“Solitary. But not in the sense of being alone. Not solitary in the way Thoreau was, for example, exiling himself in order to find out where he was; not solitary in the way Jonah was, praying for deliverance in the belly of the whale. Solitary in the sense of retreat. In the sense of not having to see himself, of not having to see himself being seen by anyone else.”
― Paul Auster
I have admitted before that I have a love of solitary trees. They stand alone, each with a story. They stand as silent witnesses to the world that moves around them, with no apparent support from their peers. I’m especially fond of trees that cling to the edge of water. The roots holding firm to land while being provided abundant water from below.
This beautiful red pine captivated me. The forest floor was littered with its needles, blocking off invading weeds. The creek seemed to bend towards it, just far enough to make contact with the roots. I know, the creek was there first and took advantage of the creek but that was the image my mind saw.
At this point in its course, Papineau creek has just come through a series of beautiful rapids and has slowed as it passes the pine. It’s a very serene image that I wanted to share here.
I came across this place in the fall a few years ago and returned this past weekend. It’s a very peaceful little park, with no signage leading you to it. I like to look at it as a private retreat, though I’m sure local residents know about it.
iPhone 5s back camera 4.15mm f/2.2
1/220 sec, f/2.2, ISO 32
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
“God draws near to the brokenhearted. He leans toward those who are suffering. He knows what it feels like to be wounded and abandoned.”
― John D. Richardson
A scene from along the roadside in rural Ontario.
When I see stuff like this , I wonder what the story is. How did this old car get to its final resting spot under the canopy of the ancient maple. Did it just die there one day? Or was it put there deliberately?
It was tempting to jump the fence for a closer look, but the proximity of the farmhouse made that less of an option. Though, as I write this, I wonder if the owner knows the story and would be willing to share it? Perhaps next time…
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 700 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, 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
“I thought how lovely and how strange a river is. A river is a river, always there, and yet the water flowing through it is never the same water and is never still. It’s always changing and is always on the move. And over time the river itself changes too. It widens and deepens as it rubs and scours, gnaws and kneads, eats and bores its way through the land.”
― Aidan Chambers
The York River, in Central Ontario runs from Baptiste Lake, meanders through the region and changing its aspect several times along its course. It is inaccessible, other than by canoe through much of its journey.
I’ve hiked to many of the chutes and paddled several sections of this beautiful river. Yesterday, I went for a back-country drive, looking for a diversion from wildflowers, though I found many of them too.
During this drive I came across a road named Iron Bridge Road. The name got my attention and I proceeded to see where this “Iron Bridge” was, hoping I was not committing to a long drive, only to find that there used to be an iron bridge.
The bridge itself was not far down the road and I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it cross the York River and offered a nice view of the river as it wound its way through the back-country as a gentle flow, with lily pads and arrowroot growing along the shores. From my maps, it would appear it continues this way for several miles, before entering into a series of rapids and chutes.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3, 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
“Of all the flowers, the rose speaks to me, especially, of love. The delicate petals, layer by delicate layer, draw me to the heart, while the fragrance entrances me with its subtle sweetness. Promising future passions, while echoing back to tender memories” – Ed Lehming
I had not, till now, deeply explored my thoughts and feelings on roses. Those feelings are complex and tied together by many threads of memory. My father and maternal grandmother were both avid gardeners. Since my grandmother lived with us, the two spent much time pursuing their mutual love of gardening together. I found this an odd, but wonderful teaming. My mother had no real interest in gardening, other than enjoying the final product as the backyard filled with sweet fragrances and bright colours.
The gardens were carefully planned and cared for, weeds were quickly plucked from this sacred place, reserved for the chosen plants and no others.
What stands out for me, and the topic of this post, is their extraordinary gift for growing roses. I have no idea of what the varieties were, though I consider myself a talented gardener, my dad and grandmother had a true gift for growing roses. Be it climbers, bushes, what have you. Every garden was ‘anchored’ by some form of rose. I regret never asking them where this passion for roses came from. My grandmother grew up in Berlin and my father came from a small village along the Oder river, in present day Poland. Neither location invokes thoughts of roses for me. I will have to pursue this thinking at some point.
