2104_0852 Prairie Crocus
I have wanted this shot for several years now; this spring I finally realized that it wasn't going to happen at random, from some stroke of pure luck. I would have to make some effort.
The Prairie Crocus - also known as Pasqueflower - is our earliest blooming wildflower, usually appearing in southwestern Saskatchewan by late March or early April. They were a little late this year. After all our snow had melted - there wasn't much - and a late snowstorm was forecast, I went out to one of my good locations to find some, and made mental notes (haha, unreliable at best!). It snowed, as predicted. The morning it began to melt, I returned, and this was the first grouping I found. Exactly what I'd hoped for! An hour and a half later, I passed by this same spot again, and the hole was larger, much of the snow had melted back. The next day it was gone. Timing is the key.
The other keys included a tripod, wired cable release, 105mm macro lens + 1.7x teleconverter. The usual macro setup (that 1.7x is optional).
I wanted these flowers in the snow for several reasons: 1 - all flowers look good in snow; 2 - it shows how hardy they are; 3 - the snow covers most of the surrounding grass and other plants and allows a simplified, uncluttered view.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.
2104_0852 Prairie Crocus
I have wanted this shot for several years now; this spring I finally realized that it wasn't going to happen at random, from some stroke of pure luck. I would have to make some effort.
The Prairie Crocus - also known as Pasqueflower - is our earliest blooming wildflower, usually appearing in southwestern Saskatchewan by late March or early April. They were a little late this year. After all our snow had melted - there wasn't much - and a late snowstorm was forecast, I went out to one of my good locations to find some, and made mental notes (haha, unreliable at best!). It snowed, as predicted. The morning it began to melt, I returned, and this was the first grouping I found. Exactly what I'd hoped for! An hour and a half later, I passed by this same spot again, and the hole was larger, much of the snow had melted back. The next day it was gone. Timing is the key.
The other keys included a tripod, wired cable release, 105mm macro lens + 1.7x teleconverter. The usual macro setup (that 1.7x is optional).
I wanted these flowers in the snow for several reasons: 1 - all flowers look good in snow; 2 - it shows how hardy they are; 3 - the snow covers most of the surrounding grass and other plants and allows a simplified, uncluttered view.
Photographed in Grasslands National Park, Saskatchewan (Canada). Don't use this image on websites, blogs, or other media without explicit permission ©2021 James R. Page - all rights reserved.