Wildflower Season begins!

Yes, it's the best time of year, folks! I hiked Goose Rock in Deception Pass State Park on Sunday, and the wildflowers were out. I was hoping to see some grass widow (Olsynium douglasii), and although I didn't spot any along the trails I hiked, a few other early-blooming species were there to greet my macro lens as I brought it out for the first time this year.

We'll start with those wildflower closeups! First, small-flowered prairie star, or woodland star (Lithophragma parviflorum). I've photographed this species before, but really like how this composition turned out. F/6.3.

Next, red-flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum). I have other closeups of these as well, but I like the bright colors in this composition, as well as the exuberant chaos of the inflorescence. I avoided symmetry in this one, which I think paid off. F/5.6.

Third, what I believe is small-flowered blue-eyed Mary (Collinsia parviflora). Don't let this image fool you - these flowers are very small and easy to miss in the rocky meadows! This image was a challenge. Every spring, I forget how difficult it can be to perfect the focus point in a wildflower closeup, particularly if any breeze is present - or, as in this case, the flower is at a height not covered by my tripods and I have to shoot handheld. (My patient hiking companion waited as I made more than sixty attempts! She knew what she was getting into, but I'm still grateful.) F/6.3.

Finally, a landscape view from the summit of Goose Rock, looking essentially west toward Deception Island. The filtered-sunshine lighting at roughly 10am wasn't all that interesting, but the contrast was manageable, and there was still enough blue in the sky to include some of it in the composition. F/18.

Happy spring, everyone!