As we enter July and roses begin to peak, I can’t help but look at them and think back on our backyard gardens, carefully sculpted, flowing, planned to be in bloom throughout the summer. Of course, the sight and fragrance of the roses dominated the warm summer days, lounging on the patio and gazing across their labours.
Ah, I took this all for granted as a child and now appreciate those gentle memories that bring me back to simpler times of family, childhood, love and the sweet fragrance of summer. For that, and many other things I thank them, and miss them deeply.
Nikon D800
Schneider-Kreuznach Exida-Xenon 50mm f/1.9 @ 50mm (14mm extension tube)
1/60 sec, f/1.9, ISO 4000
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
“My favourite plant is the foxglove. I think they are a perfect balance between being a garden plant and a wild plant, as at home in woodland as they are in a city.”
– Clive Anderson
Keeping on my recent departure to flower photos, above is a wonderful foxglove blossom that I found at the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario. The gardens are divided into several sections, which cover a large area. This plant was in Hendrie Park, which is a garden directly attached to the main gardens entrance. The entrance way leads to a long walkway that runs the length of the park. The foxgloves were among many bright and beautiful flowers on display along this walkway on a very hot June afternoon.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/400 sec, f/2.8, 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
“It was June, and the world smelled of roses. The sunshine was like powdered gold over the grassy hillside.”
― Maud Hart Lovelace
A few days ago, I had the great pleasure of attending my youngest daughter’s High School graduation. It seems another chapter in our lives has drawn to a conclusion and another begins.
As a gift for her graduation, her boyfriend gave her a beautiful bouquet of roses, including these wonderful pinks. Of course, the photographer in me sees more than just the flowers, they are a subject to be studied and photographed. The image above is the result.
It will be nice to have this keepsake, long after the beauty of the real roses eventually fades and is gone. Another moment captured.
The other fun fact about this photo is that I used one of my dad’s old Pentax M42 mount lenses with an adaptor and extension tubes to make this image. A bit of history to achieve the image I had envisioned. At f/1.9 it’s a wonderfully fast 50mm prime lens with great optics. I have not used it since I inherited my dad’s Spotmatic 37 years ago. I’m looking forward to using it more in future projects.
Nikon D800
Schneider-Kreuznach Exida-Xenon 50mm f/1.9 @ 50mm (14mm extension tube)
1/60 sec, f/1.9, ISO 2200
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
“Then the singing enveloped me. It was furry and resonant, coming from everyone’s very heart. There was no sense of performance or judgment, only that the music was breath and food.”
― Anne Lamott
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 favorite door photos from around the world
The image above is of the old chapel door of St. Mary’s Anglican Church, in Richmond Hill, Ontario. My wife works here and we both started attending recently. The old chapel is a very old building (Circa 1872) with lots of character and, of course, awesome doors. I simply could not resist including them here.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, 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
“A lie has many colours,
while white is the only faithful colour of truth.”
― Munia Khan
This year has been an interesting shift for me, photographically. I tend to lean towards natural places, such as forest trails, rivers, and lakes. This year I’m finding myself also taking in more man-made gardens and cultivated flowers.
Perhaps this is because I’ve been spending more time in my own backyard and going to botanical gardens with my wife for gardening ideas and simply to enjoy the blooms. Of course, I’ve had my camera with me to capture and share those experiences.
Till now, I had not paid much attention to all the flowering trees. It seemed to me that the flowering phase lasted only for a short period, yet now I’m seeing blossoms will into June.
Dogwoods hold a special appeal to me, since I first witnessed the Sierra Dogwoods blooming in Yosemite National Park a few years ago. There is something about the bright green leaves and delicate large blossoms that draws me to them, especially the bright white ones. The variety pictured above is a hybrid called “Square Dance” because of the blossom shapes, they almost form a perfect square. This particular plant was found in the Rock Gardens section of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, 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
“Spring turns to summer and delicate pinks and whites, give way to bright reds, oranges, and yellows, as nature shifts her palette to match the temperature” – Ed Lehming
Today’s photo is another attempt to understand and enjoy the world of macro photography. The bright Orange Hawkweed (Pilosella aurantiaca) is a smallish meadow flower that is common in this area through June and July. It blooms a few weeks later than it’s yellow relative, Mouse Eared Hawkweed (Hieracium pilosella).
