“Within the swamps of Prince Edward County, layers of green draw me deeper and deeper as the light shimmers with summer’s heat. Despite days of endless heat and sunshine, the forest remains lush.” – Ed Lehming
As I spend time exploring the landscapes of my second home, it’s the swamps that fascinate me. The swamps are not deep oozing bogs; they are filled with wonderful swamp maples which thrive in this unique environment.
I still recall these wetlands from my first trip into this unique part of Ontario. After driving through rolling hills and farmland, the road passed through a large patch of deep lush swampland. Seeing large trees living in a swamp was unexpected. At first I though the land had been recently flooded but research taught me that this species of maple is able to survive and thrive in the shallow swamps.
The contrast of the healthy trees and layers upon layer of deep green and healthy vegetation is wonderful. Even this summer, with days upon days of high temperatures and drought, the swamps are still lush, seemingly impervious to the conditions.
The canopy is thin enough that wonderful golden light is able to reach deep between the foliage making for an unusually bright swamp. The undergrowth seems to invite you to enter but I imagine you would not get far without getting bogged down. It’s like nothing else I have ever experienced and I was happy for the opportunity to capture it ad render it as yet another piece of digital art.
“Long, hot summer days and quiet country roads yield surprises and raise questions, to the curious.” – Ed Lehming
There are many times when a drive down a backroad offers interesting sights. Most frequently I see an old abandoned building and wonder how it came to be in the state it’s in. I try to picture it when it was first built, envision a family starting a home. As a new house, it must have held so much promise.
Yet here, along the roadside of Ontario’s Prince Edward County, many years after that time, the house has fallen into severe disrepair, a mere curiosity, barely standing, along the roadside and a photo opportunity for me.
I decided to render this image as digital art, to add some mood and interest to the image.
Sometimes houseplants grow to be sparce, or unstable, or a little strange looking. This can often be fixed with a repot. You can rearrange the …
How to Re-Pot for a Fuller Plant
“Hanging heavy with morning dew, a peony blossom among the leaves beams joyfully from the supporting foliage.” – Ed Lehming
I couldn’t have asked for a nicer composition, already framed by the bright green leaves of my spiraea bush, these peony blossoms were a joy to behold. It had just rained and the already large and heavy blossoms would have been on the ground had it not been for the spiraea’s support.
Those who cherish peony know the story. It seems that just as the blooms fully open, a rain storm will pass through and knock them down. Even after shaking as much water as possible from the flowers, they never quite stand up straight again.
This particular specimen was planted along one of my backyard fences as I was seeking a place to put all the peonies that I had acquired from my mother-in-law a few years back. It was important to her that her cherished peonies, many of which her mother passed down to her, stay in the family. So, this one, which was quite small only a few years ago, ended up in an available space next to a spiraea bush. Well, the peony has since flourished and the spirea has been a helpful neighbour, holding the heavy flowers up in even the heaviest rains. At time it looks like the blossoms are part of the bush itself, as they emerge between the leaves.
As I was tending to the garden that morning, I happened to have my phone close by and created this quick and natural composition. Everything was just right and I’m happy to be able to preserve another nice memory.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/540 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Seemingly simple but infinitely complex, nature offers new details the closer you look.” – Ed Lehming
This week I decided to take a break from mainstream social media, especially Facebook. I’ve found myself overwhelmed by intense and polarized viewpoints. I think much has to do with the physiological effects of the COVID restrictions. It will be some time before the full effects are assessed and understood. I know it’s been challenging for me on more than a few occasions.
I’ve seen decades-long friendships erode and fall to pieces; not my personal friendships, but those of other acquaintances as each party tries to win the other over to their viewpoint. So, as the Facebook battle rages, I’ve decided to withdraw for a while and focus on the seeming simplicity of the natural world around me. Hopefully, some of my photos and thoughts will bring peace and pleasure to others as the human world rages on.
Though I’m withdrawing from Facebook my blog is set up to push content to my Facebook business page and that will continue because many of my customers and fans don’t do WordPress. I’m very happy that I do because the blogging community is so much more respectful and appreciative that mainstream sites.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/18.0, ISO 800
“A garden provides much needed respite in a world of uncertainty. Beauty and familiarity are a much needed commodity.” – Ed Lehming
A very brief post today. Simply a photo to bring some joy to our lives.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/1000 sec, f/10.0, ISO 800
“Tiny hints of purple between the undergrowth draw me in. Wild geraniums are beginning to bloom as the forest darkens under a thickening canopy of leaves.” – Ed Lehming
I still recall vividly the first time I discovered these beautiful little blooms along a forest trail. At first, easy to overlook, but once you see them they seem to be in every nook and cranny. Not knowing what they were, I took a few photos and researched them when I got home.
