Macro Photography in our Maryland Yard – May 2022

/

I made a last macro photography foray around our yard in Maryland --- enjoying the fullness of spring. I started with the usual moss and lichen on the trees in front.

In the front flower beds, the nine-bark bush was in bloom and the pyracantha that I thought had died several years ago has come back from the roots/is blooming.

In the chaos garden, the irises are thriving along with Virginia creeper. Under the deck, there is a fiddlehead of a Christmas fern unfurling.

I decided to not move the dried flowers from daughter’s birth over 30 years ago. They are now in a hollow of the brush pile since I have already cleaned out the compost bin. They have more color in the macro views than I expected!

Gleanings of the Week Ending April 16, 2022

/

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Purple gallinule with chicks – I remember seeing an adult purple gallinule on a birding field trip in Florida. Aren’t the chicks cute? Little black fluffs.

Reproductive factors and dementia risk – Hurray! My life events skew toward reduced dementia risk…according to this study.

Macro photos reveal the often unseen beauty and diversity of slime molds – Hmmm…maybe I should hone my observational skills to find these on my next hike…attempt some macro photography of them.

As EV Sales Soar, Automakers Back Higher Fuel Standards – So glad that industry is finally onboard…projecting a ‘we can do it’ attitude. I’d rather society take action…build some optimism into our view about the future rather than being depressed by trends that seem dystopian.

Beginner’s Tips for Identifying Backyard Bird Nests – It’s the nesting time of year! Look…id…don’t disturb!

Ozone may be heating the plant more than we realize – We’ve been concerned about ozone in the upper atmosphere for years (hence the Montreal Protocol) but this study also points to ozone in the lower atmosphere (caused by chemical reactions between pollutants like vehicle exhaust fumes and other emissions) as contributing to climate change as well. Until now, we thought of lower atmosphere ozone as a health problem (I get headaches if I am outdoors on a high ozone day, for example). This research says that it also is contributing to climate change by affectioning ocean heat uptake.

American Lung Association Says EVs Save Lives – Good for our health….and also for the planet. I also noted that where I live now is in the American Lung Associations Tops 10 US urban areas at risk from airborne pollution…another reason to move away from this area!

New Technology Employed to Protect Pompeii – A four-legged robot used to gather data on structural and safety issues.

Flamingo that escaped from a zoo in Kansas is spotted once again in Texas 17 years later – The flamingo is a species from Tanzania….and must be a very lonely bird.

Brain charts for the human lifespan – Normative trajectories derived from over 100,000 MRI scans that allow quantification of individual variation. Figure 1 in the post can be enlarged by simply clicking on the image.

Cherry Blossoms

/

Our cherry tree was blooming when I returned from Texas and retained enough blossoms through the rain and wind of my first days back to be worth photographing on the next sunny day. The temperatures were cool (almost cold) which probably slowed down the blooming.

I was most interested in getting macro pictures of the flowers and buds with the clip-on lens my husband got for me in December. There are a few leaves that are beginning to unfurl but the blossoms dominate.

The trees in our yard are progressing in the usual order. The red maple blooming first; that happened before I went to Texas; the seeds are forming now. Then the plum; there are still some battered blooms but there are more leaves than flowers at this point. Both the plum and cherry look better this year because they were professionally trimmed last fall.

The tulip poplar has green buds but will be a few weeks before the flowers open. The leaves are already more visible on the tulip poplars than any of our other trees.

Watching the trees emerge from winter is a rite of spring…always worth observing/photographing.

Carrollton Yard in Early Spring – Macro

/

I posted about the larger view of the Carrollton yard last week; today the post is from the macro perspective. I started indoors where my mother had some vases of spring blooms (daffodils and hyacinths) that looked cheery.

A few days later, I walked around the yard…the hyacinths and daffodils were mostly spent so I photographed other flowers: oxalis, Japanese quince, dandelion. The dandelion is my favorite.

The new rose leaves were not wet…but the new leaves must have some waxy material that protects them from cold temperatures this time of year.

A larger rock under one of the old mulberries had several kinds of lichen growing on it. The encrustations overlap and I found myself wondering if, in the overlap, are they melding or overlapping. Lichen are an organism that operate on an entirely different timescale than me do; some might continue to slowly grow and dissolve their rock for thousands of years.

