Tag: Nature

Glowing tulip

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Tulip glowing in the spring sunshine. Click on the photo for a larger version on Flickr.

 

I took this picture at a friend’s house in Newport, Wales. This year I missed the tulip blooms in my garden as I was out-of-town over the 2 weeks these bloomed. I have removed all distracting greens from this photo to enhance the glow from the tulip. Shot using a 50mm f1.8 Nikon lens and processed in Lightroom.

Tranquility #2

Tranquility #2
At Anglesey Abbey. Click on the photo for a larger version on Flickr

This dream-like scene seen at the National Trust Anglesey Abbey property using an iPhone. To me, everything in here symbolises spring. Daffodils, Hyacinths, Cherry Blossoms and the brilliant hues of a Japanese maple tree.

Tranquility

Tranquility
View a larger version on Flickr

At the Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Gardens. A HDR of 3 shots at -2, 0 and +2 merged in Photomatix Pro. I loved the tranquil moods in this part of the gardens with the flowing stream and colourful japanese maples.

A lily recovered..

While shooting couple of weeks ago I took a single photo of a lovely lily (a mistake, but excusable as I had my 6-year old tugging me along!). The photo was under-exposed and grey. I have tried to recover from this photographic disaster using post-processing. The results and the original are below.

Lily
Attempted recovery
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The original!

I used Adobe Lightroom for general photo handling and Color Efex Pro to enhance detail and contrast. I realise I have lost detail on the petals due to the original problems with the photo (which was in RAW format).

Symphytum (Comfrey)

All signs suggest that spring has well and truly sprung here in East Anglia. I was at the Anglesey Abbey last weekend, and among all the bluebells, snowdrops, daffodils and hyacinths were some lovely flowering comfrey plants.

Symphytum "Hidcote Blue" (Comfrey)
Symphytum “Hidcote Blue” – aka Comfrey

As you may already know, comfreys have long been associated with medicinal properties – particularly for the treatment of skin treatment. Their role in herbal medicine, to say the least, has been controversial. Nevertheless, they are an attractive addition to wildflower gardens.

Technical Details:

  • Nikon D7000 with Sigma 105mm, f2/.8 macro lens
  • f/4.0, 1/640, ISO 100
  • Processed in Adobe Photoshop Lightroom