It turns out that these are wild geraniums. They look nothing like their highly modified domestic and highly hybridized counterparts, but when you look at them side by side, some similarities start to show.
I’ve gotten to the point where I begin to note the foliage in late spring and make a point of going back to the denser patches around blossom time, which began last week. Once you notice them, like many of the other diminutive forest floor blossoms, it’s hard not see more. They do tend to like the shade, thus the unusually high aperture setting on my camera in order to facilitate the narrow aperture, and slightly moist soil but are quite adaptable and are a hint at the many forest wildflowers still to bloom.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/80 sec, f/16, ISO 3200
“There can be wonder in even the simplest things. Sometimes it takes closer observation to see how amazing the mundane can be when you spend time considering it.” – Ed Lehming
One of the most satisfying aspects of photography is the ability to spend time with what I photograph, both during and after making the actual photograph.
The chive blossom pictured here is a prime example. I was out in the garden yesterday photographing some of the flowers when I noticed this single blossom highlighted by a single beam of sunlight. As I set the shot up and started composing the image and making sure it was focussed, some of the fine details of the flower itself revealed themselves. These details are not readily visible to the casual observer. They look like fluffy purple flowers. But when you look carefully and deliberately the fine yellow anthers are noticed as well as the complex layers of the sepals where the blossom joins to the plant stalk.
These details become even more noticeable as I process my image. The flower which is only about 3 centimeters in size shows every detail when viewed on a twentyone inch monitor, even more so when you zoom in.
I’ve really noticed this even more so with naturally occurring things, like plants, whereas man-made items don’t reveal any further complexity, which I find to be a very interesting and surprising phenomenon.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/2500 sec, f/4.5, ISO 250
“Small white stars dot the deep green carpet of the forest floor, a private constellation of purity.” – Ed Lehming
Starflower (Lysimachia borealis) was what I set out to photograph earlier this week. To my dismay, the hot dry weather had accelerated their blooms and I only found a few still flowering. But it was not a total loss, the few that remained were still in good condition and I was able to make this image.
The more time I spend hiking the more keenly aware I become of my natural surroundings. I’ve seen starflower plants emerging from between dried leaves since early May, making note of where the larger colonies where, so i could return at a later date. I’ve gotten better at identifying plants as tiny sprouts and flowerless greenery.
Part of my routine now is to seek out plants that I am not as familiar with, photograph them, and study them once I get home. That was the case with starflowers only a few years ago. They seemed quite rare at the time but as I became familiar with them, I find them to be quite abundant, which I a good thing, since they are such beautiful flowers, if every so briefly.
They can be a challenge to photograph since the bright white contrasts strongly with the deep green foliage. I tend to underexpose my images and correct in post-processing.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/125 sec, f/16.0, ISO 1600
“Nature is impermanent and cyclical. Where once beauty and freshness abounded, desiccated petals remain and leaves begin to lose their freshness. This too will change, following a set pattern, and a new cycle will begin, in its time.” – Ed Lehming
I can’t say that I have ever witnessed this before. Two weeks ago the forest was alight with the pristine blossoms of white trillium (three weeks ago it snowed). Generally, my observation has been that within about a week, the white fades to a pale and mottled pink, causing some observers to think the trilliums are a pink variety. Once the pink fades, the petals fall off, leaving a bright green plant and a seed pod.
This year, the summer heat came quickly and since it been hot and dry at the same time, the petals simply dried in place. The whole forest is filled with these dry petal trilliums. They are actually quite pretty, but unexpected. It’s been a strange year all around so far. I’m wondering what new surprise is around the next corner?
For my photography community, you will see some ‘unorthodox’ settings. I had just entered the forest when I found these and had my ISO set to 400. Because I wanted to get the majority of the image in focus, I set the aperture to f/10.0 and the camera did the rest. Fortunately, I was using a tripod and the slight breeze I experienced the rest of the hike was not present at the time.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/6 sec, f/10.0, ISO 400
“Columbines in the lush green forest is a sure sign that summer is on our doorstep.” – Ed Lehming
As I set out for a hike recently, to photograph Starflowers, I was surprised to find an early patch of wild columbines. Most were in the shadow of the forest but a few dangled like faery bells in the sunshine.
