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Cheri’s Garden

Friday, June 26th, 2009
Flower Cluster

Flower Cluster

Last week I had the pleasure of visiting my sister in Waterloo, Iowa. And while visiting, we took a walk around her backyard.

If you’ve read this blog much, you know I take a lot of pictures of flowers – I love the infinite ways that nature puts them together and the vibrant colors of the petals.

While there were many vibrant flowers in Cheri’s garden, I wanted to show a few of the other interesting things that reside in her backyard. Because there are interesting things in everyone’s backyard.

The picture above is a cluster of small flower buds, with purple and yellow buds emerging from the green leaves. I took these pictures in the morning light, using a tripod and a telephoto lens to get in close. This picture was taken for 1/13 second at f/11 (ISO 200) with a focal length of 300 mm.

The pictures below show just a few of the subjects that can be found with a little bit of looking. The first is a dragonfly sitting on a leaf. Early morning is a good time to take pictures of dragonflys, since the cooler weather makes them less active. Next is a picture of a decaying flower bud – no vibrant colors, but a very different look at a flower. And finally, looking down at my feet – small mushrooms popping through the grass.

Take a look around your backyard – I’m sure you can find a lot of interesting items – whether you decide to photograph them or just look at a bit of nature.

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George Wyth State Park

Monday, June 22nd, 2009
George Wyth State Park

George Wyth State Park

The George Wyth State Park is situated on the Cedar River within the metropolitan areas of Waterloo and Cedar Falls, Iowa.

We spent some time there, while visiting relatives, taking a slow drive through the park and looking at the habitat (it was too hot and humid on this day for hiking).

This picture is of a section of the Cedar River that flooded during last years devastating floods. The Cedar Falls area was especially hard hit, and you can see some of the devastation here. All of these trees were killed during the flood and the sustained high water levels that occurred.

George Wyth State Park

George Wyth State Park

These pictures were taken in late afternoon, taking advantage of the lower sun (and as a result, less harsh shadows). Both pictures were taken at f/11 for 1/160 second (ISO 200) using my Tamron 28 – 300 mm lens set at 55 mm.

The mid-range focal length provides a big-picture view of the river and the barren trees, while maintaning good detail in the main subject matter and the reflections.

The park has over 5 miles of hiking trails that wind along the river and around several lakes formed in the area – so on a future visit, I look forward to getting closer to nature and taking more photos.

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