Springfield Yard Macro – 1

/

Last week, I walked around my daughter’s yard with my macro lens. I focused on the trees as first; none if them are leafing out yet…my theme shifted from buds to bark. There was a good collection of lichen and moss on the older maple by her garden room. I like the different textures of the lichen and how green the moss looks even when the temperatures are still relatively cold.

Perhaps the most spectacular ‘bark’ was on the river birch. There are layers of bark that can look like sandstone….or overviews of the desert southwest (complete with some green in one image). But these are all macro images of a river birch tree trunk.

A cherry lenticel. In our area of Maryland some cherry trees were already beginning to bloom…but not this one in Springfield.

A healed wound where a branch was cut – or broke – a long time ago in the life of a large oak probably planted in the 1950s when the house was built. The neighborhood is full of 70-year-old oaks. Some are not in good shape. This one had a large branch removed well before my daughter bought the house. The branches the tree normally sheds are relatively small…normal for a healthy oak.

Tomorrow---the rest of the macro pictures from my walk around the yard….

Our House – Touch up of Interior Painting

/

The work to get our house ready to sell has begun. Last week, the painters arrived to touch up the interior painting. Prior to their arrival my husband and I had prepped the rooms they would be working in: cleared off surfaces, removed table/floor lamps, and removed smaller furniture. A recent donation and trip to the landfill had removed the old desk chairs…made for fewer pieces of small furniture to move out of the way.

In the calm before the painters were due, I noticed there was frost on the deck. I was surprised since the temperature was right at 32 degrees. I went out with my phone and macro lens. The ice crystals were melting…but were still interesting. I wondered what started the crystallization swirl seen at two magnifications in the last 2 pictures below.

The painters did as much as they could the first day….left equipment in one room and part of the plastic draping up. The job was complete after a second day of work!

One task down….more to come. The next one may be the touch up of the exterior paint; it will depend on warmer temperatures for a few days which could happen this week…or not.

Brookside Gardens Macro – March 2022 (2)

/

Continuing the Brookside Gardens macro images…..

The dried flower clusters of the wood hydrangea from last season look fragile but they have endured all winter and many are still on the stalks. A few leaves have survided as well. The leaf I photographed with the macro lens still had some green…was probably still producing food for the plant! Most of the leaves from last season are long gone though.

The witch hazels are one of my favorite winter and spring trees. They bloom very early….and have unusual flowers – streamer petals.

The suction cups of a vine growing on the wall of the visitor center have held it firm all winter! They look so fragile…but are evidently quite durable.

I hadn’t noticed the Deodar cedar in the Brookside 1969-2009 Commemorative Garden before – I only know its name from the sign at its base. The needles and cones were a bit different than the evergreens I see more frequently. Taking a walk with my camera frequently causes me to notice something a little different!

As I walked back to my car – I saw some more familiar pines…took some macro images of the pinecones and a small branch with needles on the ground. I’m always seeking new insight into common items through the macro lens! The fibers in the breaks of the pinecones surprised me.

The pines have a lot of lichen on their trunks and branches…and some of it sluffs off. I thought the pieces in the grass with the dried pine needles made good color and texture compositions.

Brookside Gardens Macro – March 2022 (1)

/

Brookside Gardens  was beginning to emerge from winter when I went last week. I already posted the non-macro pictures from my visit. Today and tomorrow, I’ll share the macro images I collected with my phone, clip-on lens, and Bluetooth clicker.

The crocuses were up and worth bending over for a macro view.

The yew hedge was mostly green but there were a few dead branches that made for some contrast.

The bark on the large crepe myrtles in the Rose Garden was full of splits…and held moss too.

There was a cherry tree beginning to bloom in the Fragrance Garden. The flowers were pink and white…the buds very pink.

The snow drops and miniature iris were on a bank which made them easier to photograph – I didn’t have to bend down as much because the soil was sloped!

Compare the inside of the flowers: Lenten rose and (red) camellias.

The ferns damaged by frosts were interesting at both magnifications I tried.

Last but not least for today – a ginkgo leaf that had folded up as it dried over the winter….a little abstract art of nature.

Tomorrow…the rest of the macro pictures from my walk at Brookside.

