Photo of the Week 2023-09-18

 

' chicory dew '

Roadside chicory blooms along the cottage road on a dewy morning

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-09-11

 

' lace in a bottle '

An interesting empty wine bottle and a stem of Queen Anne's Lace backlit through the glass of our cottage door

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2023-06-26

 

' paintbrush season '

Summer officially arrived a few days ago but I still have a few images of spring wildflowers to share.

 

This "Indian Paintbrush" was isolated, using shallow depth of focus, from a rather large patch of them along the road near our cottage. It seemed an exceptional season for this bright scarlet flower, at least in areas close to our cottage. A large number of plants showed up in places I had not seen many previously and larger "patched" in areas where I had.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2022-06-06

 

My wildflower photography season on 'the Bruce' opens in May with some wild orchids beginning to show up mid to late month. A hectic schedule over the next several weeks had me wondering how much opportunity I would have for my annual donning of the knee pads ... 

 

... and then to my surprise, a blooming Striped Coralroot Orchid right outside my door !

 

' Blooming Striped Coralroot '

 

... about 25cm tall, I had not seen one in this location before. This plant caught my eye, highlighted by the dappled morning sunlight, as I prepared for some yard-work around the cottage. I was well aware of 3 other plants in an area at another corner of the building and consciously steer clear of the area to ensure their safety, but this was a very welcome addition to property.

Perhaps it was the light, or perhaps the timing, perhaps just luck that this plant was actively blooming. I can't say that I'd seen Striped Coralroot in vibrant bloom before with it's yellow and dark coral coloured flowers..

 

' Striped Coralroot Blooms '

 

Definitely a very exciting find for me.

 

DJE 

Photo of the Week 2021-08-02

When I think back a few years to hosting a couple of friends, Alan and Patrick, at the cottage for a photography weekend, I laugh. Not just because we had a fun time, sketching, photographing, telling stories ...

... but Patrick, who is very knowledgeable about flora and fauna, left me with a comment and observation that I am reminded of annually this time of year. It came after I mentioned that I had not been able to find many of the 40 plus species of orchid that call the Bruce Peninsula home.

As I recall, we had just returned from an outing at Sunset Park where low water levels had allowed us to carefully amble and ramble along the shoreline to make photos. Quite casually, Patrick said something like 'you know you have Helleborine out in your driveway'. I must have looked rather unimpressed until he added 'you know that's an orchid'.

I laughed long and hard then, and smile every year when the Broadleaf Helleborine blooms in a number of locations on our property ...

 

Helleborine Trio

 

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-07-05

Wildflower season has shifted from Spring to Summer on 'the Bruce'. The Yellow Lady's Slippers have given way and Wood Lily now dot the shoulders along the road on the drive into the cottage. Too, there are bunches of Perennial Sweat Pea splashing it's bright pink on green.

 

Not originally from North America, I suspect the roadside specimens have 'escaped' from local gardens on the wind, with help from birds and numerous other distribution mechanisms. Native or not, one cannot help but be intrigued by their colourful uniquely shaped blossoms. I was, enough to head out with macro lens and tripod attached to the camera ...

 

Sweet Pea

The flowers of the local Sweet Peas range from deep, vibrant pink to near-white, all with those characteristic pea blossom shapes.

Pea Blooming

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-06-21

On the lookout for a Blue Flag Iris (Iris versicolor) to photograph this spring, I was surprised when the cottage neighbours found several growing along the edge of their property. Of course I took advantage of the opportunity close at hand ...

 

back-lit blue flag

A blossom's eye view of a back-lit Blue Fag Iris

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-06-07

Blue-Eyed Grass

On my late spring walks at the cottage, I'm on the lookout for Blue-Eyed Grass along the margins of the roadway. I first encountered this lovely little perennial wildflower in the years we were driving up to 'the Bruce' while considering if we might buy a cottage there. Now, I'm treated to clusters of these little purple-blue flowers along the road just a few hundred meters from our driveway.

 

Blue-Eyed Grass in Sun

 

This year in the first week of June, I was pleased to see quite a number of the little flower buds early one morning. These flowers only open for a short period each day, closing up again in the evening once the sun begins to set. This makes them somewhat elusive to spot, as without the flowers, they look just like the other grasses in the dirt and gravel bordering the road.

 

Blue-Eyed Patch

 

Blue-Eyed Roadside

 

I'm managed to find several more patches to visit and photograph in the coming years ...

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2021-05-31

 

There is a little patch of forest, where the morning sun breaks through the predominantly cedar canopy to dapple the ground. In spring, it is magically transformed when several large patches of Fringed polygala or Gaywings (Polygaloides paucifolia) emerge. Pushing up through the forest floor, their bright green leaves and pink flowers are like paint spattered from natures brush. A closer look reveals an amazingly complex little wildflower, with a pair of pink wing-like petals bracketing a 3rd forward facing petal tipped with with fringe (my description).