This image proved a bit challenging as I’m shooting with manual macro extension tubes and it was a bit windy, which made good focus at such a narrow depth of field very difficult and I’m still trying to get a ‘feel’ for this technique which is very new to me.
Despite the challenges, I’m still quite pleased with the results and am looking forward to other opportunities as they present themselves. I’m seeing great beauty in common things.
Nikon D800
Nikkor AF 28-70mm f/3.5~F/4.5D @ 70mm (28mm extension)
1/500 sec, f/5.0, 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
“… the world can give you these glimpses as well as fairy tales can–the smell of rain, the dazzle of sun on white clapboard with the shadows of ferns and wash on the line, the wildness of a winter storm when in the house the flame of a candle doesn’t even flicker.”
― Frederick Buechner
Yes, I know, I have lot of photos from Secord Forest, but why not. This little slice of heaven has so much to offer. Photographing and learning about the plants and animals that inhabit this beautiful conservation area give me great pleasure. The 4.7km trail leads through meadows, rolling woodlands, wetlands (home to orchids), and farm fields, contains an incredibly diverse selection of plants, including many ferns, which I am just starting to recognize as being very different species.
The fern pictured above is the Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum pedatum) and is fairly easily distinguished from other native ferns by the thin dark stems and scalloped leaves. It’s also a paler shade of green than other local species. I can now identify 5 different varieties and working on more.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/160 sec, f/9.0, ISO 2500
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
“Everything made by human hands looks terrible under magnification–crude, rough, and asymmetrical. But in nature, every bit of life is lovely. And the more magnification we use, the more details are brought out, perfectly formed, like endless sets of boxes within boxes.”
― Roman Vishniac
A return to the garden, where early summer flowers are beginning to show their stuff.
This beautiful white cosmos was glowing so brilliantly in the morning sun, I could not resist stepping outside my door and making a few close up photos.
As I’ve mentioned in a few recent posts, I just purchased a set of manual macro extension tubes and am experimenting with the different effects the varying length of tubes produce. In this case, I used my Nikon 70-300mm f/4.5-f/5.6 zoom lense with a 14mm extension tube. This combination gave me a little more depth of field, yet allowed me to get a fairly close up shot.
Once again, the fine details that the human eye misses surprises me. Things like the gentle fold of the petals and the bits of pollen are barely noticeable until you get close up.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 150mm (14mm extension tube)
1/1000 sec, f/5.6, 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
“I think it pisses God off if you walk by the color purple in a field somewhere and don’t notice it.”
― Alice Walker
This diminutive member of the geranium family has been on my mind since I first encountered it a few weeks ago. I’m finding I’ve missed seeing so many of the smaller wildflowers in the past, then, suddenly, they are everywhere and in unexpected places.
The first time I saw the pale purple gem, was on a Secord Forest trail, where I photographed it, not knowing what it was, and then identified it by referencing my plant identifications books. The next time I saw it, was at the Royal Botanical Gardens, in Burlington, Ontario. I felt like such a botanist, being able to spot and identify this tiny purple flower among all the other plants on display. I’m not sure if they are deliberately included in the gardens or if they were placed there by nature.
On researching the plant I also discovered it has significant uses as a medicinal herb for the treatment of toothaches and nosebleeds and also to heal wounds. The crushed leaves smell like burning rubber, but make a good mosquito repellant. I tried this and it seemed to work, other than the fact that I smelled like burning rubber, which is not necessarily a desirable trait.
Nikon D800
Nikkor AF 28-70mm f/3.5~f/4.5D @ 45mm (28mm extension tube)
1/60 sec, f/5.0, 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
“Do not let your difficulties fill you with anxiety, after all it is only in the darkest nights that stars shine more brightly.”
― Hazrat Ali Ibn Abu-Talib A.S
Hmm, this sounds like the title for a love story involving some damsel and some adversary.
