Tag Archives: leaf

Photographs: Nature, Photographs: Sierra Nevada, Photographs: Yosemite

Dogwood Blossom – Yosemite Valley

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Dogwood Blossom - Yosemite Valley
Dogwood Blossom – Yosemite Valley. Yosemite National Park, California. April 27, 2008 © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

On my first “One Day Yosemite Valley Blitz” of the season I drove up the Valley for a day of photography on April 27. The dogwood trees were just starting to bloom and although most were still far from their peak I did find a few wonderful blossoms including this one on a fallen tree near the east end of the Valley.

The blossoming of the dogwoods is one of the major attractions of the spring season for many Yosemite aficionados, almost rivaling the spring waterfalls. They may start in late April and continue on into May, though the timing can vary quite a bit depending on the precise location and elevation of the trees.

keywords: dogwood, blossom, bloom, flower, spring, tree, leaf, bokeh, forest, yosemite, valley, national park, california, usa, foliage, nature, scenic, travel, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Purple and White Wildflowers

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Purple and White Wildflowers
Purple and White Wildflowers. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 26, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Purple and white wildflowers photographed in a shady valley at Almaden Quicksilver Park, California.

I’m terrible at identifying most wildflowers, though a helpful friend tells me that these are Collinsia heterophylla, or Chinese houses. (Thanks, Gena!)

keywords: California, flower, Foothills, Forest, Grass, hiking, Leaf, nature, plant, Spring, purple, white, wild, wildflower, green, san jose, santa clara, county, almaden, quicksilver, park, usa, stock

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

White Globe Lily Plant and Flowers

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Chinese Lantern Plant and Flowers
White Globe Lily Plant and Flowers. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 26, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

White globe lily plant in bloom in a shady valley at Almaden Quicksilver Park, California.

Yet another photograph of the white globe lily flowers, though this one includes more of the plant, with its slender, pointed leaves backlit by sunlight filtering through the forest canopy.

keywords: California, flower, Foothills, Forest, Grass, hiking, Leaf, nature, plant, Spring, chinese, lantern, wildflower, almaden, quicksilver, santa clara county, san jose, park, spring, hiking, usa, stock, green

Photographs: Central California, Photographs: Nature

Pink and White Wildflowers

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Pink and White Wildflowers
Pink and White Wildflowers. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 26, 2008. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved.

Pink and white spring wildflowers photographed at Almaden Quicksilver Park, California.

Once again, a photo shot handheld with the 24-105mm lens. I like to use this photo and some similar ones to respond to folks who are convinced that “the 24-105mm f/4 L IS has bad bokeh.” I’ll admit that it doesn’t always produce great blurred backgrounds, but if you are careful you can actually get some nice bokeh from it. And for handheld wildflower shots its focal length is just about perfect and the image stabilization turns out the be very useful.

I’ve been told that these flowers are “Stachys ajugoides – rigid wood mint,” though after looking around at some online photos of that plant I’m not 100% certain since the leaves don’t seem quite right. Anyone?

keywords: pink, white, flowers, wild, wildflowers, nature, delicate, stem, leaf, green, bokeh, almaden, quicksilver, mines, park, santa clara county, san jose, california, usa, plant, hiking, trail, stock