IN SEARCH OF MONTANA WILDFLOWERS

My next class assignment for my photography class -- "Montana Wildflowers". The wildflowers are late this year, due to the one of the all time coolest springs, plus a record snowfall. But now is the time for wildflowers, AND it gives me another reason to explore more of Glacier National Park.

It is 4th of July weekend.....and even though the Going-to-the-Sun Road is still under 50 feet of snow at the top, the weekend will be busy. From my class, I know the best time is to take pictures very early in the morning, or very late in the evening (we stay light until almost 10PM out here).

So I'm out the door at 7AM, which some of you might say is the crack of dawn. But dawn in Montana comes at about 4:30AM. And actually, I'm late in the picture taking world.

It was a great day. I saw beautiful Arrowleaf Balsamroot's which were in full bloom. When I finally saw a hill covered with the flowers -- as well as a spot to pull off the road, I was in business. I've also learned that if you want pictures in perfect focus, you must use a tripod. I much prefer holding the camera, but I am enjoying the great shots I get with the tripod. Here are several of the shots -- I think the color is just wonderful.

The first Arrowroot photo is an example of the "rule of thirds". If you take a horizontal picture -- cut the rectangle into thirds across, and then again in thirds down. Where the lines intersect is where you should place your main focal point. Most people put the subject in the middle of the frame (which is what I did), but by putting it in one of the "thirds" spots, it adds more interest. If shooting an animal, it gives the animal a place to go, etc.

I actually was looking for "bear grass" -- a very unusual flower. The stem can grow 6 feet tall with many small creamy white flowers. The entire flower looks like an upside down ice cream cone. And bear grass doesn't bloom every year -- usually in 5-7 year cycles. They are found in forests and meadows in sub-alpine conditions. And with the road to the sun being closed at it's highest point, I don't think I could get enough elevation to find what I wanted. I did find one that was a little past prime, but it is interesting (but certainly not my best of photo).

Because the flower is tall and thin, I've photographed it vertically. In a vertical photo, you want to fill the frame, and in most cases, you want a small "depth of field" (around F5.6 or smaller) so the background is blurred. If it was in focus in this case, it would take away from the flower.

I also love Indian
Paintbrush. I've seen these in tones of orange and dark pink. This one I photographed along the roadside. By this time, these flowers should have been in full bloom, but they were just starting. And now I'm sitting along the side of the road with the tripod -- probably looking stupid to anyone who went by. But I'm having a great time, so I don't care!!!

The composition of this photo is called "juxtaposition", which means the 2nd flower (the one behind) is a mirror of the first. The front image is the focal point, so it is in focus. The second should be a bit out of focus, but recognizable. My instructor has far better examples, but this is mine.

I also have some beautiful daisy's that are on my property. And the most unusual thing happened -- there were 4 bees attacking another bee. I'm sitting amid the flowers with all these bees buzzing about. One bee sat on the flower, and the other 4 attacked. Then the "victim" would move to another flower, and all 4 bees followed. As a "budding photographer", I'm thinking I have a great opportunity -- if only I can get the tripod moved, my body moved, and the camera in focus with a high enough shutter speed, etc., etc., etc. Well.....I captured them, and the bees are actually in good focus. Even stopped their little buzzing wings.

When I attended class, my "nature and outdoor" photography instructor told me these were actually flies, and the female was on the flower. Apparently I interrupted some type of "mating ritual".




On my trip to Glacier, once I got the wildflowers I wanted, I decided to try a hike that I recommend to visitors -- going to Barring Falls. It is really more like an enjoyable walk along St. Mary's Lake with the beautiful mountains as the backdrop. The trail was .7 miles to the falls, and then you could hike to two other falls for 3 miles one way. I knew my ankle couldn't handle that, so I walked back along this great trail.

The composition technique for this shot is called "framing". After looking at the picture, I think I could have had a little less frame.


This picture doesn't have a composition type -- I just called it the "majesty" of the mountains in Glacier National Park. It always take my breath away, when I see these views.











Barring Falls was lovely. I did have to laugh at myself while there. I never seem to have enough lens to get as close as I want. But at the Falls, I had too much lens. I couldn't get back far enough to get the whole falls in the picture. Then as I'm walking back to my truck, I realize that I had my smaller lens in my back pack (which I WAS wearing). I just FORGOT!! Oh well.....another "senior moment". I think you'll get a feel for the falls anyway. There are 2 different views of the same falls.


All in all, the photography class was a great idea. I've met some nice people, gotten lots of great instruction from Nick Fucci, a great nature and outdoor photographer (www.nickfucciphoto.com), and really improved my photography. And I get to wander into places like Glacier National Park and the National Bison Range to do all of this.