This single daisy shone like a beacon in the distance, against the dark forest, as I turned a bend in the trail a few days ago. It was so singularly bright that nothing else registered to me. As I neared, a few background details started to emerge in my vision, but it was still that single, brilliant daisy that dominated.
I was hoping to capture that brilliance and singularity in this photo and I believe I have. My camera allows me to set ‘center-weighted exposure’ to an 8mm diameter, though it’s not a go-to setting for me. I do, however, have it set in my camera menu for the odd time I use it, as in this image. This allowed me to set exposure correctly for the bright white petals, while keeping the background near black, still showing some of the green stem.
In reflecting back on the image, it looks like a rend in the forest’s cloth of darkness.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200mm
1/400 sec, f/10.0, 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
This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
I was out a few weeks ago, walking Toronto’s Bloor Street West, looking for photo opportunities. The doors pictured above belong to St. Paul’s Church and I had stopped to photograph just the door earlier in the day.
As I was walking back to my car, I noticed this gentleman standing outside the church, very focussed on his cell phone. The title “Call from Above?” just struck me as funny and somehow appropriate.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/60 sec, f/4.0, 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
“If you wish to make anything grow, you must understand it, and understand it in a very real sense. ‘Green fingers’ are a fact, and a mystery only to the unpracticed. But green fingers are the extensions of a verdant heart.”
― Russell Page
Are they boots for the garden or boots as a garden? These retired boots are part of a whimsical garden display at Burlington’s Royal Botanical Gardens. They caught my attention as a bit of a play on words and pictured them on a greeting card for a gardener, which is most likely where this image will end up.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 145mm
1/60 sec, f/3.2, 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
“Many collectors died in the process of searching for new species, and despite persistent reports that the men died from drowning, gunshot and knife wounds, snakebite, trampling by cattle, or blows in the head with blunt instruments, it is generally accepted that in each case the primary cause of death was orchid fever.”
― Eric Hansen
Perhaps I got a touch of the aforementioned ‘orchid fever’. I have to admit, I’ve been waiting for this shot for a few weeks now and was thrilled when I came across this beautiful flower, next to a rotting log, in a swampy forest, at Secord Forest this week. Not a new species, but new to me.
Through most seasons, I’ve hiked these trails, enjoyed the wonderfully diverse flora and fauna, and even came across a bear last fall. Along this 4.7km forest trail, there is a section with a wooden sign, designating it as the “Orchid Trail”. This has intrigued me for some time, since I tend to favour these trails in the ‘no-mosquito’ seasons and really had no idea what to look for and when to look for them.
This year has been an exception, I began on the trails just as the snow was melting, hoping to document the natural cycle of this forest through my photos. I was determined that orchids would be on my photographic bucket list and set out learning about them and identifying them. The unfortunate thing with my research was that most books listed blooming season from April to August. That was not much help. So, as I set out each week, I started to look deliberately for plant leaves that fit the description of orchids. I did not even know what species are native to this particular forest and there are several possibilities.
Eventually, a few weeks ago, a few banded leaves emerged from the moist forest floor. Perhaps these were the elusive orchids I sought? Steadily, they grew taller and taller to rise some sixty centimeters (two feet) above the mossy ground. They sure looked like orchids, but they seemed taller than I expected. Back to the books, to find that yes, several species fit the description. More days of just foliage followed, till last week, small green buds formed, offering the promise of flowers. What colour would they be? How long would they last? So many questions, few firm facts.
My weekend plans prevented me from checking back on the buds. What if somebody saw the open flowers on the weekend? The trails are filled with people who may not realize how delicate these plants could be, damage them, and deprive me of my prize.
So, I ventured into the forest at lunch, wondering what state this group of five or six plants would be in. I slowed as I approached, looking for a sign of flower. Then, WOW!, the delicate green plants were topped by the most beautiful pink and white slippers. The mystery plant turned out to be a Showy Lady’s Slipper (cypripedium reginae). I had no idea how large they would be, the blossoms were about 5-8 centimeters (2 inches) long, and perfect. Nobody had disturbed them. I sat on a nearby log for some fifteen minutes just revelling in this wonderful creation, then set out to capture this in photographs, hoping to do them justice, checking and double checking my camera settings, not knowing how long these gems will last or when my next visit might be.
