Prairie Wild Flower: A Nice Photography Subject
But even with the small number, these prairie wildflowers, which can be found in the scattered remnants of the tallgrass prairie, make a good photography subject. It is because these are not just plain plants. Prairie wildflower is a part of an ecological community of specific flora and fauna that also includes forbs, grasses, birds, and insects.
The prairie wildflower region can be sandy, hilly, dry, mesic, or wet, so you can possibly find many different species there like orchids, grasses, composites, legumes, gentians, and milkweeds. They often complete their cycle in about two weeks, which then results in a continuous bloom from early spring to late bloom. Generally, the first to bloom in the spring are those lower growing species followed by the taller species in late summer and fall. Although their beauty is sometimes subtle, they have that unique look which is really something to photograph.
To really capture the best in prairie wildflower, you better wait for spring. If you begin to see the exquisite beauty of pale blue pasqueflower of the hill prairies, then you will definitely that it is springtime. This flower is then followed by other colorful prairie wildflowers like the prairie violets, prairie smoke, prairie buttercups, and all other low-growing plants. When all of these are already in bloom, you will be amazed to see the prairie region blazing with color.
Sometimes, you would see a spectrum of colors, but there is always one that dominates it. And then after a week, when you look at the spectrum, you will notice that it is dominated by a different one. You should definitely capture this sight because the blending of colors of different prairie wildflowers will make a good photograph.
Some of the prairie wildflowers that you should capture are the Indian paintbrush, wild hyacinth, purple spiderworts, wild bergamots, sunflower, asters, and goldenrod. These flowers occur in spectacular masses, so you will not have difficulty finding them. But for those that do not, like the yellow star grass, blue-eyed grass, prairie lily, and the prairie clover, you need to spend some time and effort before you can actually get a picture of any of these. Orchids and grasses can also be found in the prairie region. Although some are hard to find, looking for them will definitely be worth it for your camera. You can search for the white lady's slipper, grass pink orchid, white, orange, and purple fringed orchid, yellow lady's slipper, bluestems, prairie bromegrass, Indian grass, and side oats grama.
All these prairie wildflowers will make a good subject to your next photography session. Plus, if you get the chance to encounter birds, insects, and mammals while visiting the region, you can also capture them together with a prairie wildflower around. So, seek out these exquisite pieces offered by nature and be rewarded with both color and beauty for your precious photographs.
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