Sunday, June 28, 2009

Sunday Stills: Things with Wings

This week's photography challenge was wings. I have been working on my own challenge of color manipulating backgrounds without altering the colors of the subject.

Here is the winged stem of Frostweed, Verbesina virginica. It gets its common name from the fact that in the winter when it freezes the dead stems will split and curly shavings of ice will extrude out. They live in colonies in the understory of our creek and serve as butterfly cafes when blooming. You can see a photo of one in bloom with a butterfly at this older post.

I think Borage is one of the most intensely beautiful blue flowers in the herb garden. After we finished picking blackberries yesterday (see previous post) I caught these ladybugs enjoying them too. There is a folktale that if you float these flowers in the drink of a man you like he will ask you to marry him.

This is a Pipevine Swallowtail, Battus philenor, so perfect it must have just emerged from its chrysalis to sun itself. The bitterness of its host plant--Pipevine--makes it unpalatable to birds.

Check out more interpretations of wings at Sunday Stills.

16 comments:

Dana and Daisy said...

love how you manipulated the backgrounds. Just yesterday I thought I should try doing more artful photos of my garden subjects instead of the straightforward botany shots I've been doing. Maybe next year's garden I will do that. It has been fun to catalogue the growth of my garden on my blog this year.

Remember those ornamental kale that I thought were goners to the attack of the caterpillars last year? you should see them, so full and thick right now. Even more funny since my gardeners tried to get me to yank them out this spring. Gardening takes patience.

thecrazysheeplady said...

Very interesting with the color manipulation. My favorite is the ladybug shot.

Your blackberries look wonderful :-D

Holly said...

I love to hear little bits about the subjects in the photos. I bet you could get some fine detail shots of the ice in the winter.

VioletSky said...

Wow, two challenges in one. Intersting shots with the colour. Love that swallowtail's perfect symmetry.

Regular Guy said...

I like the lady bugs too. We stayed in a cottage one time near Chimney Rock, NC called the Lady Bug House. It had lady bugs inside.

Ed said...

Too cool and extremely creative.:-)

Vicki ~ FL said...

The backgrounds behind all the 'wings' just made the photos that much prettier. Who doesn't love ladybugs and that Pipevine Swallowtail was gorgeous.

Thanks for your visit. That chicken I photographed was in the supermarket parking lot in the Floriday Keys!

Welcome To Wilmoth Farms said...

really cool photos! Very artsy and a change from the norm! I love it

allhorsestuff said...

Fabulously done! The way you have changed the colours..truly beauriful!
Very nice pictures today!!!
Thanks for stoppin' over at my place too!
KacyK

Laughing Orca Ranch said...

WOW! That Swallowtail photo is just STUNNING! And I love how you're having fun with your photos changing the colors and such. Very creative!

Have a great day :)

~Lisa

Crafty Green Poet said...

lovely photos, such vivid colours...

Kelly said...

The swallowtail is so vibrant--I love it!

Nola said...

I grew borage once, just so I could harvest the flowers and sugar coat them! Just lovely!

WhimsybyMari said...

Love the butterfly, great pictures

Carroll Baker said...

Great shots and cool photoshop manip!

Unknown said...

That's a very beautiful butterfly, love that shot, so transparent... thanks for the visit.

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