From the woods over the long weekend

[Birma]

A very busy weekend but I managed to 'sneak' off for a couple of sessions in the woods. Everything seems to be trying to make up for lost time with the cold start in early spring by all appearing in quick succession now.

First from the wood's edge, in the meadow, Lady's Smock, sometimes called The Cuckoo Flower (and I heard my first Cuckoo of the year this weekend!).


The Knapp 2013 - Lady's Smock 1 by Birm, on Flickr

Much anticipated, by me anyway, are this year's Bluebells, which are finally here.


The Knapp 2013 - Bluebells 2 by Birm, on Flickr

Both with A99. First with Tamron 90 and second with Sigma 70-300 APO DG Macro.

[sury]

Andy,
Do they turn blue eventually from the purple I see or there is a color shift?
I used to get the same shift when shooting blue flowers.
Those Cuckoo flowers seem to spread calm to me.

With best regards,
Sury

[david antony]

Fabulous shots Birma. They just keep getting better.

Thanks for posting, appreciated.

[jbtaylor]

A99?
I have been away for too long.
Is the NEX still in the arsenal?
Nice shots. Love the background in #2 but of course you would expect me to write that.

[Birma]

First of all apologies as I meant this to go in the Flowers thread! Only using the forum for 7 years and still not a competent user .

Sury, you're right that blue can be really tricky. Bluebells vary in colour between quite light blue and almost purple. This variation can happen within feet of one another. There is also some subtle colour variation within each bloom. I was trying hard to check colour on the evf against reality and this looked ok. I have found that saturation type adjustment can screw around with blues especially so I tried to watch this. I have lots more to process and post and so you'll have to see how you like the next ones .

Thanks DA. More to come

Thanks JB. I'm trying to keep an eye of that bokeh background . I meant to get a totally blue background but will have to hope they stay in bloom until next weekend. I've had the A99 for a couple of months now. I have most definitely still got the Nex as well. My plan is to use the A99 when it is just me going out take pictures and the Nex when it is 'just' walking about with the family. I plan to upgrade my plain 5 to a 6 or 7 to get the evf at some point.

[bakubo]

That Bluebells shot is so nice with great color.

[Greg Beetham]

I’ve always enjoyed the bluebell season too, from afar. And the occasional amazing fields of all red flowers and yellow flowers as well but of course I have forgotten what kinds they were now.
The A99 certainly takes very good flower shots Birma.
Greg

[Birma]

Thanks Greg and Henry - I really appreciate your comments

I have a yellow field picture on the way, Greg (still on the card in the camera). I will probably have to wait a month or so for the red field to be out in bloom . The big yellow fields are Oilseed Rape, grown for vegetable oil. The red field is poppies, growing wild a on some land that is being returned to a more natural state to support local wildlife after intensive farming.