Well this morning the sun is just peeking out from behind the clouds making me think about taking a stroll through the nearby woods. In the past few weeks many different flowers are waking up.
The skunk weed, an oft maligned early riser in marshy areas climbs into the sunlight when most all else refuses to budge from beneath the fallen fall foliage of New England last foliage season.
One of my favorite flower first plants is the pussy willow and I have a tree of it a hundred feet from my window. It all too soon turns from the ever so soft fur to green leaves. Almost before you know it, it have leaves and the gray fur is gone.If your area is still lacking a native flower to show up you can look for spring beauty in other things. Plants that are often over looked are the common fungus. Many of you will say ewww and eschew the thought of such things but when the trees are bare, mushrooms and other fungi are always there in odd designs and shapes.
If we get a few more warm days we will start to see the wild crocuses arriving and we will see by mid may the arrival of my favorite “best smelling” flower which is really a bush or tree. The Lilac tree in my side yard is putting out green leaves and hopefully there are no more late season surprise freezes. This way it may give us so flowers this year. The oak tree that was above it is gone and only a red maple holds that position now…
What is funny is that the main red maple that held sway for so many years fell down two years ago but it is still putting out leaves so it hasn’t quite given up the ghost, yet.
I just wrote an article for the New England Photography Guild site and if you haven’t been there yet, you should stop in. This is a new site where some of the best photographers in New England are being listed. If you just like to browse New England scenic photography, then this is the place to go.
Plus they are constantly writing new articles on their passion… Which is photographing the New England countryside. If you want advice on what kind of kayak is good for birding or what trails yield good mountain peak shots, or my favorite, great little towns for fall foliage, then this is the place to go. Also there is the New England Shutterbugs website where an equally talented group of photographers are showing their talents off.
One other thing I just thought to add is if you have an afternoon free and you want to capture some of the colors to come but the flowers aren’t there yet…
Try stopping in at your local greenhouse and see if they have their tulips in (like my shot here). You can’t tell that this is a nursery greenhouse and you can see more versions like this at my Vistaphotography online art gallery. This way you can enjoy photographing a massive garden full of color without any of the work associated with it. Also you cost is very minimal since you didn’t have to end them or purchase them.
But I will add that even if you find that the owners of the green house don’t mind that you photograph all their hard work, you still might give back to them. If you have some really good shots (even if you’re not a pro) and you are shooting in digital. You might share some of the shots with them. Maybe make a print for them and give them a CD of images. If you are more towards the pro side then you might also ask that if they did find a publishing use for your images on their website or brochure that they give you credit (bonus for you).
So till next time get out there and shoot some New England scenery!
Jeff Folger
My online art gallery
New England Photography guild
New England shutterbugs
