Spring green has started

The other ephemerals are now in bloom and hepatic starts about the same time as snow trillium but the trillium has the earliest leaves, not counting the skunk cabbage whose flower is non-descript. With rain predicted for the weekend it will be a great time to get some shots with April showers and ephemerals. The next two weeks promise to be magical, not as raucous as migrating birds but equally impressive.

Technical: The leaf in the lower left corner shows the relative size of the trillium. I rarely shoot in midday light but the flowers are fully open only during that time.

Dutchman's Breeches

I love the descriptive names of wildflowers, they are so much more elegant than scientific names. Spring gives me a chance to get reacquainted with my 20+ year old 100 mm macro lens. It takes several seconds to gain auto focus and complains with a grinding noise while it searches for focus, like my knees when getting up after shooting these guys.

A Drop of Rain

I know a little more than a drop has fallen recently but this is the only one that landed here. Southern Minnesota ephemerals are about on schedule despite this winter's snow and cold. Bloodroots are past peak, trout lilies are starting, and the forest floor is a brilliant green.

Hepatica Season

It has gone from winter to spring almost overnight. The hepatica are bursting through the oak leaves on the warm hillsides. They have been patiently waiting for a little warm weather to pop and yesterday they were out in profusion. Spring is definitely macro season.

Trout Lily

My first love in photography is wildflowers and finding a little color at my feet is a joy.  If you are wondering about the blue, it is the sky.  I'll let your imagination determine the camera position.  Technical: 100 macro, f 7.1, late morning light.

Ephemeral

May 1st, 3 inches of new snow.
May 6th, peak bloom.
May 9th, it's over.
Ephemeral.

Bloodroot Close Up

The wind was blowing and the petals were falling yesterday when I was out looking for my second favorite spring flower to photograph, the bloodroot.  This fascination started when we would pick the flowers and smear the red juice on ourselves.  Technical: handheld, f 2.8, 100 mm Macro lens.