These perennial flowers are always a delight and are so different in structure than most of the low-lying wildflowers usually associated with Southern Ontario woodlands. Their colour alone makes them stand out dramatically against the deep greens of the forest.
Of course, with late spring heat, the mosquitoes were also out to welcome me to their home. I was more concerned with blackflies, which are usually still quite active this time of year, but they seem to have burned off early. The abundance of mosquitoes surprised me, since the spring has been cool and dry, limiting their ability to breed, but they seem quite adept at overcoming such adversities and there were still enough to be an annoyance as I crouched low for this shot. Next time, I will bring bug spray, but for now, I’m just happy to have captured a few pleasing images.
For my fellow photographers, I was not particularly challenged by the light, but there was a slight breeze, which forced me to increase my shutter speed to limit the effects of the motion for this tight macro shot, but had to bump the ISO quite a bit to properly expose the image.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/1250 sec, f/15.0, ISO 1600
“For about a week in June, my world is filled with wonderful seas of purple.” – Ed Lehming
Dames Rocket (Hesperis matronalis) has always been a late spring favourite of mine, even before I knew what it was called. I fondly recall drives into the country with my parents and seeing fields of purple, pink, and white along the roadside.
“Rockets” form dense patches in fields and meadows for about a week in early June. They seem to appear out of nowhere and then they are gone. It may be that fleeting nature that makes them so appealing, especially at a time where there are not a lot of wildflowers blooming yet. It’s even nicer when the occasional daisy blends in. They have a beautiful fragrance which is more pronounced in early evening leading it to also be known as night-scented gilliflower.
I like them so much that for a few years I tried to get them established in my garden. That exercise finally worked out, but they cannot be contained and seed out wherever they want. So a nicely placed patch will soon move to a different part of the garden the next season. They are also not particularly attractive plants when not blooming, so I have since removed them and simply enjoy them in the fields where I first found them.
Like so many of the wonderful wildflowers we have, it was imported from Europe and Asia in the 17th century as a decorative plant and then escaped. In many locations it’s considered an ‘invasive species’ and cultivation is discouraged. Despite that moniker, I like like it and would hate to see it dissappear.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/100 sec, f/10.0, ISO 800
“The whites, yellows, and pale purples of early spring begin to fade, yet purple holds on, larger and more brilliant than before.” – Ed Lehming
We have spent the past two weekends starting a fairly significant garden.
As we worked, tilled, and planted a scene that we simply could not ignore was the profusion of deep purple Dame’s Rockets. The literally surround the one-acre garden plot (we did not plant the whole acre). The Rockets a tall and lush and remind us that spring is soon to end, and the summer plants will take over.
The building I chose for the background is a drive shed, used to store tools and implements. It’s a wonderful, weatherworn structure with a tin roof. I have no idea what the little belfry is about. I don’t think it ever held a bell but was attached as a decoration. It does add interest.
I enjoyed the scene so much that I also rendered it as an impessionistic digital painting.
I find this is such a beautiful calming image. Though we were all tired from toiling in the field, scenes like this bring us joy and getting a garden going is very satisfying.
iPhone 7 back camera @ 4.0mm
1/1900 sec; f/1.8; ISO 20
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“There is a rift in our society that is deepening by the day. Within that rift there is light trying desperately to part the clouds we have created. Focus on the the light and let it shine to dispel our darkening clouds.” – Ed Lehming
These are indeed troubling times and I am constantly reminded by the natural world around me that nothing is permanent. Clouds roll in and clouds roll out, there are rainy days and sunny days. All these phenomenon are placed before us and we have a choice on which we focus on.
I could focus on the dark clouds that churn and roil above my head, but I choose the brightness beyond, knowing the storm will not stay. Without the storm, we would take the brightness for granted, as we so often do. The storm too has a purpose.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/640 sec, f/10.0, ISO 800
“It was such a pleasure to sink one’s hands into the warm earth, to feel at one’s fingertips the possibilities of the new season.”
― Kate Morton
Now that the garden is starting to fill in, I find myself spending more time enjoying some of the simple blossoms that I often take for granted. Some of these, like the tiny lobelia often go unnoticed because they are so tiny, yet they add some beautiful splashes of colour.
Photographing them and reviewing the images also gives me the opportunity more closely observe the flowers themselves and I find myself researching them more than I would if I just glance at them from a distance.
