Native bluebell, Hyacinthoides

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Native bluebell, Hyacinthoides
Photo Information
Copyright: Paul Haynes (PaulH) Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 981 W: 17 N: 2563] (9450)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2008-05-03
Categories: Flowers
Camera: Canon EOS400D, Sigma EF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 APO DG Macro, 55mm UV Filter
Exposure: f/10.0, 1/50 seconds
Details: Tripod: Yes
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Theme(s): Flower(blue)II, Blue Things, My Purple Obsession 1 [view contributor(s)]
Date Submitted: 2008-05-05 1:46
Viewed: 547
Points: 56
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
Hello,

It's that time of year again, and alot of the woodland in Dorset is starting to fill with our national flower, the Bluebell. I went looking for some landscape shots of these places to share with you and found some amazing places, but the weather turned into grey overcast cloud with flat, dull light (for a change!), so i thought i'd have a go at trying to take some close up shots instead. Hope you like it.

Some facts from the Natural History Museum website:

Other common names: Auld man's bell, blâklocka, calverkeys, campainha, campanula, campanule, campánula, campanilla, culverkeys, common bluebell, engelska klockhyacint, English bluebell, glockenblume, harebell, klokje, jacinth, jacinthe des bois, jacinthe sauvage, jacinto, ring-o'-bells, sternhyazinthe, wild hyacinth, wilde hyacint, wood bells, wood hyacinth, ying guo lan zhong hua.

Other scientific names: various, including Endymion non-scripta, Hyacinthus non-scripus, Scilla non-scripta and Scilla nutans.


Description

Bluebells are perennial herbs growing from a bulb.

The basal leaves are few in number (3-6) per bulb. The leaves may be between 20-45cm long and 7-25mm wide and are erect at first but become floppy and spread across the ground later in the season. Leaves are usually linear to linear-lanceolate in outline and usually have an acute tip. The leaves are smooth, shiny and slightly succulent.

The flower spike is usually 20-50cm high, with the flowers arranged in a raceme that droops or nods distinctly to one side. Each raceme usually has between 4 and 16 flowers that are mainly attached to the main stem on one side.

Each flower has two linear-lanceolate bracts, one usually longer than the other, at the base of the flower stalk. The flower stalk is normally 3-10mm long. The flowers hang down to one side of the main stem. The flowers are usually deep violet-blue but paler blue forms (rarely white and very rarely pink) do occur. Each flower is made up of six petals that are fused together at the base to form a narrow straight-sided bell. Flowers are normally 10-28mm in diameter and each petal is usually 14-20mm long. The petals are usually rolled back.

The six unequal stamens are attached to the petal bases. The anthers are pale cream. Flowers are usually strong and sweetly scented, particularly on warm days.


Origin and Distribution

Bluebells are often frequent in ancient woodlands, hedgerows, under bracken and sea cliffs. They are especially frequent in western and upland areas. Although found across the British Isles Bluebells are rare or absent in some areas including parts of East Anglia, western Ireland, northern Scotland, the Orkneys, Shetlands and the Western Isles. Bluebell also occurs as an escape from cultivation, particularly near towns and cities.



According to folklore though, back when forests were forbidding places, people believed that these flowers rang out to summon Fairies to their gatherings. Anyone unfortunate enough to here this chiming would soon die....i managed to escape unharmed luckily.

PP: shot in RAW, a touch of curves, converted to JPEG, resized and sharpened.

Thanks for looking..
cicindela, Heaven, haraprasan, goldyrs, Juyona, gerbilratz, eqshannon, horia, matatur, nglen, Alex99, uleko, gracious, Jamesp, szatanowska, SueThomson, Maite, anel, Miss_Piggy, SelenE, Argus has marked this note useful
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To horia: TimingPaulH 2 05-05 10:00
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Critiques [Translate]

Hello Paul!
Another - rather unusual as for you ;> but very beautiful picture. And another very nice one! I like natural, vivid colours and fantastic light!
Frame is also very good as for me :)
Best regards from Lodz!
Radomir

  • Great 
  • jesst Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 353 W: 0 N: 160] (2012)
  • [2008-05-05 2:20]

Beautiful flowers - what is better...

