Arizona Thursday - Spring Wildflowers

Spring has arrived and our famous wildflowers are finally here. After a winter of heavy rains, we are looking at one of the better spring flowerings in Arizona. To kick it all off this week, I've got some shots that I took just this morning at White Tank Mountain Park. The park is absolutely beautiful right now. I would recommend to everyone to take the trip out there as the mountains and surrounding hills are blanketed in flowers.

To start us off, I've got this shot of a Mexican gold poppy. These guys weren't quite in full bloom yet, but this one was getting ready to burst open. I loved the spiral of the pedals so I decided to go for a top down view. I took several shots at different apertures and I decided the depth of field worked best in this particular photo.

Our second photo for the day is of a cluster of golden brittlebushes. The back drop of the morning sky fit perfectly with their bright yellow color. This shot did require a flash in order to light the flowers as I exposed for the sky.

Next up, is a shot of blue lupines and a Mexican gold poppy. I was drawn to the closeness of the flowers as up to this point, most flowers were segregated by their type. However, here, the lupines enveloped the lone gold poppy.

Finally is a shot of blue lupines that I took due to the lighting. The sun was hitting them at just the right angle (a little back and side lighting). I cropped the photo on this grouping to draw the attention better and prevent any distractions from the plethora of bushes, rocks and other wildflowers. Always keep an eye out for things that draw attention from your subject.

I hope you have enjoyed this set of photos. My wife and I are planning a trip to Picacho Peak and Tucson this weekend for more wild flower adventures. Until next time.