The photo above is the culmination of this quest for orchids. Now I know what to look for, where, and when. During this quest, I also found another interesting orchid, which I am currently researching.
Nikon D800
Nikkor AF 28-70mm f/3.5~F/4.5D @ 45mm
1/60 sec, f/4.0, ISO 450
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
“The Church does not dispense the sacrament of baptism in order to acquire for herself an increase in membership but in order to consecrate a human being to God and to communicate to that person the divine gift of birth from God.”
― Hans Urs von Balthasar
I can’t fully explain what it was that attracted me to this composition. Yet, I find myself processing that very though in this post.
The golden urn and bowl seemed to stand out from other elements around them. The soft, natural light playing on the mottled gray walls further enhanced the image by isolating the table in the foreground.
It’s a simple scene really, and reminds me a bit of the still life paintings in the Dutch Golden Age style, with their bright golden tones and simple depictions of everyday items.
I also thought this composition might make a nice church bulletin cover, celebrating baptism, which is something I used to produce regularly a few years back. The table seems to be ready and waiting, prepared for something to happen.
Nikon D300
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/60 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1000
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
“A garden should make you feel you’ve entered privileged space — a place not just set apart but reverberant — and it seems to me that, to achieve this, the gardener must put some kind of twist on the existing landscape, turn its prose into something nearer poetry.”
― Michael Pollan
A change of pace from all my recent flower and butterfly photos, though if you look closely, there are still flowers present. Can you find them?
I did set out to photograph flowers this day and have plenty to share at a later date, but I do like a good waterfall and the serenity small cascades like this create for me, even knowing it is man made. I used a slow shutter at 1/10 of a second to slightly blur the movement and had to go hand-held because I did not want to carry a tripod all day. That did pose a challenge because it was very bright and I had to shoot at f/32 to keep the water from being blown out.
This stepped cascade can be found at the rock gardens, which are part of the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington, Ontario. The rock garden is one of several gardens within this large complex of garden exhibits and is nestled in the base of a valley, forming a bit of a bowl. Much of the stone is native limestone and some material has been moved into place to create a garden with large limestone boulders and many stepped paths which run up and down the hillside. I enjoyed the inclusion of many native plant species, which those who are not hiking the backwoods trails would never experience otherwise. Including Herb Robert (Geranium robertianum), which are the small pink flowers visible near the base of the higher cascade. They are a native plant and are members of the geranium family. The crushed leaves can be used as a mosquito repellant, handy at this time of year).
The waterfall pictured here, feeds into some smaller stepped cascades and eventually winds through the lower gardens as a meandering creek which flows beneath bridges and around some wonderful large trees.
At this time of year, the garden also features some exquisite blooming dogwoods, which I have a real attraction to (more photos of those to come).
If you happen to be in the Burlington area and like plants, I would highly recommend this as a destination, but plan on a day, since it is a large complex that spreads over several properties.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/10 sec, f/32.0, ISO 500
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
“Someone was playing piano nearby and the music drifted slowly in and out of my mind like the ebb and flow of ocean surf. I almost recognized the melody, but I could not be sure, it slipped like a cool and silken wind from my grasp.”
― Chaim Potok
Today’s image is another foray into the world of macro photography and I’m loving the effects and subtle details the naked eye misses. In this case, I think the narrow aperture and gradual fade to the distance give the image a dreamy feel.
There is a wonderful softness in the frills of the peony, the petals fading from deep pink to a faded, papery white. The photo, of course, cannot capture the exquisite scent, yet looking at the photo now brings forth those sweet memories and I hope to carry them into the summer, long after the blossoms have faded.
Nikon D800
Nikkor AF 28-70mm f/3.5~F/4.5D @ 70mm
1/125 sec, f/5.0, 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
“I live in my own little world. But its ok, they know me here.”