Hi Paul!

They are very common... and very beautiful! We here also have a lot of different kinds of Bluebells, even at quite high altitude. I'm always pleased to look at the coloured spots they create in our nature. You have put them very well on stage and it's a pleasure to see that you also try different things. That makes photography interesting!

Kind regards

Markus

Hi Paul,
Thank you for liking the post. A lovely capture of these beautiful blue bell flowers. Excellent composition and sharp details. Thanks a lot for sharing.

A lovely shot of these bluebells, Paul.
Vey well done.
Goldy

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  • Juyona Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 2072 W: 6 N: 1848] (12716)
  • [2008-05-05 5:19]

Hola amigo,
agradable imagen,
color, iluminación y ambiente...
hermoso trabajo Paul,
saludos

Hi Paul, very very nicely done. Great composition, POV is excellent, colours are spot on...fine work indeed.

Soon I shall be running out of space in my Blue Things theme...but I shall add a part tw3o...Wonderful way in which the stem crosses over horizontal, leaving the flora to drop down so natural..composition is the key word in this one Paul! That and BLUE!
Bob

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  • horia Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2070 W: 214 N: 3542] (11790)
  • [2008-05-05 7:37]
  • [+]

Hi Paul

Hmmm...i see they are out already :) Do you think they'll still be in two weeks? :)

This is a lovely macro on these gorgeous flowers. You managed a very nice low POV here and a superb DOF to keep a terrific focus on them still have a charming bokeh in the BG. Wonderful well saturated colors and super sharp details make this such a nice shot!

I'm wondering a bit though why exactly didn't you take any landscapes. Usually cloudy skies are great for shot inside a forest especially because they tone down the harsh shadows and increase the overall saturation naturally.

Anyway, a very beautiful post, my friend!
Bravo and TFS
Horia

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  • Mana Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1687 W: 20 N: 4738] (15476)
  • [2008-05-05 8:36]

Hi Paul,
Beautiful flowers and they hang like decorative bells from there. Lovely colours and details and the image is tack-sharp. Superb lighting and exposure levels and a precise DOF isolates it from the BG so well. Would stamping out the flower at the left hand corner improve the visual quality of the image? Excellent POV and composition. Kudos.
TFS.
Sumon

Your close-up technique is as fine as your wide angle landscape shots Paul, this is an expertly capture, the long axis of the flower group quite parpendicular to your camera's optical axis, ensuring all around sharp focus, one of the key points in succesful macro takes. The colour contrast of the composition is also very nice to behold my friend.
Mehmet

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1864 W: 2 N: 4738] (18250)
  • [2008-05-05 9:05]

Hi Paul. Yes its that time again . You have captured a fine close up with the sigma. good detail and colours. a natural picture not all photoshop just as it was. well done TFS.
Nick..

nice close up, TFS Ori

  • Great 
  • pvb Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 388 W: 20 N: 522] (1791)
  • [2008-05-05 11:28]

Hi Paul,
This nice flower also grows in the forest next to my home.
I think it is always a great sight.
The colours turned out very real and very nice against the green bg. Very good sharpness and focus
tfs Paula

  • Great 
  • uleko Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2297 W: 163 N: 6694] (21146)
  • [2008-05-05 12:50]

Hello Paul,
I remember the ground in the woodlands in Dorset being completely blue! It's a lovely flower that we don't have here! Excellent sharp close-up of this one showing the beautiful curled-up petals against a fine smooth background.
Fond memories and thanks, Ulla

  • Great 
  • joey Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1555 W: 233 N: 5091] (17959)
  • [2008-05-05 13:31]

Hi Paul!
I think Bluebell covered forests are one of the most beautiful sights in England!
I should get down to my local wood where these flowers thrive and have a go at some landscapes... need to find the time though!
Gorgeous saturated colours that have a great vibrence and "punch" to them.
Very sharp with excellent details.
Brilliant DOF and BG.
I love the contrast.
Great composition.
Superbly well done!
Cheers Paul!