Lobelia erinus, or trailing lobelia, is the full name of this particular variety and was was surprised to find it is native to South Africa/ Though I really should not be that surprised as most of the garden plants we take for granted have come for overseas at some point in time and have been imported for a particular trait. In lobelia’s case, it’s the beautiful shape of the flowers and the fact that it naturally trails, making it ideal for hanging baskets and planters, which is exactly where this one resides.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/50 sec, f/10.0, ISO 800
“Before my eyes was a sea of white stars, bright yellow anthers, and deep green foliage. With the warming air, summer can’t be far off now” – Ed Lehming
The image that I selected today was made in my garden this afternoon. The subject: Star of Bethlehem, a beautiful perennial that I acquired a few years ago from my mother-in-law’s garden. When she downsized and moved to a condo I offered to provide a new home to many of her garden treasures.
This plant was a surprise for me, as she moved in the summer and I simply transplanted what looked like a thick grass, having no idea what variety of plant it actually was, till the next spring, when two of these plants filled my front garden with wonderful white stars.
It does not bloom for long and only blossoms in sunlight, aften waiting till near noon before the flowers open; when they do it’s simply beautiful. They bring a bit of purity to the garden, which is just transitioning to late spring blossoms. They are a splash of freshness among the currently flowerless foliage and ferns and have become one of my garden favourites.
To get a nice composition is a challenge since there are so many near-perfect blossoms to chose from.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/10.0, ISO 800
“Words often fail to describe the feelings that our environment brings. How do I adequately share the joy of a spring forest? Art provides a medium to share my world.” – Ed Lehming
There are many time where I see a scene before me that is absolutely raw and emotionally beautiful. I try to share these scenes these scenes through my photographs, but there are times where even this is inadequate. In these cases, what I see and feel is best presented as more traditional art, in the form of a painting. Using software to create this ‘feel’ is generally a last resort as I struggle to pull life from a photo but the resulting image does not suffice. This is the primary reason I often create images with deliberate movement in them. The slight movement brings the scene to life and makes the eye spend more time considering what is being seen.
I really enjoy impressionist painting because of its ability to communicate a feeling through brush strokes, colour, and composition. My photos already offer the colour and composition but there is something in the brush strokes, a sense of depth, movement, and energy that a flat image just can’t do. Because impressionism resonates with me, I often find that converting my images into digital art gives me the satisfaction of elevating some of my images to a place a photograph sometimes can’t achieve. That was the case with this spring scene in Ontario’s North Walker Woods, a conservation area close to my home.
Here the spring forest is just starting to leaf out and the ground is filled with the white purity of trilliums. Presenting it as a digital painting brings out the soft serenity of the scene very nicely, in my opinion, and leaves me with something that was created by me, with a little bit of help.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/200 sec, f/20.0, ISO 640
(Rendered with Topaz Impressions plug-in)
“I think I like spring the most. Everything is fresh and pristine, time and weather have not made their mark yet.” – Ed Lehming
I believe this may be my final trillium image for the season, the air has suddenly turned hot and muggy and what was once pure and white will already have begun to deteriorate. The white petals will turn a pale magenta but the pristine beauty they displayed last week will have faded.
This year has been a bit strange, very cool and dry. I fondly recall last year where cool temperatures lasted well into early June. I was enjoying trilliums for two weeks with a complete absence of biting insects.
The purity of this time of year is a special balm this year. With the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic the freshness of the forest has restored me. I’ve extended my hike, taking time to really enjoy my forest surroundings and paying particular attention to all the new growth; leaves opening up, flowers filling the brown-gray forest floor with colour, and the sounds of birds returning. It really is a breath of fresh air.
From a photographic point of view, I had forgotten to turn my ISO back as I’d been shooting in mostly low light all day, so used a high shutter speed and moderate aperture to compensate. Sometimes these things happen.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/2500 sec, f/10.0, ISO 800
“The forest fills with fresh green growth, as the cycle of growth begins anew, and with it, the inevitable return of insects.” – Ed Lehming
This image is now approaching a week old and represents the first solid growth of beech leaves in my area. On previous posts I have commented on the cool and dry spring we’ve had. Two weeks ago it snowed. Then seemingly overnight the temperature climbed into the high 20’s (celcius) and the forest literally exploded into life.
I’ve been waiting for a bit of warmth to bring on growth and add some colour back to the landscape, but along with the warmth come the stinging and biting insects. In this area, a particularly nasty critter known as a blackfly dominates May to early June. They are about the size of fruit flies but in their quest for a meal leave small itchy punctures which tend to bleed due to the anticoagulant in their saliva. The saliva also causes them to itch terribly in most people, leaving large red welts with a predominant puncture wound in the centre. You don’t feel them when they bite but you sure feel the itch afterwards.
