Orchids Are Like Buses

Yep you read that right. You know how you can stand at a bus stop for ages and not see a single one and then suddenly three come along together? Well orchids are like that. I’ve been walking the same patch of woodland looking for the Curly Locks Orchid for years without seeing a single one and then the other day low and behold there were three of them just standing there.

 

Curly Locks by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Curly Locks, Thelymitra spiralis. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.

 

Curly Locks by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Curly Locks, Thelymitra spiralis. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.

 

Curly Locks by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Curly Locks, Thelymitra spiralis. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.

 

I’ve spent the last couple of weeks walking the Wandoo forest looking for various orchids. I’ve bumped into a male emus and his brood (too quick to photograph), met bob tailed lizards and countless Western Grey Kangaroos (again too quick to photograph). So even if I’ve not found the particular flower I’m looking for it has still been quite an experience.

Bobtailed Lizard by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The slower bob tailed lizards are easier to photograph than fleeing emus and kangaroos.

 

Speaking of finding orchids well I’ve seen plenty. On Thursdays outing to Wambyn Reserve I saw eleven different species and was amazed by how early some of them were.

 

Clubbed Spider Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

A very early flowering Clubbed Spider Orchid, Caladenia longiclavata. Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia.

 

Little Pink Fairy Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Little Pink Fairy Orchid or dwarf pink fairy orchid, Caladenia reptans subspecies reptans. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.

 

Sugar Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Sugar Orchid, Ericksonella saccharata. Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia.

 

Frog Greenhood by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Frog Greenhood, Pterostylis sargentii. Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia.

 

Jug Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Jug orchid or recurved shell orchid, Pterostylis recurva. Wandoo National Park, Western Australia.

 

Common Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Common Donkey Orchid or wallflower orchid, Diuris corymbosa. Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia.

 

Stark White Spider Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com

Stark White Spider Orchid, Caladenia longicauda subsp eminens. Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia.

 

Photographically I’ve been on a bit of a full frame kick preferring to either use the Sony A7r ii and sigma 105mm macro lens or the Canon EOS6d with Canon 100mm macro lens. All the shots are lit with a flash being used as the key light and natural light as the fill. I’ve enjoyed the change but my back doesn’t. There’s a huge weight difference between the full frame cameras, lenses and flash equipment compared to the usual  Olympus micro four thirds system I usually use. But to be honest shooting at base ISO using artificial lighting and only printing at A3+ I can’t see any real advantage to shooting full frame so this next week I’ll go back to using the Olympus kit.

Spring Is Springing

Red Capped Robin by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Red Capped Robin, Petroica goodenovi, Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia. Panasonic G85 with Panasonic Leica 100-400mm f4-6.3 lens. Exposure: 1/500 sec, f6.3 at ISO 1000 with -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Tomorrow here in Western Australia is the first day of spring. I don’t think Mother Nature got the memo as the bush around York sprung into life a couple of weeks ago. Flowers are bursting into bloom and the birds are in a frenzy of nest building and dancing around trying to attract mates. This means that I have also sprung into action trying to document as much of thais activity as possible. The cameras are working over time.

 

Common Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The unusual lutea or “yellow” form of the common donkey orchid (Diuris corymbosa). Talbot Hall, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Canon EF 100mm f2.8 IS L macro lens. Exposure: 1/800 sec, f8 at ISO 400.

 

Green Spider Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Green Spider Orchid, also known as the Fringed Mantis Orchid (Caladenia falcata). Talbot Hall, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: 1/160 sec, f5.6 at ISO 400.

 

White Spider Orchids by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
White Spider Orchids, Caladenia longicauda, Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6D with Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: aperture priority with off camera flash 1/50 sec, f11 at ISO 100 with -1 stop exposure compensation.

 

Winter Donkey Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Winter Donkey Orchid, Diuris brumalis, Wambyn Reserve, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Canon EF100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM lens. Exposure: 1/25 sec, f8 at ISO 100.

 

Brown Honeyeater by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Brown Honeyeater, Lichmera indistincta, Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia. Panasonic G85 with Panasonic LEICA DG 100-400/F4.0-6.3 lens. Exposure: 1/500 sec, f13 at ISO 200 with -2/3 stop exposure compensation.

 

Western Whistler by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Female Western Whistler, Pachycephala occidentalis,, Avon Walk Trail, York, Western Australia. Panasonic G85 with Panasonic LEICA DG 100-400/F4.0-6.3 lens. Exposure: 1/500 sec, f11 at ISO 200.

 

Fantastic Spring Show

According to those that know it has been an amazing spring here in the Avon Valley. We’ve had rainfall that hasn’t been seen for decades and we’ve had a flush of wildflowers that hasn’t been equalled for fifty years. It has been frustrating as I’ve only managed to get out and photograph the orchids three times, but when I did get out it was beyond superlatives. Here are the highlights.

 

Dark Banded Greenhood by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Pterostylis sanguinea, or , , Mount Observation, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d, Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro lens and Canon 430 EX Speedlite. Exposure: AE priority 1/50th sec, f16, ISO 3200 with -1 stop exposure compensation.

 

Hairy-stemmed Snail Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The Hairy-stemmed Snail Orchid (Pterostylis nana) most common and widespread of the Pterostylis species in Western Australia. Mt. Observation, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro lens and Canon 430EX Speedlite. Exposure: Aperture priority with -1 stop exposure compensation 1/100th sec, f8 at ISO 400.

 

Wallflower Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The wallflower orchid, aka the common donkey orchid (diuris corymbosa) lives up to it’s name and is commonly found in the south-west of Western Australia. Mount Observation, Western Australia. Canon EOS 6d with Sigma 105mm f2.8 macro lens and Canon 430 EX Speedlite. Exposure: aperture priority mode with -5 stops exposure compensation, high-speed flash sync 1/2000, f11 at ISO 200.

 

White Spider Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
White Spider Orchid (Caladenia longicaudia). Mokine, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM-10 with Olympus m.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro and Metz ring flash. Exposure: ƒ/16.0 , 1/80s, at ISO 800, manual mode with -2 stops exposure.

 

Purple Enamel Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Easily recognisable the Purple Enamel Orchid has glossy purple flowers which fade and become pink with age. Mokine, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM-10 with Olympus m.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro lens and Metz ring flash.

 

Dancing Spider Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The dancing spider orchid (Caladenia discoidea) is also known as the antelope orchid and the bee orchid. Mokine, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM10 with Olympus m.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro lens, & Metz ring flash. Exposure:

 

Lemon Scented Sun Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The lemon scented sun orchid, also known as the vanilla orchid,(Thelymitra antennifera) is named after its strong lemon scent. Mokine, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM-10 with Olympus m.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro and Metz ring flash. Exposure: 1/160th sec, f8 ISO 200.

 

Blue China Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Recognised by its intense blue colour, the Blue China Orchid is like the Thelymitra species in that it is heat sensitive and the flowers close at night on overcast days. Mokine, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM-10 with Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro lens and Metz mecablitz 15 MS-1 ring flash. Exposure: manual mode, 1/100th sec, f8 at ISO 200.

 

Fringed Mantis Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
The Fringed Mantis Orchid (Caladenia falcata) is also known as the green spider orchid. Mokine, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM-10 with Olympus m.Zuiko 60mm f2.8 macro lens and Metz ring flash.

 

Custard Orchid by Paul Amyes on 500px.com
Custard orchid (Thelymitra villas), York, Western Australia. Olympus OMD EM-10 with Olympus M.Zuiko 60mm F2.8 Macro lens. Exposure: AE priority 1/320th sec, f8 at ISO 200.

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