― Lauren Myracle
Another garden venture into the world of macro photography, which I am enjoying since it often brings about unexpected results. Like this little bug, which has made it’s home, deep inside the flower. I didn’t see him, even when composing the shot.
I still have lots to learn, as I have just started out with an inexpensive set of manual extension tubes and would value the advice of others with experience in macro. If I’m going to pursue this is it worthwhile investment in autofocus tubes or is the preference to remain manual and control the image?
Nikon D800
Nikkor AF 28-70mm f/3.5~F/4.5D @ 50mm
1/400 sec, f/3.5, 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
“I must have flowers, always, and always.”
― Claude Monet
This strange, flowering bush has fascinated me for some time. The blossoms form from the outside of the flower disc. I had a hard time finding good specimen this year but the photo above should suffice. The central bud clusters are rimmed with beautiful white blossoms. At first glance it would appear to be a form of dogwood, that is till you get closer and inspect the bright white flowers. It’s quite unique and the flowers are pure white. I’ve spotted then in open fields and deeper in the forest but he always catch my attention with their bright flowers.
This bush is one of several growing along the trail that leads into secord Forest, south of Uxbridge, Ontario and I just another testimony to the diverse flora and fauna that call this sanctuary home.
I was on my way into the forest to check on a group of orchids I would like to photograph in bloom. Sadly, after a long mosquito plagued hike, the orchids are still a day or two away from blooming. The flower buds have formed, so its just a matter of time. I’m really hoping to catch them before they fade or someone picks them.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 195 mm
1/320 sec, f/9.0, 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
“In June as many as a dozen species may burst their buds on a single day. No man can heed all of these anniversaries; no man can ignore all of them.” – Aldo Leopold
Late spring, and green palettes are dotted with bright pinks, yellows, and whites, like patches of icing. They fairly glow in the bright sunshine. On closer inspection, these splashes of brightness are surprisingly complex.
I would not have expected the structures in the dogwood blossoms and have never really taken the time to look at them carefully. The cluster above was deliberately isolated from the rest by balancing my aperture to keep the cluster in the foreground in focus, while blurring the background and having the light trail off from white to black.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom- @300mm
1/250 sec, f/8.0, 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
“The little boy nodded at the peony and the peony seemed to nod back. The little boy was neat, clean and pretty. The peony was unchaste, dishevelled, as peonies must be, and at the height of its beauty. Every hour is filled with such moments, big with significance for someone.”
– Robertson Davies
I’m not sure what the formal designation for this variety of peony is, but in my home it’s know as Grandma Fretz’s Peony. This is one of several heritage peonies we have in our gardens and was passed on to us by my mother-in-law.
This beauty always produces brilliant white blossoms with a splash of bright red at the centre and lining some petals. It’s also incredibly fragrant. At this time of year the air around our house is redolent with the fragrance of peony.
Our only problem is the flowers are so large that even a light rain adds so much weight to them that they just about break their stems or sag to the ground. So, we enjoy them while we can and try to support the large bushes as well as we can.
It’s a true pleasure knowing this same plant graced my wife’s ancestors garden and that we can continue to enjoy them and, hopefully, pass them on to the next generation to enjoy as well. Our saving grace, though I consider myself a good gardener, I seem to have gift for peonies. This is paying off well.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 185mm
1/400 sec, f/5.6, 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
I have to admit, my venture into blogging took me some time and encouragement from a few fellow bloggers, at times when I was ready to give up. So, a big thank you to everyone you has enjoyed my photos and thoughts and especially those who have encouraged me to persevere through “No Views” days.
I’m hoping that my photography and writing continue to improve through this experience and interaction with my fellow creatives.
My other hope is that I can be equally encouraging to those just starting out. There is so much incredible talent here, in writers, poets, artists, photographers, etc.
Creativity and beauty needs to be encouraged in this ever negative world.
Ed
This week’s submission to Norm 2.0‘s Thursday Doors.
These doors can be found in Toronto’s Distillery District. All the doors in this area are painted the same green colour to match the period when the buildings were part of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery. I posted another door from this wonderful historic district last week.
This door belongs to a great local restaurant and once led to the distillery’s shipping room.