I have not ventured into the woods since I made this image. I’m hoping the heat will ‘burn off’ some of the swarms of blackflies, yes there are literally clouds of them, before my next visit but I may not be able to wait that long. I know these leaves will be fully opened on my next visit and the delicate fuzz which protects them from late frosts will have been shed, leaving shiny, deep-green leaves to drink in the sun’s energy.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/500 sec, f/8.0, ISO 200
“Like a deep exhale, a flush of bright green, dotted with trilliums sweeps over the forest floor” – Ed Lehming
It’s a remarkable event to see unfold, even over the span of a few days. A mere two weeks ago snow was falling in the forest, the air was chill and only a few hearty plants poked from the cold ground.
Now the air has changed, the snow is a memory and the forest world is transformed. Around me trilliums flourish and fill the fill the scene as far as I can see. New growth emerges in the forest background as trees eagerly leaf out, creating a greenish mist between the limbs. It’s difficult to capture just how beautiful this is in a single still photo so I added some movement to bring some life to the scene and try to portray the feeling of this event.
Those who spend time in nature regularly will understand. There are things that are so difficult to convey accurately. The forest is not a still thing, it’s alive with movement and an energy that’s had to describe. I hope this image does that some justice.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/32, ISO 160
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Flowers bring to life even the dullest days” – Ed Lehming
The first day of May, in the midst of pandemic lockdowns, and I am blessed with the beauty of a single blossom from a Gerbera that I somehow managed to coax through the winter.
It’s been a bit, no, actually very distressing to not be able to get out and photograph local wildflowers like I have in the past few years. The photos I have posted recently were all taken on a single hike last weekend; which I’m hoping to repeat this weekend.
Till then, I am quite satisfied to be greeted every morning by this lovely plant, which I have noticed has two more blossoms forming. Hopefully, as sign of things to come.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/6 sec, f/20.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“It is spring again. The earth is like a child that knows poems by heart.”
―
It’s spring, and finally mild enough that it feels like spring, the gardens, which till now, have been waiting patiently for some warmth to stir life into them are now erupting with perennials.
This is such a needed reprieve from the past weeks of of staying home and waiting for signs of life. I know the cycles of nature will continue, but everything seems to have been delayed by cool weather and feels even more so with the monotony of being in self-isolation as this COVID-19 pandemic runs its course.
The warmer weather and blossoms also mean I can spend more time outdoors working on the gardens and getting rid of the winter’s litter. This time of preparation is therapeutic for me; it keeps me busy and focussed on the future. I’m looking forward to having a bit more time to nurture my garden this year, as I expect we will not be venturing far from home any time soon.
With the flowers now in bloom I’m also able to enjoy capturing the beauty with my camera and sharing it with others who may also be in need of some spring cheer.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/60 sec, f/6.3, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Always something new and interesting. Nature offers so many exciting possibilities” – Ed Lehming
It’s time for the next wave of spring blossoms to make an appearance. I’ve been watching the little clump of leaves for the past few days, waiting for the blooms and was surprised to see blossoms already. It seems a few days of warmer weather makes a difference.
Squirrel Corn is an interesting plant, related to Dutchman’s Breeches, but with a slightly different shape to the flower. Even the blue-green leaves look similar and I was not sure which species this was till it bloomed. Sadly, they won’t last long as the temperatures warm and they will fade quickly.
Much like my photos of the white trilliums, getting good images without the white completely blown-out is a challenge, especially on bright days. I had to push my ISO setting down quite a bit and move my shutter speed up to expose it correctly as this plant was in full sunlight.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/1250 sec, f/10.0, ISO 160
“One clear moment, one of trance
One missed step, one perfect dance
One missed shot, one and only chance
Life is all…but one fleeting glance.”
―
Being literally surrounded by trilliums poses a challenge: they all look so lovely and so perfect. How do you present them differently. It’s so tempting when composing shots to photograph them straight on or slightly off-centre. They are just so lovely. There are literally thousands of opportunities for a nice photo and I was not about to shoot dozens of images to sort through.
I just happened to catch the movement of a squirrel behind me, as I looked over my shoulder I spotted this blossom, slightly shaded and in profile. It was, just like it’s multitude of companions at this time of the year, perfectly and wonderfully formed, without blemish.
