White Campion

White campion (Silene latifolia) blooms in summer across most of the United States and Canada. They are non-native, having originated in Europe and brought to North America by immigrants. In many states, it is classified as an invasive species or noxious weed. They are typically found in dry areas, such as fields, along roads, or even on waste grounds. A unique identifier is the bladder found behind the flower, so it is sometimes referred to as bladder campion. The height of the plant is typically between 1 to three feet, and the flower is about one inch across.  In Great Lakes areas, however, there is a lakeshore plant that also goes by that name. Another common name is white cockle. The root of the plant has been used as a soap substitute.

The image above was taken at the Lefglen Nature Sanctuary in Michigan. A 105mm macro lens was used, with a circular polarizer. A tripod was used to keep the camera steady, and a Wimberly Plamp was used to hold the stalk of the plant steady. The specimen was located in a part of the sanctuary with some shade from the trees, but still bright enough that no other light modification was required. The angle of the shot allowed me to isolate the flower against a background consisting of just a field of grass, and the distance was sufficient to create a very blurred background even with a nice depth-of-field to get as much of the flower, bladder, and stalk fairly sharp.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

USDA Plants Database

Wildflowers of Wisconsin

MSU Weed Science

Ontario Wildflowers

Montana Plant Life

Common Blue Violet

Common blue violet (Viola sororia) is found in the mid-western and eastern parts of North America. The plant itself may grow up to a height of roughly 10 inches, and the flower is roughly 3/4 inches across. Bloom time is spring and summer, and these plants tend to prefer light shade.

The image shown was taken at Harris Nature Center in Meridian Township, near Okemos, Michigan. A 105mm macro lens was used, with a fairly wide F-stop to help blur the background a little. At such a shallow depth of field, it was not possible to capture the entire flower in sharp focus, so focus was placed tightest on the so-called beard, which acts as a landing pad for insects that help pollinate the plants.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

USDA Plants Database

Illinois Wildflowers

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Wild Lupine

 

Wild lupine (Lupinus perennis), a member of the pea family, blooms from late spring to early summer. It is found across eastern North America. They typically grow from 1 to 2 feet tall, primarily in open areas or under partial shade. Wild lupine is the only source of food for the Karner blue butterfly’s caterpillar, and also contributes to the well-being of other plant and animal species. Due to habitat loss for wild lupine, the Karner blue butterfly is listed as endangered.

The image shown was taken at Fenner Nature Center, in Lansing, Michigan. A 105mm macro lens was used, with the camera mounted on a low tripod to get more-or-less perpendicular to the plant. A circular polarizer was attached to the lens to control glare from the waxy surface of the plant. The perspective was selected to provide as little clutter in the background as possible. Since there was a light cloud cover, there was no need for a diffuser.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

Wild Lupine and Karner Blue Butterflies

USDA Plants Database

Minnesota Wildflowers

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Jack-in-the-pulpit (Arisaema triphyllum) is a spring wildflower found in wooded and swampy areas in the mid-west and eastern parts of North America. These plants can grow up to about 3 feet in height. There are one or two leaves that grow on a separate stalk from the blossom, which is green and may be streaked with reddish brown lines. The plant produces a distinctive cluster of red berries in the summer. Parts of the plant are edible, if properly prepared. Jack-in-the-pulpit can be grown in your own garden fairly easily, and a number of legitimate vendors can supply seeds.

The image was taken at Harris Nature Center in Meridian Township, Michigan. A 105mm macro lens was used with a teleconverter to narrow the field of view for a more blurred background.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

USDA Plants Database

Mellow Yellow Downy Violet

Yellow downy violet (Viola pubescens) blooms in the spring and summer. They are found in the mid-west and eastern parts of North America, usually in deciduous wooded areas. The flowers are usually less than 3/4 of an inch across.

The image shown was taken at the Gerald E. Eddy Discovery Center in Michigan. A 105mm macro lens. For small plants like this, I use knee pads, a Really Right Stuff low-pod,  and a right-angle viewfinder to get as low to the ground as possible so the camera lens is more or less at “eye level” with the flower.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

USDA Plant Database

Minnesota Wildflowers

A Flock of Wild Blue Phlox

Wild blue phlox (Phlox divaricata) is a late spring wildflower found in fields and hardwood forests of mid-west and eastern North America. The plants usually have a single cluster of flowers, each of which is roughly one inch across. Wild blue phlox may grow to a height of about 18 inches. Eastern plants have a slight notch in the petals, as seen above. Colors vary somewhat from near white, to pale blue, to light violet.

