticed this pattern of blossoms, progressing up the stem and decided to document it and spend some time appreciating it. The individual blossoms are quite pretty as well, yet seem lost in the space between them.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.5 sec, f/32.0 ISO 200
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“The possession of knowledge does not kill the sense of wonder and mystery. There is always more mystery.”
― Anaïs Nin
An unknown butterfly on an unknown flower. It really bothers me not to be able to identify the subject matter of my photos, but I can’t figure out what either is. The purple flowers grow in a small cluster in a single location. I’m wondering if it’s an escapee from somebody’s garden. Standing over a meter tall this plant has six leaves coming from a central node and beautiful stalks of purple flowers. It may be Culver’s Root, but it seems out of place.
The butterfly may be a skipper, but I don’t recognise it from below.
It was, however, a brief opportunity to get a photo of the butterfly feeding on the flower, quickly composed and shot before the butterfly took off and the moment was gone, leaving me with a mystery to solve.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/80 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
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or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Happiness is not a thing – it is a feeling; a way of joyful living and being. It comes from inner fulfilment and appreciating the world you live in.”
― Rasheed Ogunlaru
I could not think of a more suitable title for this studio image of a purple coneflower from my garden. As I look at the flow of the petals and the incredible order of the disk florets, glowing in the light.
It’s something almost magical to behold and I find the isolation technique I use makes those details stand out even more. I’ve spent quite a bit of time with this image, simply enjoying the textures and structures of this beautiful blossom, dotted with tiny grains of pollen. Appreciating the whole by observing the component parts that make up the whole.
I’m finding these images and the time I spend composing the shots has made me more aware of many of these details as I observe the flowers and wildlife outdoors even more deliberately. I try to turn off the filters my brain has learned over the years, to see the blossom like this, naturally.
It’s becoming a journey to live life in the same manner. Some call it mindfulness, or living in the moment. I like to look at it is deliberate appreciation for the world around me. It’s also making it easier for me to compose better images, as I’m learning to see things for more than just an object to be photographed, but rather, an opportunity to preserve the essence of what I’m seeing. Writing about these experiences is helping tremendously, as the process of writing slows my brain down and causes me to more carefully consider the image and what I want to share about it and the process that led to its creation.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/16.0 ISO 200
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Everyone is busy, yet we all have access to the same amount of time.”
― Chris Guillebeau
The prevalent activity around here lately is bees and blooms. It’s so nice to see bees after a few years where bees, particularly honeybees, seemed to be quite scarce around here. I returned to my patch of Canada Thistle and simply stood for a while, watching all the activity, including the numerous species of pollinators.
From small to large, plump to thin, the bees, wasps, and various flies were busy collecting the bounty of nectar these wildflowers had to offer. It was not till I spent a few minutes standing there, observing, that I noticed the sweet smell emanating from the thistles. It’s something I had as yet been unaware of. As the fragrance drifted around me it is no small wonder that so many insects were drawn to this large patch.
Of all the harvesters, this mid sized bee is the one that caught my eye. Most bees and wasps would land on a blossom and spend quite a while going to each individual component flowerette and collecting the nectar. This bee, on the other hand, flitted from blossom to blossom, spending mere seconds on each. It truly was a busy bee. The image above represents a split second where it slowed long enough for me to capture a sharp image of it.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0 ISO 200
High Resolution Image on 500px
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Be music always. Keep changing the keys, tones, pitch, and volume of each of the songs you create along your life’s journey and play on.”
― Suzy Kassem
Today marks just about a year since I started into my studio based floral photographs. What started in my mind, as I drove past ripe wheat fields, as a vision of photographing some of the wheat under controlled lighting, quickly changed gears when those images did not materialize as I had envisioned them.
At that time, the day lilies in our gardens were blooming and I took a few in to see how they would look. After fiddling with my exposure settings and using my trusty 70-200mm zoom lens, since I did not own a macro lense at the time, I got images that stunned me. I could not believe how the isolation against the black velvet backdrop made the flower ‘pop’ and fine details emerged so clearly.
There has been no turning back from this. Though I enjoy being in the outdoors and photographing the wild world around me, there is a satisfaction in these florals. They continue to stun me with their vibrancy and detail and I enjoy the process of composition. The lighting and settings have become second nature. It’s just a matter of having enough subject matter to photograph.
So, to mark this milestone in my photographic journey, I decided to grab a stem of day lily and bring it to the studio for a couple of quick shots, two to be precise. This is the first one. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
2.5 sec, f/32.0 ISO 100
High Resolution image on 500px
for more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website (some images available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Ed Lehming Photography 
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