Part of the spring flush of woodland blooming shrubs. Bees do visit this group, but in my neck of the woods in the Mid-Atlantic there is not much to see despite the massive bloom in terms of visitors. Some much energy to make all that bloom...the plants can be covered...but so few pollinators...what's up with that? Specimen and pictures by Helen Low Metzman. 23:45, 12 February 2020 (UTC)23:45, 12 February 2020 (UTC){{{{{{0}}}}}}23:45, 12 February 2020 (UTC)23:45, 12 February 2020 (UTC)

All photographs are public domain, feel free to download and use as you wish.

Photography Information: Canon Mark II 5D, Zerene Stacker, Stackshot Sled, 200mm Pentax-m with Nikon 10X infinity microscope objective lens mounted on front , Twin Macro Flash in Styrofoam Cooler, F5.6, ISO 100, Shutter Speed 200

Love for Other Things

It’s easy to love a deer But try to care about bugs and scrawny trees Love the puddle of lukewarm water From last week’s rain. Leave the mountains alone for now. Also the clear lakes surrounded by pines. People are lined up to admire them. Get close to the things that slide away in the dark. Be grateful even for the boredom That sometimes seems to involve the whole world. Think of the frost That will crack our bones eventually.

      -  Tom Hennen

You can also follow us on Instagram account USGSBIML Want some Useful Links to the Techniques We Use? Well now here you go Citizen:

Best over all technical resource for photo stacking <a href="http://stackingextreme-macro.co.uk" rel="noreferrer nofollow">stackingextreme-macro.co.uk</a>

Basic USGSBIML set up: <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-_yvIsucOY</a>

USGSBIML Photoshopping Technique: Note that we now have added using the burn tool at 50% opacity set to shadows to clean up the halos that bleed into the black background from "hot" color sections of the picture. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bdmx_8zqvN4</a>

PDF of Basic USGSBIML Photography Set Up: ftp://ftpext.usgs.gov/pub/er/md/laurel/Droege/How%20to%20Take%20MacroPhotographs%20of%20Insects%20BIML%20Lab2.pdf

Google Hangout Demonstration of Techniques: <a href="https://plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo" rel="noreferrer nofollow">plus.google.com/events/c5569losvskrv2nu606ltof8odo</a> or <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.youtube.com/watch?v=4c15neFttoU</a>

Excellent Technical Form on Stacking: <a href="http://www.photomacrography.net/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.photomacrography.net/</a>

Contact information: Sam Droege sdroege@usgs.gov