Joe

Hello Paul,
Delighted to see your posting of beautiful Bluebell and it's a nice one!
the colour is absolutely beautiful also the good lighting!
very pleasant image apart from your usual landscape!
my compliment!
Tony

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  • Jamesp Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1223 W: 0 N: 4449] (13290)
  • [2008-05-05 22:56]

Hi Paul

A great close-up shot - good composition and POV with good colour and superb detail. Well observed and captured.

Just back from Ireland - sorry missed some postings.

James

  • Great 
  • Alex99 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2935 W: 142 N: 4217] (13775)
  • [2008-05-06 0:27]

Hi Paul.
I like your art shot of the fine flowers so much. Pictured subject as well as the composition of the shot and POV are superb. DOF and sharpness of the flowers are great and smooth BG is very impressive too. I love this lens a lot in skill hands as yours. Bravo.
Alexei.

  • Great 
  • erve Silver Star Critiquer/Silver Note Writer [C: 37 W: 2 N: 23] (126)
  • [2008-05-06 0:47]

hello Paul. Really nice contrasting colours. The bluebells really stand out. Excellent sharpness also.

ewan

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  • iris Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 368 W: 39 N: 654] (2053)
  • [2008-05-06 21:50]

Hi Paul,
Beautiful shot of the clump of bluebells.The colours are lovely and crisp and the BG lends a great feature to this wonderful shot.
TFS & Cheers

Hi Paul
Exquisite colours and lovely light. Thanks for sharing these lovely flowers.
Cheers
Sue

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 982 W: 64 N: 1199] (4856)
  • [2008-05-07 1:24]

WOW!! What a marvellous close-up of these lovely bluebells!! How beautiful and perfect in all aspects! I love the texture and the excellent composition with the contrast between the mauve and the smooth green in the bg. Good that you escaped unharmed to show us this beauty.
Thank you very much!
Best regards
Maite

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  • anel Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1079 W: 0 N: 1654] (7208)
  • [2008-05-07 5:36]

hello Paul,
Excellent macro and very charming picture of these Bluebells. You found the perfect background to show us the beauty of this flower. Not easy, because they are gathering so much. Interesting to see, that you diversify your subjects.
Best regards
Anne

Hallo Paul
Time is limited at the moment but I could not pass without leaving a few words of appreciation for your posting. This is lovely and my cup of tea. I see it is called blue bell, and it is added to a theme called "blue things". Maybe I am colour blind but I see a beautiful lavender coloured bell shaped flowers on my screen when I look at your posting. Because purple is my favourite colour I added this special image to my personal theme "My purple obsession. This is a lovely close-up, with fine detail. Unopened blossoms are always an eye-catcher for me and here on your photo it is no exception. To me it always adds that special and finishing touch to an image. Thanks for sharing.
Kind regards
Anna

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  • SelenE Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2337 W: 59 N: 4094] (13345)
  • [2008-05-08 8:17]

Hello Paul,
Colors, contrast, lighting, background, composition, POV, focus and sharpness are very good. TFS
All the best,
Selen

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  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2416 W: 132 N: 6653] (20877)
  • [2008-05-08 9:31]

Couldn't resist this one Paul!
Great close-up of Blue Bells with fine sharpness and well composed against the green bokeh. I might have cloned away the half flower on the left, but that's neither here nor there.
TFS this beauty,
Ivan

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  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2726 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2008-05-08 19:38]

Hello Paul

A beautiful capture and composition of these bluebells.
I love how they arc across the frame.
Excellent sharpness and detail.
The lighting and colours are excellent.
bluebells and Springtime in England go hand in hand.
TFS

Rob

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