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Skunk Cabbage
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:16 am    Post subject: Skunk Cabbage Reply with quote

This is a very early Skunk Cabbage (Lysichiton americanus) which is common in our wet woods and wetlands. This guy is about 5 inches tall, and the spathe and spadix are developing, along with the "rollout" of the leaves. These can sometimes grow into giants, with leaves as much as 4 feet long, and a total spread of 8-9 feet.

When I used to accompany my grandfather on plant-naming forays, we would warm our numb hands inside the spathe. The plant generates heat through chemical reactions, and actually melts any snow around the plant.

The Foveon sensor shows its true capability of being dimensional here. I am really excited about the ability to render true colors, and also love that I didn't have to do anything at all to this image, other than resize it. Now THAT'S the kind of workflow I like!


Sigma SD-14
SMC Pentax 100/4 Macro


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow, that is early for Skunk Cabbage. I do not think it is up here yet and our climate is a bit milder.

Nice shot.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 9:41 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

very interesting plant reading, and excellent shot but that comes without saying Wink


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:28 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ahh. but that smell! A well named plant. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
I used to have these growing by a stream in my yard back in Connecticut.

patrickh


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 2:55 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi Larry, I see you've already mastered the SD14. Smile
Nice shot!.

Kind regards,
Jes.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

maddog10 wrote:
Wow, that is early for Skunk Cabbage. I do not think it is up here yet and our climate is a bit milder.

Nice shot.


Hi Michael, thank you. Normally in the small ecotone of this valley, the Skunk Cabbage is always coming up in March. I don't know if the eastern species is later by way of environment, or just comes up differently. In any case, they are an unusual and , to me, beautiful plant.


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Orio wrote:
very interesting plant reading, and excellent shot but that comes without saying Wink


It's interesting, Orio, that it seems that many people are put off by the odor of the plant. However, perhaps since I spent much of my boyhood wandering in the local wetlands and rain forest bogs, the odor gives me good feelings of an innocent past. Also, it helps me to find the sometimes elusive plant itself!

In the case of this area, the Skunk Cabbage actually harbors two major species under its leaves, so that they have adapted to the shade and acidic soil that is prevalent in these ecotones. Also, there are some exciting compounds being discovered with the Skunk Cabbages; not only the processes that create the quite amazing amount of heat generated, but also some alkaloid compounds that are unique in the world.

Also, notice the pointed structural architecture of the tip of the spathe and the leaf bundle. Those points are all compacted and very strong as the plant breaks the surface; they act as a couple of spears that are capable of pushing up through some very heavy loam. Then, once the plant has broken free, the uncurling begins.


Last edited by Laurence on Sun Mar 08, 2009 5:01 pm; edited 1 time in total


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:47 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

patrickh wrote:
Ahh. but that smell! A well named plant. Very Happy Very Happy Very Happy
I used to have these growing by a stream in my yard back in Connecticut.

patrickh


That smell is pure ambrosia to my nose, Patrick! Very Happy


PostPosted: Sun Mar 08, 2009 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Jesito wrote:
Hi Larry, I see you've already mastered the SD14. Smile
Nice shot!.

Kind regards,
Jes.


I've only scratched out an acceptable image from the SD-14, Jes! Cool The camera is so FULL of anomalic settings!

Take just the white balance for one -- the white balance settings can be wildly differing, especially in contrast situations, yet can have a subtle differentiation in low-key lighting that is wonderful to work with for tweaking down to the last photon.

The metering can also go "wild" on you -- not because the meter is "faulty", but because of the algorithms used to come up with the "average". It induces me to watch what I'm doing very carefully.

But those anomalies are actually a good thing, at least that's my opinion. The nature of the camera makes me stop and think.

Sometimes I get it VERY wrong, and no amount of conversion helps. But, when it comes out right, it seems that the images jump right off the substrate!

In this case, I decided to "spot" meter off of the frost border at the base of the upthrust leaf detritus down at the base of the plant. I wanted that frost line to show up as a pretty neutral gray in order to differentiate it from the browns of the earthy loam. In turn, this helped the rest of the frost to come out "about right". The rest of the image was left to "go find its own balance" based on my settings. In this case, the greens and yellows became unbelievably close to what the eye sees!


PostPosted: Mon Mar 09, 2009 9:18 pm    Post subject: Re: Skunk Cabbage Reply with quote

Keith G wrote:
Laurence wrote:
The Foveon sensor shows its true capability of being dimensional here. I am really excited about the ability to render true colors, and also love that I didn't have to do anything at all to this image, other than resize it. Now THAT'S the kind of workflow I like!


Again, very nice saturation. This 'Foveon' thing is a bother - I'm far too deep into Nikon and 'Nikon fit' now, but I'm wondering if I shouldn't have looked into it somewhat!!