Brookside Gardens – March 2022

/

I walked around Brookside Gardens on a stereotypical March day – breezy and in the mid60s. Last time I had been there (back in January), we had parked near the visitor center; I opted to park by the conservatories this time. The first thing I looked for was skunk cabbage under the bald cypress in the area between the gardens and nature center. I saw green leaves…only one group of spathes and they were in the water!

There were groups of spring flowers beginning to bloom: miniature iris, snow drops, crocus, and marsh marigolds. The daffodils were still in bud stage.

The new sculpture I noticed in January was even more appealing this time: the day was sunny and the reflective inner coating made in glow for within. In January it was a very cloudy day, so the effect was not visible.

I was surprised that there were two large trees that looked like hollies but their berries had not been eaten by birds. Are they a hybrid that is just for show….not providing food for birds after a few freeze/thaw cycles?

The non-native witch hazels (and hybrids) are at the height of their blooming now. There are yellow and orange and red…clouds of color in the ‘forest.’ Witch hazel has become one of my favorite trees. I’ll probably plant one or two at my next house!

There were dried wood hydrangea flowers that got into the stream! Some were being carried along by the water. I was surprised that they were still so intact.

Camellias bloom this time of year. There was a sign reminding people to stay on the paths rather than stepping into the mulch around the plants!

As I made my way back to toward my car, I walked to the Brookside 1969-2009 commemorative garden near the entrance gate to the conservatory parking lot. I noticed a new (to me) spiral path to a bench and

Plants growing under the bald cypress.

Stay tuned for 2 posts featuring macro pictures I took with the clip-on lens + my cell phone coming next week. Here are a few broader views taken with the bridge camera that I enjoyed looking at and photographing with the macro lens later: cherry blossoms, vine on wall, golden deodar cedar pollen cones, and Lenten roses.

Two Frosts

/

I watched the forecast for some cold morning temperatures and put a red glass plate out on the deck the night before the temperature for the next morning was forecast for 23 degrees. The idea was to get some frost accumulation on the glass for some macro photography. It worked - even thought the crystals were relatively small. One of my first attempts was an almost round structure…at two different magnifications.

Then I surveyed the rest of the plate and noticed crystals like feathers, spikes that branched off in all directions, other round collections of crystals that looked like a splash or explosion.

I couldn’t resist taking some pictures of the crystals on the deck railing. They were small; the pictures below are with my macro lens and then with my phone digitally magnifying that 8x!

The next morning was even colder – 17 degrees. At first, I thought there was no frost at all on the plate but when I looks more closely there were some very small areas of crystals. I immediately thought the crystals looked like small organisms in water (rather than ice crystals).

Then I spotted one that looked like a butterfly on a flower with its wings folded. The mind jumps to ‘looks like’ type thinking!

A little less magnification and the sheets of ice with spikes (I imaged cactus) are interspersed with the smaller organism-looking structures.

The temperature and dew point probably make a big different in the type of frost crystals that form. Photographing them has become my favorite February project! So far – each day has been unique.

A Winter Hike at Mt. Pleasant (2)

/

Continuing my outdoors photography at Howard Country Conservancy’s Mt. Pleasant….

The nature center has a lot of windows and they have been upgraded to make them more visible to birds…prevent bird strikes. The upgrade enhanced the place as a nature center – featuring an owl, a curled up fox, cattails, and milkweed with a Monarch butterfly.

I did a close of two butterfly images on the glass (tiger swallowtail and monarch).

And then a macro shot to show the small holes.

While I had the macro lens on my phone – I took pictures of some of the rock façade of the nature center.

I’d put the lens back in my pocket before I walked over to the area near the Honors garden for some more close ups: an old pump with rusting pins holding the handle in place and the lichen growing on a split rail fence nearby.

On the way back to the car, I put the macro lens back on my phone and took pictures of the witch hazel blooming beside the drive to the old farmhouse. The ribbon-like petals are unusual and last a long time. It might be my favorite tree at Mt. Pleasant!

Overall – the two photographic highpoints of my time at Mt. Pleasant were the skunk cabbage and witch hazel!

Frost Flowers on our Deck

/

One of my favorite winter macro photo opportunities happens on very cold mornings…when the humidity is high enough to create frost flowers. I get my phone set up with my clip-on lens and bundle up – this time the location was only a few steps from the house onto our deck. It was my first time with the new lens my husband got for me in December that allows more room to work (i.e. I don’t have to be as close to the subject as with my older clip-on lens).

