Wild garlic buds opening

with 25 comments

Allium drummondii between Arboretum Blvd. and Loop 360 on March 14.

Point 4 in About My Techniques is relevant to today’s photograph.

Written by Steve Schwartzman

March 25, 2017 at 5:04 AM

Posted in nature photography

Tagged with Austin, buds, garlic, native plant, paste, soft, Texas, wildflower

25 Responses

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this is beautiful, steve –

ksbeth

March 25, 2017 at 5:36 AM

Reply
- I look forward to these little flowers each spring.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 7:12 AM
  
  Reply
yes, beautiful! and an excellent choice of focus point!

lostfunzone (dothob)

March 25, 2017 at 5:57 AM

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- I don’t normally let the element of my subject that’s closest to the camera go out of focus. In this case, not wanting the harshness of flash, I decided to focus a bit farther away to maximize the number of in-focus details.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 7:15 AM
  
  Reply
Beautiful! It will be months till our Wild Garlic blooms. Thanks for sending a touch of warmth.

Ed Lehming Photography

March 25, 2017 at 7:17 AM

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- You’re welcome. I’m sorry about the price you pay for living so far north.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 7:28 AM
  
  Reply
Beautiful shot, Steve.

oneowner

March 25, 2017 at 7:30 AM

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- But soft, what light through yonder garlic breaks?
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 9:27 AM
  
  Reply
A lovely image of spring’s birth…

lensandpensbysally

March 25, 2017 at 7:45 AM

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- I hope that birth has reached you up north by now.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 9:46 AM
  
  Reply
  - It’s slow and steady, and yet some of it is weeks early.
    
    lensandpensbysally
    
    March 25, 2017 at 12:32 PM
    
    Reply
    - So for the plants that are weeks early it’s not true that “Slow and steady wins the race.”
      
      Steve Schwartzman
      
      March 25, 2017 at 12:42 PM
      
      Reply
      - Exactly…
        
        lensandpensbysally
        
        March 26, 2017 at 10:30 AM
        
        Reply
The soft magenta blending into the creamy white is lovely. Do people harvest these for the garlic or do they not really form a good bulb?

Steve Gingold

March 25, 2017 at 10:38 AM

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- I have no personal experience, but the page at
  
  http://pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Allium+drummondii
  
  gives these edible uses: “Bulb – raw or cooked. Used mainly as a condiment, the bulb is also eaten as a vegetable. The bulb is rather small, up to 25mm tall and 15mm in diameter. Leaves – raw or cooked. Flowers – raw. Used as a garnish on salads.
  
  I went with this photograph as a “soft” portrait, even though I, and I believe you too, prefer to have all the key elements sharp. I’m pleased to hear that the soft magenta works for you in this portrait.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 11:12 AM
  
  Reply
  - I am softening my position on sharpness.
    
    Steve Gingold
    
    March 25, 2017 at 11:36 AM
    
    Reply
    - What a good turn of phrase.
      
      Steve Schwartzman
      
      March 25, 2017 at 12:41 PM
      
      Reply
Beautifully done.

Sherry Felix

March 25, 2017 at 2:04 PM

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- Thanks, Sherry.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 7:12 PM
  
  Reply
that’s the type of focus that prompts me to paint studies of flowers… Just one single stalk; I focus and break it down in a split second, dip my brush in water and start painting… about an hour later I emerge from my trance and wonder, ‘how did i do that?’

thanks for providing a mental exercise.. in my mind it’s been painted!

Playamart - Zeebra Designs

March 25, 2017 at 3:43 PM

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- I’ll take your word for it, and I’m glad for your mental act, though I have no idea how painters do what they do, whether in the imagination or with real paint. I wish I did.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 25, 2017 at 7:16 PM
  
  Reply
This is the first year I’ve noticed the translucent sheath on some of the plants: wild onions and iris come to mind. I suspect my macro lens is primarily responsible. I do like the way you’ve focused this image. It seems to me to highlight the delicate strength of the sheath, and the mystery of what it still contains.

shoreacres

March 26, 2017 at 8:00 AM

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- A macro lens peers into worlds we don’t normally see. Once we’ve glimpsed them, we don’t want to stop visiting. That seems to be what you’re experiencing now.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 26, 2017 at 8:48 AM
  
  Reply
So delicate.. love the purple

Julie@frogpondfarm

March 28, 2017 at 8:05 PM

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- Wild garlic is still around but the flowers have matured and will soon be on their way out.
  
  Steve Schwartzman
  
  March 28, 2017 at 8:07 PM
  
  Reply