Posted by Brad Mangas on April 28, 2009 at 10:02 AM
The woods are full of wildflowers popping and getting ready to pop. I think I'm going to have to start a phenological list to keep track through the years of times and places.
These Dutchmans Breeches are just a neat little plant to look at. Only a few inches high like most presents a challenge to shoot. All I can do is keep trying though.
Besides the visual beauty of most wildflower I find interest in some of the early uses of these plants. Most have some type of medicinal use which can be very unique.
From the Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses website, "Native Americans used Dutchman's breeches as a love charm by throwing the plant at their intended or by chewing the root and breathing on the young lady that they were interested in. A compound infusion of the leaves was used as a liniment to strengthen the legs of runners."
I might have cropped it a little more to bring out the breeches.
Great colors.
Thanks for sharing.
Posted by Wayne Rhodus on April 28, 2009 at 12:57 PM
The light and colors are exquisite Brad. The blooms look in perfect condition too. The few times I've seen these in the wild I found them to be very difficult to compose. Looks like you've done an admirable job with these. Thanks for sharing.
This is a nice composition. The leaves and dark background provide a nice contrast for the flowers. In a perfect world, it would be nice if the flower on the left wasn't covered by the leaf, but this is a minor nit. Great shot overall!!
Great picture Brad! These are fun flowers to work with. I love the contrast of their white with the dark foliage. The fact that the blooms are 3D is a big plus too. Nicely captured.
Discussion
6 repliesThese Dutchmans Breeches are just a neat little plant to look at. Only a few inches high like most presents a challenge to shoot. All I can do is keep trying though.
Besides the visual beauty of most wildflower I find interest in some of the early uses of these plants. Most have some type of medicinal use which can be very unique.
From the Kansas Wildflowers and Grasses website, "Native Americans used Dutchman's breeches as a love charm by throwing the plant at their intended or by chewing the root and breathing on the young lady that they were interested in. A compound infusion of the leaves was used as a liniment to strengthen the legs of runners."
Canon EF70-200L @ 200mm
Exposure Manual: f/13, .3
Crop: Full Frame
I might have cropped it a little more to bring out the breeches.
Great colors.
Thanks for sharing.