I found myself taking themed series:

What do the crystals look like around the knot holes on the deck railing? I liked the textures of the knots overlaid with the frost flowers.

How do the crystals change when they go over an edge? The crystals seemed to get almost fuzzy…or flattened.

Where are the largest crystals? The largest crystals seem to form around a center…on a flat surface…making ‘frost flowers’. The ones below were on the cover of our gas grill; the weave of the fabric provides a size comparison.

I’m going to watch the weather forecast…see if I can predict when a good frost flower morning will occur…put out a glass plate the night before…and then photograph the frost flowers that form on a very smooth surface. I photographed some frost on the windshield of my car back in December 2011 (below)…would like to use my improved equipment (and skill) in a similar situation!

Macro Photograph (Brookside Gardens) – Part II

/

Continuing the images from my walk around Brookside Gardens….

Even cold damaged flowers are good subjects for macro images…particularly with small water droplets on them. The amount of magnification makes quite a difference!

Juniper adds green and blue color to the scene this time of year.

I am always attracted to the horsetails near the visitor center…in a thick stand. These primitive plants have always fascinated me because they are a plant I learned about in a biology text book (way back in the early 1970s) then recognized in the wild on a day trip to Platt National Park.

And then there are the best of the rest. Do you recognize the gingko bud, a yellow holly berry, a rhododendron bud?

Overall – every time I go to Brookside there is something new to notice. My observational and photographic skills get a workout!

Macro Photograph (Brookside Gardens) – Part I

/

Kase Smartphone Macro Lens clipped to my phone and a Bluetooth remote shutter. Speed was not essential because it was too cold for insects, but I got a lot more images that he did!

While he was getting his equipment together, I looked at water droplets on nearby trees reflecting the forest.

The wood hydrangea had lots of surfaces of interest: dried flowers, leave scars, and buds for next season. Someday I want a wood hydrangea in my yard!

There was a vine growing on the wall of the visitor center with tiny tendrils ending in ‘suction cup’ like structures keeping the larger stem attached to the vertical surface.

Another stem with leaf scars and noticeable lenticles….and some bristles. I’m not sure what plant it was.

Finally – there were the camellias that are blooming this time of year: flowers and buds…lots of water droplets.

More Macro from Brookside tomorrow….

Macro Photography (indoor)

/

I got a new macro lens for my phone over the holidays – a Kase Smartphone Macro Lens. It comes with wih a U-shaped clip which didn’t fit over the phone + case so I am using the clip that also came in the package. I leave the lens attached to the clip and store it in the small bag that was also included.  The advantage of this lens is the increased distance from the subject (i.e. I don’t have to get as close…a very good thing if the insect has a stinger!). It is a little heavier but, so far, it seems to be easier to hold the phone and lens steady…no tripod required.

My first experiments were indoors around the house. I started with flowers I’d bought recently. My favorite of this group is the yellow rose.

The acrylic yarn of my 40+ year old crocheted chair blanket shows how long lasting the fibers are! A macrame hanging my sister made is the same vintage. The material is twine-like and I wonder if she had to wear gloves while she was making it.

Some images printed on paper are pixelated when magnified…others are not.

Peacock feathers are like abstract art in macro view.

I looked at the way different surfaces with patterns appear in macro: pulp paper (Zentangle with Sharpie ink), plastic, an ivy ceramic coaster (I never noticed the yellow mark in the pattern before), a bamboo back scratcher handle…a joint of the stem, and a clear plastic ribbon with a gold pattern.

Two objects with inlay: a box and an earring. On the earring, the black piece that looks like the arms on a clock…is (unmagnified) a bird flying over a landscape.

And continuing with some other earring…small objects made large with magnification.

My Favorite Photographs of 2021

/

It was a challenge to pick one picture from each month of 2021 to feature in this post….but a worthwhile exercise. I did not use consistent criteria for my choices, so these images are special for a variety of reasons.

January for witnessing interesting bird behavior – A bluebird on our deck railing looking up at our bird feeder full of other members of the flock…waiting a turn!

February for learning to make high key images – A high key image of a lily….the flower purchased at the grocery store. I had just watched a video about high key photography and was thrilled to have some easy successes.

March for beauty old and new – The crocus were out at Brookside Gardens but I found the remnants of last seasons flowers more interesting.

