Washington Wildflower Hikes. Nathan BarnesЧитать онлайн книгу.
the most important tip might be to take a couple of pictures of each plant you want to identify, making sure you get a good shot of both the flower and the leaves. Good luck, and remember to have fun!
PHOTOGRAPHING WILDFLOWERS
Many hikers are eager to take beautiful photographs of the wildflowers they find on the trail. Whether the photos are destined to be shared with friends or merely used to later identify the flower, here are some tips for taking the best photographs without trampling the flowers.
•Use a macro lens (105 mm recommended) or a telephoto lens so you can shoot your flower subject from a distance, or walk on rocks to get closer to the wildflowers you’re shooting without trampling vegetation.
Scarlet paintbrush brightens the slopes of Johnston Ridge (Hike 37) with cloud-covered Mount St. Helens on the horizon.
•If you use a cell phone to take photos, a selfie stick can get your camera closer to the flower while you stay on the trail.
•Plan your shot before you take it by getting close to the ground without looking through the viewfinder. This way you can pay attention and avoid damaging your surroundings.
•Consider using a camera with a live-view display that can articulate 90 degrees. This feature allows you to put your camera close to the ground without having to lie on the ground. Alternatively, many DSLRs have viewfinder attachments so you can look down at the camera versus being on the ground.
•Carry a tripod so you can be more careful about what you’re doing. If you’re serious about doing close-up photos of flowers, a tripod is all but required, as the high f-stop (f-10 or above) necessary to get a reasonable depth of field lowers shutter speed and makes it more likely that small camera shakes will blur the images.
A ground squirrel peeks up from the ground in the midst of phlox near Windy Pass (Hike 15).
•Plan to crop your image. The resolution on most modern cameras is very high, which allows you to take flower pictures from a distance, then crop them later while keeping very good image quality.
•Consider skipping flowers that are difficult to get to. There is a good chance you’ll see the same species farther down the trail in a spot where it’s easier to photograph—if not, there are always more hikes to do!
We also have a few tips on technique:
•Use a macro lens for up-close work and a wide angle for landscapes.
•Practice! The more shots you take, the better you will become at knowing which photographs are worth your time.
•Get low to the ground. Be eye-level with the blooms, or use a right-angle viewfinder.
•Be patient. Often the breeze will work against you, or people on the trail will be in your shot, so wait for a calm moment.
•Take multiple shots from different angles. Often the third or fourth shot will turn out to be the best one.
•Avoid harsh lighting. While high contrast can sometimes produce interesting images, flower petals are often somewhat reflective, which can spoil the photograph. Consider underexposing your photos in bright lighting and correcting them later.
•If you’re using a cell phone camera with HDR (high-dynamic range), try out that feature to boost the contrast in your images. Portrait mode can blur the background in an appealing way. Remember that many cell phones have a panorama mode that is excellent for big landscapes. Avoid using zoom and cropping images, which can degrade the quality.
•Avoid selfies. Have someone else take a picture of you so you can stay safe and avoid damaging the vegetation.
Mount Townsend seen from summit of Mount Zion (Hike 3)
WILDFLOWER IDENTIFICATION GUIDE
Washington State is home to thousands of different wildflowers and flowering plants, with some subspecies unique to a small area of the state. With such a broad range of plants to try and identify, serious flower-hounds often end up collecting multiple books and pamphlets on plant identification as they become more proficient at recognizing different species. For hikers just getting started, we’ve included this short flower identification guide curated from the more than 300 species we reference within these pages. We found and photographed each of the 120 flowers listed here on our treks down these trails, which makes it likely you will encounter them as well.
The wildflowers are organized by bloom color and then listed alphabetically to help you quickly narrow down your search. Featured wildflowers are indicated by a bright green box displaying the hike number; refer to that hike for more detailed information about and background on that flower. With regard to common names, some species are known locally by a variety of them; we chose common names based on their prevalence and our familiarity with them. You may know some of these wildflowers by other names. This guide will broaden your understanding and knowledge.
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Alpine buckwheat
Alpine pennycress
American bistort 13
Avalanche lily 31
Beargrass 26
Bunchberry
Chickweed
Columbia milkvetch
Columbia windflower
False Solomon’s seal