This was taken a few weeks ago while out on a hike through the local backcountry. Spring is fading away, and wildfires are already beginning to rear their flames. The plants here are more lush than they have been in some time – we had a bit of rain!
Nikon FM2N, Elicar 55mm f2.8 Macro, Fuji Superia Xtra 400, Pakon 135 scanner.
The tiniest details are always so interesting . . . the lens here is an old one, probably from the 70s. It is an Elicar manual focus macro lens, which can do a 1:1. I think it is very similar to the Nikon 55mm macro. It has a great feel to it, and the beauty of this lens is its diversity – use it like a standard 50-55mm or use it as a macro. One of my favorites!
Not really sure where I am . . . have had a cold for a week, and in this same week there have been anniversaries and parties and graduations and memorials for those who have passed, mixed with all sorts of other things. Playing in the garden, playing with photos, a bit of this and that, but nothing that just grabs the soul. Well, not true – we had a wonderful graduation party! That said, here are some of my forays into processing color into black and white using the B&W channels in the HSL section of Lightroom. Kind of pleased with the overall results, and maybe learned something . . . what did please me was the simplicity of strong contrasts and subject matter.
Where I live, there are few places that are damp or lush. Here, in the undergrowth of the riparian woodland, alongside a creek (or nearby to avoid the poison oak) these tiny flowers grow, only to fade away as summer approaches.
A riparian zone or area is the interface between land and a river or stream, per Wikipedia. In California, it is a woodland which is rich in biodiversity, with trees, shrubs, and ferns, along with an abundance of wildlife, such as birds, squirrel, and deer. The creeks they are near sometimes run dry in the summer. The woodlands are a cool retreat from hot summers, but can be burned to a crisp in a severe wildfire. For me, they are a bit of heaven – a space away from the subdivisions and roads of settled California.
Ink, Yarn & Beer 