April for a bird trusting that I wasn’t a threat– A bird looking rather assertive. I had paused its search for food in the leaves to make sure I wasn’t a threat; evidently I wasn’t because it went back to its search a few seconds later.

May for memorializing a bird – A juvenile little blue heron in the cattail leaves at Josey Ranch in Carrollton TX. It had a broken wing so I think of this image as a monument to its short life.

June for something that only happens every 17 years – The periodic cicadas seemed to be thick everywhere – even our yard. This one was under our red maple.

July for interconnection in nature– Back in Texas…am insect on a cosmos flower on a cool morning.

August for the fragile beauty of a new butterfly – A monarch butterfly seconds after it emerged from its chrysalis is our front flower bed.

September for capturing a small thing, seeing it better than I could with my eyes – Some birds nest fungus in the mulch at Howard County Conservancy. I was thrilled that I had my gear (phone, clip on macro, clicker) even though I hadn’t planned to do any macro photography!

October for being in a river – More macro photography – this time the wing of an insect on a rock just above the water line….photographed on a volunteer gig before the students arrive.

November for the colors of the flower – Another view of a cosmos flower. I like it when the light is such that a black background is possible.

December the new orb sculpture at Brookside – A surprise (for me) at Brookside – I hadn’t seen this sculpture before…and I also enjoyed the holiday lights (missed them last year).

Macro Images of Christmas Cards

/

I always use Christmas cards from years past when I decorate for Christmas; they are becoming more and more historical each year since not many people send cards these days. This year I decided to take a different look at them…photograph them through a macro lens.

The pixilation on the simple color images is obvious. The parts that looked more interesting to me were the metallic portions: flecks of glitter, metallic blobs, raised shapes in the paper covered with metallic paint and then combinations of color surrounded by metallic puddles.  Enjoy the macro views of Christmas cards!

Frost Flowers

/

It’s the time of year again that the early morning temperatures and humidity are sometimes just right to create frost flowers. I didn’t anticipate the frost that occurred last week – so had to make do with photographing the ones that formed on our deck railing once I noticed they had formed. I put my clip-on macro lens on my phone…use the clicker to take the images. These 8 images were the best I managed.

It was an OK first attempt of the season – but I’d like to improve the focus next time. If I can anticipate the conditions and put a glass plate out the night before - the flatter surface of the glass will cause the crystals that form to be flatter….make it easier to focus the magnified image.

Texas Macro

/

I enjoyed two sessions of macro photography with my phone and clip on lens in the Carrollton, Texas. Getting very close to the vegetation with a magnifying lens provides a different perspective of the plants. Can you find the red yucca pod, the cosmos flowers, the rabbits ear leaf, the underside of a fern, hydrangea leaf, black seeds of the chives, cone flower seed pod and French flower? There is an occasional insect. Each image can be enlarged by clicking on it to pop up a larger version.

This is probably the last hurrah for summer type macro images. The subjects will shift to leaf color transitions and snowflakes …or indoors with store bought flowers for the holidays or holiday decorations.

Longwood Gardens – Macro Photography

/

I took more macro pictures at Longwood Gardens than I ever have before. I was using my phone with a clip-on macro lens and a clicker that was hanging around my neck. I seemed so easy to move the phone into position with one hand and click the image with the other. It all started while we were standing in line to enter the gardens. There were plants around even there. The couple in front of me was interested in the images I was getting.

The conservatory was full of plants that often look like abstract art when viewed with a macro lens. My favorite is the leaf with the larger veins almost glowing…white dots making an aura alongside.

In the meadow – there were lots of asters and plants going to seed.

There were a few bugs on the plants too – milkweed bug and some bees.

Several ‘lessons learned’ from the day –

  • Wear a big hat and use the body and had to shade the areas I am photographing. It’s easier to see the screen (to make sure the right part is in focus) and reduces shadows.

  • Review everything in the pockets of the photovest and reduce as much weight as possible. In places with plenty of places to refill my water bottle – a smaller one would be better. I should have left my small point and shoot camera at home (every bit of weight counts!). I was glad I decided not to carry my monopod.

It worked well to

  • Pace ourselves by sitting down occasionally on available benches (sometimes taking pictures while sitting!)

  • Wear a bandana to keep the sun off my neck and the V in front. It worked better than sunscreen! It also offers a bit of padding where the photovest sometimes rubs the back of my neck.