The image shown was taken at Harris Nature Center in Meridian Township, Michigan. I used a 105mm macro lens and placed the tripod very low to the ground to get close to the flowers. This was taken when the cloud cover was sufficient to soften the light, so no diffuser was used.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center

USDA Plants Database

Minnesota Wildflowers

Wintercress

Wintercress (Barbarea vulgaris) is a non-native flower that can be found across North America. It blooms from April to August, depending on the location and weather conditions. They can grow to a height of about two feet, with clusters of flowers roughly a third of an inch across.  It can often create large colonies, primarily in open fields.

The image shown was taken at Fenner Nature Center in Lansing, Michigan using a 105 mm macro lens with a 1.7x teleconverter to help isolate the flower and blur the background.

For more images, please see my web site: Michael W. Collins Photography. As a reader of this blog, use discount code NATURE to receive 20% off your order!

References:

Barbarea vulgaris

Barbarea vulgaris

Wild Geranium

Wild geranium (Geranium maculatum) is a late-spring to early summer wildflower, found in wooded areas of eastern North America, and as far west as Oklahoma and South Dakota. The plants grow up to 2 1/2 feet tall. Each stalk can have 2 to 5 flowers, which are roughly 1 to 1 1/2 inches across. They are frequently found in colonies.

The image shown was taken at the Ott Biological Preserve near Battle Creek, Michigan. A 105 mm macro lens was used at a wide-open F-stop to isolate the subject and blur the background. A diffuser was used to soften the light. After taking a few shots of the dry flower, I used a mister to add some tiny water droplets, and took a few more images. This was my favorite from the series.

For more of my wildflower images, and to purchase prints, please visit my website: Michael W. Collins Photography

References:

Wild Geranium

Geranium maculatum (Wild Geranium)

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

The black-tailed prairie dog (Cynomys ludovicianus) is a small rodent found in the western United States and Canada, as well as parts of Mexico. Previously, the prairie dog population had been much more extensive, but they have been deliberately exterminated, primarily in order to make way for farms and grazing land for cattle. This is unfortunate, as prairie dogs play an important role in the ecosystem of the lands they inhabit.

These active mammals live in communities commonly called prairie dog towns. Prairie dogs do not hibernate, but may become dormant for short periods when the temperature drops. It is believed that the prairie dog uses distinct ways of communicating when threatened by different predators.

The average weight of a black-tailed prairie dog is from 1.5 to 3 pounds, and their length from head-to-tail is between 17 and 21 inches, including the 3 to 4 inch tail. The body is a light tan color, while the tail is black, hence the name.

The image was taken in Badlands National Park in South Dakota. From inside my car, I propped an 80-400mm telephoto zoom lens on a bean bag that I positioned on top of the window opening in the driver’s side door. The animals are accustomed to vehicles, so I was able to take a number of shots.

References:

Wikipedia

Animal Diversity Web

Mammals of Texas

Please visit my website: Michael W. Collins Photography

Sharp-Lobed Hepatica

Hepatica is one of the earliest spring wildflowers to bloom in North America. There are two main varieties: sharp-lobed (Hepatica nobilis) and round-lobed (Hepatica americana). Related plants can be found in Europe and Japan. The difference is mainly seen in the shape of the leaves, as demonstrated in the common names. Interestingly, once the flower has withered, the leaves remain for the next spring, when the flowers form fruits and the cycle starts over. In the second year, the leaves can appear leathery. What appear to be petals are technically sepals, and can be found in a range of colors, including white, blue, pink, and lavender.

The name hepatica comes from the Latin word for liver, and early herbalists believed, wrongly, that the plant was beneficial for curing ailments of the liver.

The picture shown is the sharp-lobed variety, taken in the Smoky Mountains in early April at a somewhat high elevation. A 200mm macro lens was used, set to a high depth of field. A diffuser was used to soften the light.

References:

Common Spring Wildflowers in the Smokies

Hepatica nobilis var. obtusa

Hepatica, The Other First Flower of Spring

Hepatica (Hepatica nobilis)

More wildflower images can be viewed at Michael W. Collins Photography!