If you are ever travelling to Toronto, this is a must see destination, filled with great dining spots, galleries and shops. Oh, and do bring a camera.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 70 mm
1/60 sec, f/2.8, 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
“There are moments when I wish I could roll back the clock and take all the sadness away, but I have a feeling that if I did, the joy would be gone as well. So I take the memories as they come, accepting them all, letting them guide me whenever I can.”
― Nicholas Sparks
While on a recent excursion to Lynde Shores, a conservation area on the shores of Lake Ontario, for some bird photos, I took a few minutes to walk the lake shore and enjoy the gently rolling waves. The stone ‘beach’ is made up of water polished rocks of varying sizes. I used some of these rocks, stacked on a piece of driftwood, to make this balanced stone sculpture. Just a bit of whimsey to share with you today.
As to the photo itself: I narrowed the aperture just enough to keep the stones in focus, while allowing the background to blur
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 270mm
1/200 sec, f/7.1, 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
Here’s my entry for Jennifer’s One Word Photo Challenge with the topic of Candid. This photo is one of my first posts for 2016 and has been a favourite of mine since I made the photo several years ago.
if you are interested in the story, please check out the original post.
Nikon D300
Nikkor 70-300 mm f/4.4-5.6, @ 300 mm
1/60 sec, f/5.6, ISO 450
For more images like this, please visit my Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/EdLehming
or my website
http://www.edlehming.com
“Everything in me feels fluttering and free, like I could take off from the ground at any second. Music, I think, he makes me feel like music.”
― Lauren Oliver
I’m finding these wonderful small butterflies everywhere lately. In this case, what I believe to be a mating pair, based on the slight size differences and colouration. It was interesting to watch numerous butterflies floating around in search of a suitable mate. There are other small orange butterflies, called ‘skippers’, who get inadvertently drawn into the amourous dances of the Crescents, but only briefly.
Nikon D800
Nikkor 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 G I AF-S VR Zoom @ 300mm
1/160 sec, f/6.3 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
I have several interpretations to the OPEN theme. It could be open to any category of post or it could be the ‘opening’ of something, like a door. In this case, it’s the opening of the natural spring cycle in my area of Canada. Throughout the winter, this large creek lies frozen. Within a few short weeks it transforms from ice to a living place once more (another opening of sorts), as the Rainbow Trout begin their annual spawning migration up the creek. Once more, it’s a link to a photo I made back in April, and one of my favourites.
This creates another link to OPEN for me, because a few days after the spawn ends, the fishing season opens.
I was debating submitting this image as well because the snake’s mouth is very clearly open as well. Ah, choices!
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
“Only when we pay attention and notice small moments, do we make the connections that lead to a change in our perspective.”
― Andrea Goeglein
It’s pretty amazing what you see over a 5km forest hike, especially in a forest as diverse as Secord Forest. Which, fortunately for me, is only a few kilometers from my home, which makes it a super convenient place to go, without a lot of preparation.
Back to the woods, as it were. I’ve gone there a few times over the past few weeks, constantly amazed at how fast the forest goes from its brown, dead, winter form, to a verdant explosion of life and ongoing cycle of growth, blooms, and thriving wildlife.
Lately, with all the blossoming flowers, butterflies have been bountiful. I must admit, that I had no idea just how many different species are native to these woods. I am familiar with the common varieties, like Monarchs, Mourning Cloaks, and the multitude of Coppers and Skippers. Yet, there are vast numbers of tiny butterflies that barely catch your attention, till you stand and watch for movement between the plants.
This specimen eluded my attempts at a photograph for quite some time, but I finally got a good image of its spectacular colours. It’s so small, about the size of a thumbnail, that I did not notice the bright yellow shoulder patches till I looked at the image on my computer. I did spend a bit of time looking up the actual name, but among thousands of butterfly species, I finally gave up and simply named it by its appearance. If there are butterfly enthusiasts out there who can enlighten me on the species, that would be greatly appreciated.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD @ 200 mm
1/180 sec, f/4.5, 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
Ed Lehming Photography 
Recent Comments