Nahhh...I wouldn't bother with Foveon either, if I was into the Nikon fit gear, Keith. I mean, how do you beat Nikon? Besides, it's all good, and there's different equipment for different strokes. But, as we all know, it's the photographer more than the camera (or sensor). Very Happy


PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 6:00 am    Post subject: Re: Skunk Cabbage Reply with quote

Keith G wrote:
Laurence wrote:
Nahhh...I wouldn't bother with Foveon either, if I was into the Nikon fit gear, Keith. I mean, how do you beat Nikon? Besides, it's all good, and there's different equipment for different strokes. But, as we all know, it's the photographer more than the camera (or sensor). Very Happy


Sure, no camera can make up for it if you ain't got the eye, but I had a look at the technical 'stuff' on the foveon chip and it looked good to me!

??


Keith, I'm usually a pessimist when I "hear" kudos about this and that on the web; I have to, of course, try things out myself. In the case of the Foveon sensor, I have to say that the images produced DO have a special luminosity that is sort of like film, and that there is a definite dimensionality to the rendered images. I am quite pleased.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 5:23 pm    Post subject: Stop, Desist, Halt!!! Reply with quote

Right - I hope I have your attention?

STOP TAKING PICTURES LIKE THIS!

I can't and it's NOT FAIR. I am trying to learn to be an American, and I understand from every commercial that I DESERVE good skin, I DESERVE not to pay a penalty for credit card debt.. I DESERVE to have every woman chase after me if I wear their brand of cologne, well I DESERVE to be able to take pictures this good - and I can't, so you are being UNAMERICAN in doing something that I cannot.


Shame on you Laurence, shame on you!

Smile Smile Smile

Doug.


PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:38 pm    Post subject: Re: Stop, Desist, Halt!!! Reply with quote

nemesis101 wrote:
Right - I hope I have your attention?

STOP TAKING PICTURES LIKE THIS!

I can't and it's NOT FAIR. I am trying to learn to be an American, and I understand from every commercial that I DESERVE good skin, I DESERVE not to pay a penalty for credit card debt.. I DESERVE to have every woman chase after me if I wear their brand of cologne, well I DESERVE to be able to take pictures this good - and I can't, so you are being UNAMERICAN in doing something that I cannot.


Shame on you Laurence, shame on you!

Smile Smile Smile

Doug.


You crack me up, Doug! Actually, it's the subject of the image that makes it good. All I have to do is point and shoot. Wink (Just don't tell anyone on this forum).


PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 8:42 pm    Post subject: Re: Skunk Cabbage Reply with quote

Keith G wrote:
Laurence wrote:
Keith, I'm usually a pessimist when I "hear" kudos about this and that on the web; I have to, of course, try things out myself. In the case of the Foveon sensor, I have to say that the images produced DO have a special luminosity that is sort of like film, and that there is a definite dimensionality to the rendered images. I am quite pleased.



Well, it's certainly paying off as far as I can see! There's a lot of posts here that don't match your results for saturation despite being sharp and good, well-lit exposures.

(I have my suspicions about much of the East German and USSR glass...?? Shocked )


Keith, for one thing, the saturation in these areas of western Washington is naturally very dense and fiercely prevalent on the mosses, bryophytes, leaves, etc. In fact, I've had critiques wherein the observer felt that I had pumped up the saturation. Shocked I simply don't HAVE to increase saturation, and that's great - one less step in the processing chain.

You wrote: (I have my suspicions about much of the East German and USSR glass...?? Shocked )
Haha! Are you trying to start a heated discussion? Laughing Hey, it's okay by me, I LIKE heated discussions, it's how we learn new things. Wink


PostPosted: Tue Mar 10, 2009 9:58 pm    Post subject: Re: Skunk Cabbage Reply with quote

Saturation?

Bugger saturation - when I go anywhere in Oregon I get saturated...

However, the sunshine here is very very rare, so no chance of getting that effect of light as in your pics - indeed as I have remarked in the past, I will sometimes hear a frightened scream as some young child asks their mummy what that bright yellow thing is in the sky... only to be reassured that they need not worry, it will soon be gone...


Doug

quote="Laurence"]
Keith G wrote:
Laurence wrote:
Keith, I'm usually a pessimist when I "hear" kudos about this and that on the web; I have to, of course, try things out myself. In the case of the Foveon sensor, I have to say that the images produced DO have a special luminosity that is sort of like film, and that there is a definite dimensionality to the rendered images. I am quite pleased.



Well, it's certainly paying off as far as I can see! There's a lot of posts here that don't match your results for saturation despite being sharp and good, well-lit exposures.

(I have my suspicions about much of the East German and USSR glass...?? Shocked )


Keith, for one thing, the saturation in these areas of western Washington is naturally very dense and fiercely prevalent on the mosses, bryophytes, leaves, etc. In fact, I've had critiques wherein the observer felt that I had pumped up the saturation. Shocked I simply don't HAVE to increase saturation, and that's great - one less step in the processing chain.

You wrote: (I have my suspicions about much of the East German and USSR glass...?? Shocked )
Haha! Are you trying to start a heated discussion? Laughing Hey, it's okay by me, I LIKE heated discussions, it's how we learn new things. Wink[/quote]