Early spring wildflowers can be really small. Photographing them sometimes requires getting down in the dirt with your tripod flat on the ground. This kind of photography can mean some serious mud-wallowing. Add to that the often gusty winds and bright sunshine of Spring weather and you have some serious impediments to your macro work. To help ease the pain, I use a small portable light tent as my photo assistant. The light tent helps block the wind and provides a fantastic diffuse light source. Add a little custom background with some reflectors and you have a portable macro studio for photographing flowers in the wild. No need to injure the plants - all my work with live plants is done in the field.

Early in the growing season I get some strange looks from passers-by. Often the only thing growing will be a 2-inch high flower that most folks would never even notice. My light tent and macro setup is such a versatile combination of gear that I now carry it everywhere I photograph. I also carry plenty of Deet in an outside pocket. Even in the early spring, ticks and chiggers can be active.

I think the results are worth the effort, though.

To see more content, visit my wildflower gallery.

Erythronium mesochoreum (Prairie Trout Lily) #2, Ernie Miller Park

Erythronium mesochoreum (Prairie Trout Lily) #2

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