Unfurling in the Woods

… But Only Momentarily! Today’s post features another woodland wildflower that was beginning to bloom along one of the woodland trails of Ha Ha Tonka State Park (Missouri Ozarks) last week … the Bloodroot wildflower.

When the Bloodroot wildflower is about ready to bloom, the plant’s leaf, which is originally wrapped around the stem of the flower, begins unfurling as the flower begins to open. The Bloodroot flower lasts only one day, so no dilly-dallying around!

In this image, the Bloodroot’s bud is about ready to open:

Bloodroot wildflower prepares to open it's flower

In the following image, the flower begins blooming:

Bloodroot wildflower opening up

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
  • Bogen 3021 tripod with ballhead
  • ISO 400
  • Aperture f/3.5
  • Shutter 1/1500 sec. and 1/3000 sec.
By James Braswell | Published March 27, 2023
Posted in: Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Wildflowers | Tags: ,
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Airing the Dirty Laundry

Today’s post features another early spring wildflower that I captured last week at Ha Ha Tonka SP (Missouri Ozarks), Dutchman’s Breeches.

Aptly named, the flowers on this small, woodland wildflower suggest that someone is hanging their dirty breeches in the woods to dry:

Dutchman's Breeches wildflowers

Coming up … another woodland wildflower that was photographed on this hike.

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
  • Bogen 3021 tripod with ballhead
  • ISO 400
  • Aperture f/3.5
  • Shutter 1/3000 sec.
By James Braswell | Published March 23, 2023
Posted in: Macro Photography, Nature Photography, Wildflowers | Tags: , ,
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It’s Official … Spring is Here!

Today’s post features one of Missouri’s earliest blooming, woodland wildflower … the Harbinger of Spring (aka, “Pepper and Salt”).

While hiking the woodland trails of Ha Ha Tonka State Park (in the Missouri Ozarks) last week, I found this small, and often overlooked wildflower blooming adjacent to the woodland trail I was hiking. I captured 17 images of this clump, varying the focal point on the wildflower. Later, I stacked all 17 images into a single image, using Helicon Focus software:

Harbinger of Spring wildflower

Coming up … more woodland wildflowers that were photographed on this hike.

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 5D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
  • Bogen 3021 tripod with ballhead
  • ISO 400
  • Aperture f/8
  • Shutter 1/90 sec.
  • 17 images stacked via Helicon Focus software
By James Braswell | Published March 21, 2023
Posted in: Focus Stacking, Macro Photography, Wildflowers | Tags: ,
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Catching Spring Fever

Today’s post features an image that I found while editing older images … immediately, I got spring fever!

This image of a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly collecting nectar from a thistle plant, was captured on a Missouri prairie a few years ago:

Tiger Swallowtail butterfly collects nectar from a thistle flower

Another sure sign of approaching spring is the wonderful display of woodland wildflowers that are now beginning to appear. I spent some time yesterday in the Ozarks woodlands … hope to have some early wildflower images ready soon!

Photographic Equipment Used:

  • Canon 1D Mark 3 camera body
  • Canon 180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
  • Handheld
  • ISO 400
  • Aperture f/3.5
  • Shutter 1/8000 sec.
By James Braswell | Published March 16, 2023
Posted in: Butterfly Photography, Nature Photography, Wildflowers | Tags: ,
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Breakfast is Now Served

Today’s post features an image I captured while visiting the Sherburne NWR, in Minnesota, a few years ago.

While cruising around the refuge, I found this adult Common Loon as it fished and fed a young loon in one of the refuge pools:

Common Loons

  • Canon 1D Mark 3 camera body + Canon 500mm, f/4 IS lens + Canon 1.4x TC (total 700mm)
  • Bogen 3021 tripod with Wemberly gimbal head
  • ISO 200
  • Aperture f/5.6
  • Shutter 1/2000 sec.
By James Braswell | Published March 14, 2023
Posted in: Bird Photography, Nature Photography, Uncategorized | Tags: ,
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Live, in Technicolor

Today’s post features one of our most colorful ducks, the Wood Duck drake (male). This image was captured via kayak, in the waters of Amarugia Highlands Conservation Area, in west-central Missouri:

Colorful Wood Duck drake

  • Canon 1D Mark 3 camera body + Canon 100-400mm, f/4.5-f/5.6 IS lens + Canon 1.4x TC
  • Handheld, with IS “On”, from my kayak
  • ISO 200
  • Aperture f/9
  • Shutter 1/250 sec.
By James Braswell | Published March 9, 2023
Posted in: Bird Photography, Photography from a kayak | Tags: ,
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