 

Gaywings

The location is one I look forward to visiting every spring now, and this year I had plans to spend a bit more time photographing these unique spring wildflowers. With my creative spirit seeming to have fled in these COVID times, the first effort did not go well. Oh, I could blame it on my allergies, raging with pollen filling the air at this time, that had my eyes watering and itchy making it difficult to focus (literally and figuratively), but more likely, I've just gotten lazy with my photography. Firing off exposures, not really paying attention to the basics of composition, shutter speed, aperture, going through the motions is no recipe for a good image. It showed in the initial results when I reviewed them back at the cottage.

 

With a better plan, more aware, more focused, more determined to create an image I could be satisfied with, I settled in to enjoy the process and let it flow. The result above may not be to everyone's liking. Some may critique it's lack of focus on all parts of the plant, but I find it hearkens back to my earlier shallow depth of field (DoF) imagery.

Following are some additional, more conventional images from the outing.

I've seen these flowers at various locations along another trail, but not in the large patches I see in this favourite little patch of forest in my northern backyard.

 

DJE

Photo of the Week 2020-08-10

Following a recent web presentation for Orchid Fest 2020, I turned my gaze downward on my walkabouts on "the Bruce', not just to watch for the Massasauga Rattlesnakes that seem to be more numerous this year, but to watch for some of the 44 species of Orchid that make their home there.

The season for Yellow Lady's Slipper (large & small) has come and gone this year. And I was surprised to find Striped Coralroot growing on our cottage property a few weeks back, Then a short while ago, thanks to the webinar, I noticed Helleborine growing in several spots around the perimeter of our property.

Helleborine Orchid Flower

Helleborine

 

Helleborine Plant

As you could read in the links I've provided, Helleborine (Broadleaf Hellleborine, Common Helleborine) is found widely over the North-Eastern US and Easter Canada. It's considered a common non-native species that can actually become invasive. Not as flashy as the Yellow Lady's Slipper or Showy Lady's Slipper, it can be easy to miss. The flowers are small (1cm) and generally point downwards making it east to overlook their miniature beauty ... unless you are specifically on the lookout for some of the natural treasures 'the Bruce' has to offer.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2020-06-22

Slippers ... slippers ... slippers ...

Spring is a wonderful time on 'the Bruce' with the wildflowers making an appearance to add splashes of colour along trails, in the woods and along the roadways. Special among these flowers are the orchids and their most common variety the Yellow Lady's Slipper. They emerge and delight for only a brief period before fading and ultimately dying off for another season.

Over the last couple of weeks, I spent some time capturing the Yellow Lady's Slippers I see in the area close the cottage, before they wither and disappear for another year.

burgundy sepals

fading beauty

DJE

Photo of the Week 2019-07-01

There are a great many wildflowers to see and photograph on the Bruce Peninsula once spring arrives and although summer arrived over a week ago, the temperatures are still on the cool side with spring flowers still lingering, some even just blooming ...

Forget-me-not

Herb-Robert

These beauties bloom in patches scattered around the cottage property adding to it's serenity with their colour. I don't like when the vegetation grows to the extent that I need to trim it to keep mosquitoes away ... it means many of the Forget-me-not's will be taken out and some of the Herb-Robert as well.

Before firing up the weed trimmer, I fired up the macro lens and got down on my knees for some hand-held closeups.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-06-27

I do so enjoy the cycle of nature, the coming and going of seasons, wildlife emerging and the arrival of their offspring, the leafing out of the trees and forest. Spring wildflowers emerging bring colour to freshen the landscape and I search in familiar places for those found in previous years.

As spring gave way to summer, I've been watching a spot along a familiar roadside for the return of the Blue Flag Iris. Driving along as we arrived for our stay, I noticed that it now fully emerged since our last visit and knew I would have only a short time to capture it in full bloom. Returning the next morning with my 5DIII and 150 Sigma Macro, I spent as much time as Murphy would allow, trying to get some decent shots of it.

 

Blue Flag Iris - I

Blue Flag Iris - II

I first found this delicate little beauty on my morning walks up north where it was there to greet me as we started our days ... but only for a short time ... until it's season is done.
 
DJE

Photo of the Week 2016-06-20

My father always photographed flowers, the flowers in his own garden, the flowers during his travels, wherever he encountered them. So what better to do on Father's Day than pay a visit to a patch of Indian Paintbrush and spend time remembering the man that gave me so much ... including a love for photography.

Spring on the Bruce brings a unique array of wildflowers to brighten the landscape. Most well known are likely the Lady's Slipper Orchids. I've been studying these in books and online resources along with my cameras. A favourite that I look for every spring is the Indian Paintbrush.

I first saw these several years ago when Lynn and I would drive the roads of the peninsula exploring and looking for a property. As we made our way west along one stretch, I noticed a swath of brilliant orange-red in the roadside ditch and immediately stopped. I took out the camera (remember, you always need to have a camera with you, right) and got down on my hands and knees in the ditch, much like I did again this weekend, and made a number of images. Once back home, I researched online to find out what these strange colour topped stalks were and was introduced to the Indian Paintbrush (Castilleja affinis).

morning paintbrush

This patch of paintbrush were along hay Bay Rd. on the way to Simpson Ave. and the cottage. I lost myself in creative pursuit and reflection, alone, down on my hands and knees, along a quiet road, and I swear someone's shadow kept getting in the shot.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2015-07-13

Photographing flowers can become cliché very easily. The click, click, click of random snapshots is often heard when there are cameras and flowers present.

