At the subalpine regions of the San Juan mountains (i.e., approx. 9,500-11,500 feet), Larkspur was blooming in most every place we traveled. Photos in this blog post were captured along the lower altitudes of Black Bear Pass and in Yankee Boy Basin. There are a lot of species of Larkspur, but I believe the species we mostly saw was Subalpine Larkspur (Delphinium barbeyi). The flowers have 5 large, showy sepals, one extending back to form a “spur”. These plants grow 3-6 feet in height and were loaded with flowers, each one about 3/4 inch wide. Here are a few of my favorite images:
Quite a colorful display!
Photographic Equipment Used:
- Canon 5D Mark 3 body
- Canon EF180mm, f/3.5 macro lens
- Bogen 3221 tripod with Graff Studioball SB-QR ballhead
- ISO 800 (due to winds on the slope)
- Aperture f/3.5 and f/5
- Shutter 1/250 sec. to 1/1000 sec.