Cornus canadensis (Bunchberry) -- Bonaventure Island, Quebec: While hiking to the gannetry on Bonaventure Island (see post for July 12, 2010) this past June, I found this patch of Bunchberry along the trail. As soon as I saw the patch of flowers I thought of Eliot Porter, the master of 4x5 format color nature photography. Porter, in my opinion was the best bird photographer that has ever lived. In fact, if you are a nature photographer you are following in the footsteps of Eliot Porter. He pioneered the use of color nature photography. He is also well known for his exquisite detailed nature close-ups and landscapes. His book, In Wilderness is the Preservation of the World, was the first oversized coffee table book. Porter’s work inspired a new genre of photography, and future generations of nature photographers.
As I looked at the scene it beckoned to be photographed. Though I was in a hurry to get to the gannetry I could not pass this exquisite Lilliputian landscape. I use a tripod for almost all my shots. This image required a tripod because I was shooting for an extended depth-of-field to keep the entire scene in focus. Using the depth-of-field preview button I determined an aperture of f/18 would give sufficient depth to the image. The shutter speed dropped to 1/13 of a second, thus the need for the tripod. I shot a few images, and was very pleased with the results. In no time I was back on tract to the gannetry.
For more information on Eliot Porter go to:
http://www.cartermuseum.org/collections/porter
http://www.utata.org/salon/19594.php
Nikon D3, Nikkor 24-85 zoom set to 48mm, Digital Capture, ISO 200
