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ALLAN BOVEE - PHOTOGRAPHY ADVENTURES IN NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY JULY 2007
The first item on my agenda is the beautiful marsh marigold. Although this is a common wildflower, they seem special up there rooting in the wetlands and along the river itself. In some years they are out in small quantities or other years I've had to contend with wind and rain problems but there always seems to be something to keep me from getting the photograph I am looking for. Their window is short - they are opened, peaked, then wilted in a week, at any other time they just don't have their great beauty. Although I have had problems photographing them in the past, this year i got some great stuff. Marsh marigold aren't marigolds but members of the buttercup family of aquatic plants. While driving down the main road this year I
spotted a broad-winged hawk perched on a dead tree while staring intently into
the swamp below for an unsuspecting mouse. I wondered if I would have time to
get out my tripod and big lens to get some photos, but I am familiar with this
bird and have found they are quite tame for a hawk. So, I proceeded, and the
hawk did not disappoint me, in fact when it did fly, it only moved closer and
continued to search for prey. I finished shooting (all digital) and left. I am
always happy when I leave a photo subject as it was, that is, my presence
doesn't cause the bird to alter its behavior. It was still perched as I drove
away.
I found a great clump of marsh marigold in some shallow water where I could wade out in my hip waders and get some good shots. I just purchased a Mamiya tilt-shift lens so I can tilt the axis and get great depth of field and this was my first field work with the lens. It worked flawlessly and I think I found a new tool that will be of utmost use for me. I purchased the 75mm and the 180mm to work with the tilt-shifter and so can do many things. For example, I can get a tight group of some wildflowers while standing fairly far away with the 180, while I can get some very close wildflowers sharp and the distant hills and trees in the photo sharp as well with the 75mm. This perspective control has always been a tool of the view camera users and I considered buying one for that reason. But with these lenses and a medium format film, I should be able to compete for quality. I still shoot only film with the Mamiya, simply because a digital back for this camera runs in the tens of thousands of dollars and still wouldn't be as good as the Velvia film I use. The marsh marigold came out good and I am presently working on getting some prints into my art shows this year.
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One
of my favorite places in the world is the Jordan River Wilderness Area in
northern Michigan. It is a rite of Spring for me every year to drive through the
area and recall the beauty and wilderness that so abounds there. The narrow dirt
roads wind for miles with steep hills and broad valleys that distinguish this
region. There is always a chance to glimpse some nature at any time of the year
and the photography possibilities seem endless. 
There
are numerous trails throughout the area to hike and many scenic places to
photograph. A cliff overlooks the valley and is especially nice in the autumn.
Creeks spiral down the hills and cascade into the larger Jordan river which
eventually flows to Lake Charlevoix and then to Lake Michigan. Any time of year
is a good time to visit but the Spring seems best as a sort of renewal of life
that is so ever present there.