This is the daylily, H 'Giant Spider.' It's the most charismatic thing in the garden, and most often measures over 10."
Thursday, April 18, 2019
Thursday, April 11, 2019
It changed my life! Haiku...4.11.2019
This post is exclusively geared toward illustrating the benefit of using Portrait Mode on iPhones 7+ and newer. I have seen phones other than iPhones do some photo magic, too, I just don't know a thing about them.
It all started in the Summer of 2017 at Norfolk Botanical Garden. Touring the daylily gardens with 400 other fanatics, I was setting up a shot of 'VT Purple Passion' using my iPhone.
"Psst," he whispered, "have you used Portrait Mode yet?"
"Not yet." I replied and took the shot. "What's up with it?"
He replied with a smile and some conviction worth noting - "Try it."
I slid left on my camera, and...
...this is the first wow I ever made using Portrait Mode.
Portrait mode uses the dual cameras to create a depth-of-field effect — letting you compose a photo that keeps your subject sharp with a blurred background and requires zero photography skills whatsoever aside from keen composure.
For those of you who have followed my shutterbug tendencies, you know I was a Sony evangelist and hard core CyberShot DSC-HX200+ camera lover. I had four models over the years- and recommended it to dozens of you, who in turn bought one and enjoyed it as much as I did. But no matter how wonderful the image I captured with it, the photos still needed editing to sharpen, brighten, or add depth of field enhancements to perfect the image. Two steps - not including extracting the images and organizing them on the computer prior to editing. THEN, I could share them by emailing, messaging or posting on Facebook and Instagram. #exhausted #photoGraveyard
The National Convention in 2017 was the first convention I shot iPhone only. I did not bring my trusty DSLR on the tours at all and at times felt naked and afraid I would miss capturing a moment. But, I didn't miss a thing. In fact, I think I captured more. I was able to skip the downloading, editing and organizing steps that I did using my Sony. I can edit, organize and share everywhere using my iPhone in the time it used to take me to find the cord to connect my beloved Sony camera to the computer.
It has changed my appreciation of daylily photography in so many ways. Capturing great photos is more enjoyable because:
- I do not need a separate program for post-editing enhancements. Portrait Mode uses the picture I take and optimizes it using the same thought process I would to sharpen and focus a raw image.
- I can share great photos to Facebook and Instagram immediately.
- I enjoy the photos I shoot more, because I can take more of them with less editing effort.
- iPhone photo organization solutions sync with my computer to store all the pictures I shoot.
- There are photo printing apps for my iPhone that allow me to get hard copies of photos if I want easily. There is a cool app that allows you to send a postcard (postage included) using pictures you take. Imagine that!
- It's one less piece of equipment I have to carry in the garden on tours.
The examples speak for themselves. The images on the left were shot in "Photo Mode" and the image on the right was taken in "Portrait Mode." Same shot, same minute, two different modes.
'Hopper Roo' by Mandy McMahon
'Glacial Rainbow' by Kimberly McCutcheon
A seedling from David Williams, 100% polymerous in Summer 2018.
A seedling from David Williams, 100% polymerous in Summer 2018.
A Joiner double whose name has been lost. It's a recent intro...any ideas?
'Black Eagle' by Jean Bawden
Thursday, March 28, 2019
Movies and Daylilies...Haiku 3.28.2019
This is one of my favorite daylilies of all time, H. 'BROOKWOOD WOW.' It was hybridized by Leo Sharp, a name you might recognize from recent pop culture.
Leo Sharp was my friend, and in the tapestry of the
people I have known in my life, he is most likely not the only criminal. In 2014, I worked for several months with a
reporter for The New York Times Magazine on a story eventually titled "The
Grandfather." The writer and I
became friends, exchanged dozens of our best photographs and stories of history
and interest with Leo. We talked for hours
on the daylily community, daylily people, and the daylily as a perennial. I lovingly and protectively shared a few of
my favorite Leo anecdotes and also my own copies of the beautiful Brookwood
catalogs. Sam Dolnick (the NYT writer)
felt empathy for Leo and that shone in his piece (https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/15/magazine/the-sinaloa-cartels-90-year-old-drug-mule.html) He became fascinated with Leo and his place
in the daylily world. The rights to
this story were sold for the movie 'The Mule,' and I have
deeply mixed feelings.
I wasn’t the only one who worked with the reporter, at
least one other AHS past-president was quoted, as was the late, internationally-great Gisela
Meckstroth. Gisela and I were both
shocked by the made for TV arrest, but neither of us were really surprised at
the presence of some international intrigue.
If you never had the chance to experience Leo in person, he was a
larger-than-life personality with a heart of gold and a dash of boast. We shared a Region, held the same regional
offices, traded stories and encouragement from the trenches of volunteer
service, and a love for perfectly formed porcelain-like daylilies. I've won Best In Show with a 'Brookwood'
daylily three times and won Best In Section and purple ribbons on countless
other 'Brookwood' entries. The photos of
Leo (expertly) selected for the NYT story break my heart every time I am
reminded of it, and my own last photos of visiting Brookwood Gardens are
haunting. Like I said, he was my friend,
too. I guess none of that really matters
in the end, though.
We are all covered in beautifully faulty facets - no
matter how deeply or flawful the sides are carved throughout our lives, I
believe you take the good with the bad in people and find a palatable medium
with your own moral compass. Following
his initial arrest, it was proposed to revoke every award he ever won. After his conviction, it was brought up
again- the scrubbing of our history to eliminate the negative. I was asked to remove posts on my blog of Brookwood
daylilies and a few stories of Leo. One
club refused to take plants with the 'Brookwood' prefix for their plant
sale. If it were only that easy to erase
those who violate the law or moral code from our membership. I don’t have any
delusions that AHS or the daylily will experience a spike in interest, or a
decline in membership because of the movies making and I dont think I can sit through it. Even the commercials bring back swirls of haunted conversation.
I remember Leo saying to me, in his own weed-filled garden about 10 years ago..."this one is going to bring me my first million." He was talking about 'Brookwood Julia Sermon.' He explained he had a patent and distribution deal for it, which is why he had to coyly refuse to sell me a piece that day.
I remember Leo saying to me, in his own weed-filled garden about 10 years ago..."this one is going to bring me my first million." He was talking about 'Brookwood Julia Sermon.' He explained he had a patent and distribution deal for it, which is why he had to coyly refuse to sell me a piece that day.
He was a character, for sure. Kind, greedy, compassionate, corrupt, and so smart - yet so flawed. But I believe Leo would get a kick out of Clint "playing him" in the movie.
And that thought is enough for me.
Here are some other blogs where I share stories, photos or history about Leo or Brookwood daylilies.
Enjoy the popcorn!
Thursday, March 21, 2019
our time moves quickly...Haiku 3.21.2019
A curious bug about to take a leap off of a beautiful bloom of H. 'Andrew Christian.' This is my favorite yellow in the garden!
Thursday, March 14, 2019
Thursday, March 7, 2019
push to the edges! haiku 3.7.2019
This is the daylily, H. 'Dyna Girl' hybridized by my friend Paul Owen of Slightly Different Nursery. She's a icy, overachiever and I wouldn't dream of a collection without her moxie. Sometimes several blooms are open on one day, and many are polymerous, which makes it even more exciting!
Enjoy the day, and be nice y'all. It's easier.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
it's hiding within... Haiku 2.28.2019
This is my own daylily introduction, H. 'Lost In Emotion,' showing off her diamond dusting. It is a slow-to-multiply cultivar, but the substance, form, undulating ruffles and diamond dusting make it a keeper.