A bit of sunlight lit up the base of the flower and created a bit of shadow on the veins. After a quick setup, I had my image. Not typical, but I like how it turned out, all from a sideways glance.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/180 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“Deep healthy greens and bright yellow now fill the spaces once dull and drab. Spring opens her mantle to the world in a flourish of health and brightness.” – Ed Lehming
A wonderful and much needed hike restored me once more. What started as a quest for trilliums offered so much more. The day was bright and warm; trilliums filled the forest floor like white beacons; the lime green flush of fresh Lily of the Valley, Clintonia, and Fiddle-heads stretched like a delicate carpet deep into the forest.
This is a time of year I love, there is freshness and new life everywhere, the light has changed as the sun rises higher in the sky each day. The growth is rapid, almost urgent, as each plant claims its place in the forest ecosystem. It’s also a time where ample light still finds its way between the developing canopy and fills the forest floor with light.
For this image I employed my favourite technique of deliberate camera movement. It brings out more colour and life through slight movement, far better than a simple static image. I can almost feel the energy of the forest in these images and they bring me such pleasure to produce. I find it draws me in and causes me to consider details I might otherwise overlook.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/4 sec, f/25, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“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
“The simple gift of light is all the more precious when in the presence of its companion, darkness.” – Ed Lehming
This tulip blossom has provided me a few interesting images. Considering that the photo was made in early evening, with a room filled with light and simply setting my camera to expose to the brightest part of the flower. The background fades to a deep blue in strong contrast to the yellows and orange of the flower.
It’s that strong contrast that yields the best images, the ones that grab my attention and make me consider why this works so well.
I tend to compose my images intuitively. There are certain elements such as framing and focal point, but a lot of what ends up making the image good is not something I notice consciously when I compose. I simply know it works. It’s not till I sit down and edit the image that the subtleties begin to emerge and the photo tells a bigger story.
For example, when I framed the photo, I instinctively set the base of the blossom as my focal point, making sure it was properly exposed and then tried to get as much of the petal detail in focus while shooting hand-held, so hand movement had some effect as well.
What I did not notice as I composed the image was the almost echoe-like blossom in the background, out of focus and slightly in the shadows.. I also did not notice the interesting shadows inside the flower itself, nor the wonderful yellow brightness of the petals within.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/250 sec, f/3.5, ISO 200
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“What do we perceive when faced with something we don’t expect” – Ed Lehming
This image, made very spontaneously over dinner a few nights ago, has held my attention since I made it. It’s the result of evening sun shining through a tulip blossom and deliberate focus on one of the anthers within the flower.
It’s one of those joyous ‘accidents’ that all photographers get at some point. It’s also the joy of spontaneity that will linger with me every time I look at this photo. I will recall the lovely meal that I was enjoying as the sunlight entered through our kitchen window. I will recall the conversations with my wife and how those conversations were briefly and pleasantly interrupted by the lightshow of the sun on the tulips; how we both looked up at the same time.
I was very fortunate that my camera was sitting, conveniently, on the table in the living room, still affixed with my macro lens from my morning sojourn into the forest. With a few adjustments and a snap of the shutter this photo emerged. It should be noted that this is exactly what came from my camera. With the exception of a crop to my preferred aspect ratio there have been no alterations to this photo.
There are a lot of aspects to this photo that I enjoy. Primarily that I can identify the focal point quite easily, but then it fades off into something a bit more abstract, with no clear reference points. The leading petal just blends softly into the background fading into a red mist. Apart from the anthers, the entire image is slightly out of focus but still pleasing and altogether unexpected. It’s that unexpected element that keeps pulling me in, perhaps trying to understand what I’m seeing?
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/1000 sec, f/4.3, ISO 800
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
“As the world opens to springtime, hunger is a constant.” – Ed Lehming
All around me, the forest stirs to life, wildflowers open prompted by warmer days and sunshine and bees eagerly feed on the offered nectar. It’s not just bees, it’s every form of flying and crawling insect. Flowers and the forest floor are now teeming with life. As I was making photos of the trilliums, honeybees eagerly burrowed deep into the blossoms, almost disappearing into them.
There were also some comical scenes as bulky carpenter bees landed on flowers so tiny they simply folded under the weight. The bees did not seem to mind. I was hoping to get a photo of this, but the bees were moving from blossom to blossom so quickly I did not have time to compose a good focussed image. So it will remain a memory for now.
Nikon D800
Tamron SP AF 90mm f/2.8 Di Macro 1:1 (272ENII)@90mm
1/640 sec, f/13.0, ISO 250
For more images like this, please visit my website (images are available for purchase)
http://www.edlehming.com
Ed Lehming Photography 
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