New Zealand: Ponga
The ponga, or silver fern (Cyathea dealbata), has become an emblem of Aotearoa and even, in stylized form, a candidate for a new flag for the country. The upper surface of each ponga frond is a green that you’d expect from a fern, but the lower surface is a very pale green that some see as a silvery off-white. You can decide for yourself how to describe the color based on this abstract view of a ponga from my visit to Kawau Island on February 12th.
If you’re interested in photography as a craft, you’ll find that points 1, 2, 4, 9 and 14 in About My Techniques are relevant to this photograph.
NOTE: Yesterday’s post has just gotten an update that gives a likely identification of the vividly red-orange plants you saw there.
© 2015 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
Your less is more technique certainly shines here. Beautiful.
Gallivanta
April 15, 2015 at 7:03 AM
I was surprised when I noticed how similar in feeling this minimalist view of a ponga is to the one I found on the right side of the linked Wikipedia article.
Steve Schwartzman
April 15, 2015 at 7:50 AM
The stark contrast really imparts a silvery feel to the ponga.
Steve Gingold
April 16, 2015 at 3:34 AM
Another reason for me to say that ferns are fun.
Steve Schwartzman
April 16, 2015 at 6:45 AM
Lovely fern and lovely spot to see it.
Interesting update on the other post , too – thanks!
Birder's Journey
April 17, 2015 at 7:05 PM
You’re welcome. I saw and photographed ponga ferns in various other places, too, but I like the abstract nature of this view.
Steve Schwartzman
April 17, 2015 at 9:41 PM
When I went to camp, I remember using some sort of photographic technique to create images that resembled this: ferns and leaves were favored subjects. We might have used glass, or sunlight. We might have coated the paper and then put the leaf on top, to leave a shadow. We might have brushed surfaces with “something.” I don’t know. But I remember the magic of seeing images emerge.
I tried to find a clue online, but didn’t get very far. I did find this article, which both surprised me and made me very happy.
shoreacres
April 19, 2015 at 5:27 PM
You’re on the right track with that article. The general name for that sort of thing is photogram:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogram
The photographer Man Ray made photograms but called them Rayographs, after himself:
http://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O93552/rayograph-abstract-composition-photograph-man-ray/
Steve Schwartzman
April 19, 2015 at 9:26 PM
When I saw this article in Foreign Policy, I remembered your post about the fern, and your mention of the proposed flag. Now, the field’s been narrowed, and the vote scheduled. I suspect NZ will have a new flag, and a nice one.
shoreacres
December 11, 2015 at 6:33 PM
I hadn’t been following the NZ flag situation, so I appreciate the update. The leading contender is fine with me.
Steve Schwartzman
December 11, 2015 at 7:14 PM