K-S2 with Sigma 70-200 EX APO HSM II. (I think i have all of the descriptors in there. )

[eaglem]

The first shot you came close to blowing the whites but the other 3 were very well exposed, focus was perfect.

[Tonytee]

Agreed, very nicely done. Many thanks for sharing.

Antonio

[babywriter]

I'm still learning how to PP in Lightroom. I think the first one is due to that, mostly - I'll go back at some point and see if I can bring some of the highlights back. It'll be a good learning experience. Thanks for the kind compliments.

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Last edited by babywriter; 09-25-2016 at 01:19 PM.

[goatsNdonkey]

Although there is less of an attempt to go in super close, I like the fourth picture the most. It gives a very satisfying representation of an open blossom, a closed and petalless (already pollinated) one, as well as a sideview of a bee on another blossom--all in good focus. You might say that, as a grouping, they tell a story. The framing of this trio seems very good to me. Are those New England asters? It's the main purple wild aster we have here, and they are just starting to go into full blossom. Though they must have first been described and named when discovered in northeastern meadows, they are stalwarts of the fall prairie flora in the Midwest.

[babywriter]

Although there is less of an attempt to go in super close, I like the fourth picture the most. It gives a very satisfying representation of an open blossom, a closed and petalless (already pollinated) one, as well as a sideview of a bee on another blossom--all in good focus. You might say that, as a grouping, they tell a story. The framing of this trio seems very good to me. Are those New England asters? It's the main purple wild aster we have here, and they are just starting to go into full blossom. Though they must have first been described and named when discovered in northeastern meadows, they are stalwarts of the fall prairie flora in the Midwest.

I'm not an expert on prairie flora, but yes, I believe they are. These were taken at a national wildlife refuge wher they are restoring 8,000 acres of farmland to native Iowa prairie. Beautiful, peaceful area. Thanks for your kind comments, too!

[goatsNdonkey]

A lot of people think of the prairie as something the cowboys rode over in the far reaches of the Great Plains, but the tallest and lushest prairie plants grew in the places like Illinois and Iowa, where a man riding through on horseback looked like he was wading through a waist-deep meadow. And in places the grasses and flowers were taller than his hat. 8,000 acres is a grand size for a prairie restoration and very necessary since such a tiny amount of the original prairie survived, once it was discovered how fertile the land was and once it was learned how to plow the prairie soil.

[babywriter]

A lot of people think of the prairie as something the cowboys rode over in the far reaches of the Great Plains, but the tallest and lushest prairie plants grew in the places like Illinois and Iowa, where a man riding through on horseback looked like he was wading through a waist-deep meadow. And in places the grasses and flowers were taller than his hat. 8,000 acres is a grand size for a prairie restoration and very necessary since such a tiny amount of the original prairie survived, once it was discovered how fertile the land was and once it was learned how to plow the prairie soil.

I can vouch for the height of the plants! They have a native herd of bison at the refuge (several hundred, I believe), and I saw....one. Almost missed him, too - he was literally up to his shoulder blades in prairie grass. For all I know, the rest might have been lying down nearby and I never would have known.

[goatsNdonkey]

I've seen stands of big bluestem that were close to ten feet tall, though five to six feet might be common in drier areas. I've seen compass plant flower stalks that had to me nearly 12 feet tall. Watching the change from the shorter spring flowers through the progression to those late summer giants is especially fascinating. If they are managing the restoration with periodic controlled burning, going back with you camera to witness one of the fires might yield some impressive images.

[aslyfox]

I've seen stands of big bluestem that were close to ten feet tall, though five to six feet might be common in drier areas. I've seen compass plant flower stalks that had to me nearly 12 feet tall. Watching the change from the shorter spring flowers through the progression to those late summer giants is especially fascinating. If they are managing the restoration with periodic controlled burning, going back with you camera to witness one of the fires might yield some impressive images.

And don't forget the other end of those Prairie plants: they reach deep

Digging Deep Reveals the Intricate World of Roots – PROOF

As you might expect from nat geo some great photos

[aslyfox]

old saying: "That's the Bees' knees"

well I found the bees but ?? the knees ??

K 3 + smc Pentax-DA L 50-200mm F4-5.6 ED WR

all photos cropped

at the Topeka Zoological Park Topeka KS

[goatsNdonkey]

And don't forget the other end of those Prairie plants: they reach deep

Digging Deep Reveals the Intricate World of Roots – PROOF

As you might expect from nat geo some great photos

That's a great link! I have a book called North American Prairie (Weaver) that includes some of the earliest excavations of prairie plant root masses and tap roots, though those are in B&W. Another question is how older are some of these plants. Some scientists speculate that in virgin prairie remnants some grass clumps could be many scores of years old or even hundreds of years old.

While the sticky prairie soil could be plowed with teams of horses, once the steel moldboard plow was developed, originally, it took large teams of oxen to plow virgin prairie in many places. Horses and mules were not strong enough. The strength of the roots are also commemorated in at least one prairie plant's common name -- Lead plant, was also known as Prairie Shoestring. Imagine trying to plow or dig through soil filled with a mass of shoestrings?