Notes from the Woods

seeing · environment · exploration · photography

First day Spring 2009

Written by Mark

Born and raised in Detroit, c. 323 ppm CO2, Mark Graf is a Michigan photographer, naturalist, and diver whose muse is summoned by exploring the endless connections in nature; land, sea, and sky.

Friday, March 20, 2009

Happy First Day of Spring folks – at least for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere.

Red Trillium in bark

Red Trillium in bark

This is one of the wildflower prints that is hanging at Henry Ford West Bloomfield hospital. I originally had this as a horizontal in my gallery (rotated clockwise from here), but the designers asked for it in a vertical.   It doesn’t happen for me very often that an image works equally as well in both orientations – but once I printed it as a vertical – it really grew on me that way.

This image is representative of my “symbiotic compositions” series I am accumulating as a theme.  My original post about it is here.   I particularly liked how the cut outs in the bark resembled petals or leaves  – almost as if they were part of the flower itself.

Let’s hope the energy of spring continues to fill the air – this winter has been one to say good riddance to!

graf nature photo divider

this post is tagged with these subjects, you are invited to explore and wander …

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

Skunk Cabbage (Symplocarpus foetidus)

Botany is not one of my strong suits. Perhaps the strongest memory I have of recognizing that is from a hike some years back during a training class on vernal pools. While hiking to one specific pool, one of the class instructors, Ms. Phyllis Higman, a Senior...

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Spring Ephemerals

Spring Ephemerals

Spring seems like such a fleeting season here in Michigan.   We strongly yearn for milder temps after what seems like an eternity of Winter but are not quite ready for the humidity and heat of Summer.    We want to bask for a bit in the fresh energy around us.  Though...

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Spring Sprung

Spring Sprung

Well, whaddayaknow, Spring will be coming to Michigan after all.  After hitting the record snowfall mark in Detroit just last week, there were doubts.   Spring energy is certainly in the air now, and wildflowers are reaching up with some pent-up energy.   Snow be...

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10 Comments

  1. Paul Grecian

    Such a nice image Mark. And I can see where this would be a very uplifting piece for a hospital. It just speaks to getting past struggles and new-beginnings.

  2. Mark

    Thanks folks, I appreciate you taking time to leave comments.

  3. Kenneth Sena

    nice picture out here. this brings hope to all the people. this is what spring brings. from kika.ca

  4. Andy

    Nice theme, Mark. I always marvel at your ability to find a unique approach to all things photographic!

  5. hkki

    Beautiful flower and photo

  6. Paul

    Lovely, Mark. I certainly like it in this orientation. But then again, I love vertical pictures!

  7. Anita Bower

    Gorgeous. The bark really makes the flower pop! I like the vertical.

  8. Lana

    Lovely photo! I was out today, myself, taking macro shots of teensy tiny flowers you’d never notice in my yard unless you really looked. Such an inspirational time, Spring!

  9. petra voegtle

    Hi Mark, lovely bloom and lovely photo! Spring has disappeared here again! You would not believe that I shot these photos of a crocus field just one week ago (look under my blogger account above) – now we are back in deep winter with temperatures below zero again. I CANNOT BELIEVE THIS! Yuck!
    Greetings, Petra

  10. Jack Johnson

    Gorgeous – I’ve never seen a red trillium before!