Documenting Variety and Density

[minoly]

Each year when spring wildflowers begin to show up after a long winter, I break my resolution to skip nature pictures that I've already made quite a few times. Something different happened this summer. A place that I've visited for 40 years or so made some big changes: at the West entry to the area, mowed grass has been replaced by restoration seeding of plants more appropriate to the rich floodplain along the Mississippi. The growth is thick and the variety of plants is large and growing. My visits this summer have made me a fan of this kind of restoration. So I've tried to make photos that show the variety and density that is really impressive when you're there. How you do that without making a jumble or looking careless seems challenging, so I'm posting in a discussion topic where others can give their ideas. Here are a few of my results; color photos are out of a Minolta Maxxum 5 on Kodak Gold 200; B&W from a Minolta X-700 on Tri-X. I plan to keep trying when my free time matches a day without rain or high heat.

Massed Coneflowers

Fleabane with Redhead grass

Wild Barley Seed heads

Coneflower Blossom with Grass Stem

Bill Delehanty

[PFMcFarland]

I think you did quite well, Bill. The only thing I can say is to look out for foreground strays, such as in "Fleabane and Redhead Grass".

PF