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Staghorn


Staghorn
Photo Information
Copyright: Silke Force (Silke) Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 727 W: 98 N: 1694] (5406)
Genre: Plants
Medium: Color
Date Taken: 2007-09-17
Categories: Trees
Camera: Nikon D70S, Sigma 18-200 mm (F3.5-6.3), Sigma UV 62 mm
Exposure: f/11, 1/50 seconds
More Photo Info: [view]
Photo Version: Original Version
Date Submitted: 2007-10-16 5:31
Viewed: 763
Points: 30
[Note Guidelines] Photographer's Note
When I was growing up, we were taught to avoid these lovely shrubs. Somebody got them mixed up with poison sumac, I think. For in truth this native of eastern North America (including Ontario where I grew up) has some lovely practical uses. The fruit you see here can be soaked and washed in cold water, then soaked again, strained and sweetened to make a refreshing pink drink rather like lemonade. Native peoples used to mix the fruit with tobacco to be smoked. Moreover, every part of the plant can be used as a natural dye. Because the plant is rich in tannins, it can also be used as a mordant to strengthen and intensify other dyes.

Staghorn Sumac is a deciduous shrub that belongs to the Cashew family. It is hardy and grows even dry or poor soil where other plants cannot survive. It is therefore quite plentiful in the Oak Ridges Moraine just north of Toronto, which is where this capture was made.

Tech: composed in camera, shot handheld in RAW, converted without cropping, sharpened edges, framed and signed

For those who are unfamiliar with this plant, please let me assure you that the texture you see here is very real. It is not out of focus, as you can see by the hairs on the branches below the orange-red fruits.

Thanks for looking, for reading, and for critiquing and have a wonderful day.
Argus, eqshannon, nglen, jaycee, jmirah, red45, pierrefonds, angybone has marked this note useful
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Critiques [Translate]

  • Great 
  • Argus Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 3813 W: 190 N: 11346] (34981)
  • [2007-10-16 6:44]

Hello Silke,
Fine capture of the Staghorn Sumac fruit.
I admire those who can compose and take a sharp shot without any cropping or other PP work and this shot fits nicely into that category. Excellent lighting, colours and composition.
Thanks for this and the informative note.
best wishes, Ivan

I have never heard of it. Yet now I shall be aware of it's existence through you well composed and colored picture. A fascination plant it is in it's well caught contrasting complimenting colours. Should I ever get back east some day you will have to show me this plant. A good capture with a searching eye!
Bob

  • Great 
  • nglen Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2908 W: 34 N: 8623] (32138)
  • [2007-10-16 7:41]

Hi Silke. You have a unusal looking plant not one i have seen in the UK. good detail and rich colours. I like the compostion and POV. well framed. TFS. good notes too.
Nick..

Hello Silke
This a new plant to me and you have presented it superbly..good lighting details and colours. Top work and TFS
Paul

  • Great 
  • jaycee Gold Star Critiquer/Silver Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2493 W: 11 N: 6885] (21912)
  • [2007-10-16 9:10]

Hi Silke,

You manage to present such wonderful photos of things most of us have never seen before! This is unusual and lovely. Wonderful colors, details, and composition.

Jane

  • Great 
  • jmirah Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 506 W: 5 N: 1135] (4665)
  • [2007-10-16 10:46]

Hi Silke,
A really lovely photo capturing excellent color. A fine composition. Very well done.

TFS
Jim

  • Great 
  • lousat Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1978 W: 6 N: 5527] (19673)
  • [2007-10-16 12:45]

wonderfull composition...best regards,luciano

Hi Silke, fascinating composition with splendid flower, wonderful colors and superb light, very well done, ciao Silvio

  • Great 
  • Maite Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 1007 W: 64 N: 1266] (5195)
  • [2007-10-16 13:55]

WOW!
What a beautiful picture and artistic presentation! Magnificent shot of this curious and beautiful plant, with such fantastic POV and composition and such lovely colors.
Great job, my friend.
Greetings and TFS
Maite

  • Great 
  • arfer Gold Star Critiquer [C: 2731 W: 0 N: 0] (0)
  • [2007-10-16 20:25]

Hello Silke

My mother was a weaver and I remember boiling the berries in pots in the back yard and she would dye wool,then spin it to weave.I have always had an affinity for these trees and the beautiful staghorn of red berries.It adds colour to the winter landscape too.Nicely captured and composed.The lighting is very good and the colours are natural and well saturated.TFS

Rob

  • Great 
  • red45 Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Star Workshop Editor/Gold Note Writer [C: 2705 W: 74 N: 8864] (30243)
  • [2007-10-17 0:56]

Hello Silke!

Very interesting note and beautifull picture. I like composition, framing, light and details. It is rather hard to take good picture of plant, but you did it very well! I think something similiar growed around when I was a child, but we didn't make lemonade for sure :-)

Hi Silke,

A nice close-up image of the staghorn plant, a lot of details can be seen. Then photo has a good composition and nice colors. Thanks for sharing.

Pierre

  • Great 
  • gannu Gold Star Critiquer/Gold Note Writer [C: 1169 W: 4 N: 3262] (14691)
  • [2007-10-17 4:35]

Silke, Absolutely class shot with such a fantastic frame. Superb Ganesh

Magnifique composition, belles couleurs et belle lumière.
Bravo
Marie

What an interesting shot and species.
Well done!

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