A few days ago, while hiking around the nearby natural prairie, I was a bit surprised to find May Apples (Podophyllum peltatum), sometimes called Mandrake, already in bloom! These guys are really quick growers that seem to sprout up and add inches of growth on a daily basis. Here are some of the images I captured:
And here is a 5-image composite that I put together using the focus-stacking technique and HeliconFocus software:
And here is a focus-stacked image (7 images) of a May Apple flower:
Photographic Equipment Used:
- Canon 7D body
- Canon EF180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
- Bogen 3221 tripod, with Kirk Ent. HD ballhead
- ISO 400 and 800
- Aperture f/3.5
- Shutter 1/125 sec. and 1/800 sec.