 Primeroses and wood-anemones along a forest road in Bourgogne (11/04/2013) Three-row panorama stitched from 15 (17) images AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 70 mm, 1 sec, f 32 |
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Flowers in Meadows and Fields
France and Germany Spring and Summer 2013
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Spring came late in 2013. When I started in the middle of April I headed for the south of France. I hoped to find there blooming flowers in meadows and fields. That's what I wanted to take pictures of: meadows and fields full of colours as expected in the second half of April. However, I found early spring motives. In Bourgogne I found no flowers at all in the meadows. But the ground of the soaking wet forest was covered with a carpet of primeroses and wood-anemones. (↑) The yellow stars of wild daffodils and wild tulips were shining on the slopes of the Roussillion-mountains further south. |
 Wild Daffodils near Nimes Three-row panorama stitched of 9 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 24, 1/10 sec |
These flowers pointed out that spring had just arrived even there in the south. |
 Wild tulips in the garrigues near Perpignan Two-row panorama stitched of 4 (6) images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 17, 1/40 sec |
The cherry-trees were flowering erverywhere in the south |
 Cherry-tree in the Dept. Hérault Single-row panorama stitched of 4(6) images AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 18 mm, 1/100 sec, f 13 |
But even then they suffered from cold periods with snow |
 Cherry-tree in the snow, Beaujolais mountains near Villfranche-sur Saône, 27/04/2013 Two-row panorama stitched of 8 images Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 65 mm, f 22, 0,6 sec |
Finally I found a field close to Perpignan in the extreme south of France that could be called a dream of a plant-photographer. For two days I parked my small camper beside this field covered with thousands of orange and yellow flowers. |
 Field with Californian Poppies and my camper, near Perpignan AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 18 mm, 1/320 sec, f 9 |
The Californian Poppy is not an endemic plant but it is cultivated and grows sometimes as a garden escape. |
 Californian Poppies AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 32 mm, 1/40 sec, f 8 |
The flowers opened late in the morning only under full sunshine and closed early in the evening. ... |
 Micro-Nikkor 105 mm, 1:2,8,1/500 sec, f 5,6 |
 Micro-Nikkor 200mm 1:4 (MF),1/500 sec, f 8 |
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 One-row panorama stitched of 3 images AF-Nikkor 300 mm 1:4, 1/1250 sec, f 4 |
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... Just at noon the Tramontana Storm was blowing at its heaviest, shaking the plants vigorously. The flowers looked very nice, but it was extremely difficult to shoot sharp photographs under these conditions. |
 Field with Californian Poppies during the Tramontana Storm Two-row panorama stitched of 4 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 22, 1/10 sec |
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Finally, spring comes
with big power, offering me with an unforgettable sunrise near Carcassonne
Valley near Carcassonne (17/04/2013) Single-row panorama stitched of 10 images AF-Nikkor 300 mm 1:4, 1/50 sec, f 13 |
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The large variety of spring-flowers in the southern landscape arises - just before the end of my trip. |
 Borage in a fallow field Three-row panorama stitched of 9 (12) images AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 125 mm, 0,4 sec, f 32 |
 Spurge in a fallow field Three-row panorama stitched of 9 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 24, 1/30 sec |
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 Meadow in the Dépt. Ariège (22/04/2013) Two-row panorama stitched of 8 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 16, 1/640 sec |
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 Meadow in the Dépt. Ariège (22/04/2013) Single-row panorama stitched of 6 images Micro-Nikkor 200mm 1:4 (MF),1/400 sec, f 5,6 |
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Flowers in meadows and fields continued to be my favorite subjects of interest when I was back in Germany. |
 Nature reserve Taubergießen close to the Rhine (1st week of June 2013) Single-row panorama stitched of 4 (8) images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 22, 1/15 sec |
The meadows in the nature reserve Taubergießen were not jet mowed at the beginning of June. |
 Nature reserve Taubergießen close to the Rhine (1st week of June 2013) Single-row panorama stitched of 4 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 27, 1/6 sec |
This nutrient-poor grassland will be cut soon, but not before most of the flowers have faded. |
 Nature reserve Taubergießen close to the Rhine (1st week of June 2013) Two-row panorama stitched of 8 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 22, 1/30 sec |
 Meadow in the nature reserve Taubergießen close to the Rhine Single-row panorama stitched of 5 images AF-Nikkor 70-210 1:4-5,6 at 90 mm, 1,6 sec, f 13 |
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Even in July there were some meadows uncut, situated at the banks of small rivers. Some meadows remain uncut by engines, they are maintained by a flock of wild horses and wild cattle. (↓) |
 Nature reserve Feuchtwiesen Saerbeck, Nordrhein-Westfalen in July Two-row panorama stitched of 6 images AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 21 mm, 1,6 sec, f 18 |
 Bank meadow at the river Ems, Nordrhein-Westfalen in July Two-row panorama stitched of 8 images Nikkor AF-S 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 G at 50 mm, f 25, 0,4 sec |
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This big population of bog asphodels (Narthecium ossifragum) come into bloom in July and makes the bog more colourful as any meadow of the environment at that time. |
 Bog Asphodel in a bog in Münsterland (July 2013) Two-row panorama stitched of 8 images AF-Nikkor 18-35mm 1:3,5-4,5 at 21 mm, 0,3 sec, f 18 |
 Bog Asphodel in a bog in Münsterland (July 2013) Two-row panorama stitched of 10 (12) images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 22, 0,4 sec |
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 Bog Asphodel in a bog in Münsterland (July 2013) Three-row panorama stitched of 12 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 19,1/50 sec |
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Just before the time when blosseming passed by I discovered this wheat-field accentuated with delicate blossoms of bellbinds. |
 Wheat field near Münster (July 2013) Two-row panorama stitched of 10 images PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 22, 1/10 sec |
 Wheat field near Münster (July 2013) Two-row panorama stitched of 12 images, detail PC-E Micro Nikkor 45mm 1:2.8D ED, at f 24, 1/8 sec |
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