I have my share of cliché flower photos in my library, so I fall into the trap as well at times, but I do try to create something different with my captures as much as possible. That can involve close up macro work, working to find different or unusual compositions, photographing from an unusual point of view (POV) or in the case of this week's image, using post processing to convey a painterly photographic rendition of the scene.

lily trail

There are those that want to challenge and debate whether the resulting image is photography or art, even if it is photography at all or art at all. I have no interest in that debate. I appreciate the artistic eye of the photographer who can see and select a scene or subject from which to create a photograph, just as much as I appreciate the painter who has the ability to put brush and paint to canvas to create their painting. For me it is more about a creative eye, intent and the end result.


DJE

PS  -  Our recent young visitors to the cottage, Emma and Logan, were surprised by my interest in flowers, resulting in a couple of touching anecdotes. Of course my interest in flowers at the cottage is fully with nature and wildflowers. While out for walks with either Emma or Logan along, I would point out what flowers I could identify and tell them what I knew. Wood Lilies, Yellow Lady's Slippers, Showy Lady's Slippers, whatever we encountered, I pointed them out.
One day we were in the village, heading into one of the stores and not wanting me to miss anything, pointing to a decorative planter filled with colour Logan  exclaimed "hey Doug, flowers !" I just had to chuckle.
Another day, after a walk along the shore with mom and dad, Emma came up to me and presented me with a collection of blossoms from the wildflowers they encountered and wanted to know if I knew what they were. Emma even made a drawing on her electronic tablet for me that I had to snap a pic of.

... she made my day :-D

Photo of the Week 2015-06-22

Dad always liked taking pictures of flowers. I recall looking at the large number of prints and slides when he would return from vacation. Florida, Hawaii, anywhere he went you could bet there would be lots of photos of the flowers he saw. So thinking of him on yet another Father's Day, I decided to work on a recent flower image of my own.

It's the time of year for photographing orchids on the Bruce Peninsula, but I was home this weekend to spend some time with Lynn and the boys for my birthday and Father's Day .. can't think of anything better to do on these occasions.

What I did manage to slip in on Saturday morning, was a visit to a local spot a friend showed me last year and capture some images of a Showy Lady's Slipper .
 

a showy pair

Given the time of day and limited access to the flower(s), I had to be content shooting from the road shoulder, across a (cold) creek, around and under some branches with my 7DII, 300mm f/4 with 1.4x extender. The resulting capture was less than spectacular so I pushed the file around in post considerably to create this rendition.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-06-23

There are some interesting wildflowers on "the Bruce". The "Indian Paintbrush" caught my eye last year and I was on the lookout this spring for their return ...

a collection of brushes

I found this collection of brushes in a large patch along the side of the road leading to the cottage and spend a while trying to capture the feel of the scene.

DJE

Photo of the Week 2014-05-26

A week of vacation started Saturday morning with a leisurely drive to the cottage in Tobermory after making sure I had enough photo gear packed ;-)

We arrived around noon, unpacked, then got settled in and just kicked back for the rest of the day. Then, after dinner I went down to the shoreline to check out sunset and possibly make a few images. Being careful to watch my footing on the uneven rock while looking for a suitable point of view, I noticed a small flower growing out of a crack in the dolostone. For reference, I grabbed a quick shot of it and made a note to come back in the morning with my macro lens. 

Admittedly, I'm far from an expert when it comes to identifying flora and fauna, but I am learning and intend to photograph many of the species I encounter on the Bruce. This time with the help of my wildflower reference book and I was able to determine that the pretty little specimen was Bird's-Eye Primrose or Dwarf Canadian Primrose.

Bird's Eye Bug

I've noticed several other flowering plant species so far during the weekend's outings. It should be fun photographing these spring beauties and learning along the way.
 
DJE

Photo of the Week 2013-07-15

This weekend, my photography outing on Saturday morning took me to Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve, a Hamilton Conservation Authority property.

I was introduced to this place several months ago by Patrick and have since taken advantage of the fact that it is close to home. On this occasion, I arrived about an hour after sunrise and was fortunate that there was still moisture from a light dew hanging around.

Patrick and Alan, two of the other photographers that I get out with regularly, both are able to identify far more of the plant and tree species than I can, a fact that is a regular source of entertainment (at my expense). Nevertheless, I have set a goal for myself of slowly learning to identify more of the plant species in Ontario.

Along the east pathway leading into Fletcher Creek, I stopped to capture Silene Vulgaris, the Bladder Campion. No longer a "weed" to me, this wildflower is abundant to say the least, and proved to be a worthy subject adorned with morning dew droplets.
  

Bladder Campion

In addition, I saw St. John's Wort, Nodding Onion, Chicory, and a few others who's names I have forgotten for the moment ... a few at a time and I'll get there ... enduring the snickering along the way ;-)

DJE