A welcome sight on any forest hike in springtime is a
Jack-In-The-Pulpit sighting. They are generally hard to spot because their
coloring blends in with the greens and browns of leaves and new shoots.
I’ve just completed a wonderful weekend as the Keynote
speaker at the annual Cumberland Falls, Kentucky Nature Photography Weekend. It
was a great group of participants who were friendly, welcoming, and eager to
learn. And they produced some beautiful images over the course of the weekend.
In a break between programs, I went out to see what I could
see. There were several “Jacks” in perfect condition just off the trail on a
hillside that put them at eye level. Perfect! No bending or lying on the ground
to get this great view at the perfect vantage point.
This Jack had beautiful coloration, sporting
a reddish-brown inside and stem, and a rich green on the outside. The angle was
perfect to shoot it in such a way that the inside of the Jack, as well as the
lovely overhead curve of the “hood” could be shown in full detail.
The hillside was in shadow, making the light on the plant very soft and even. I used a large lens aperture in order to blur the background, making the Jack stand out.
Many thanks to all who attended the Nature Photography
Weekend at Cumberland Falls State Resort Park in Corbin, Kentucky. You made my time there a real joy. And a
special personal thank-you to the coordinator, Bret Smitley, for making sure
everything went so smoothly.
TECHNICAL DATA
Shutter Speed 1/320 sec.
Aperture f/3.2. ISO 400. Lens: Canon 100mm macro lens f/2.8L IS. Camera: Canon 5D Mark III. Handheld.
TODAY’S QUOTE: “Keep close to Nature’s heart…and break clear
away once in awhile, and …spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.” --John Muir
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