Belly Crawl: A Photographer’s Perspective

Blue-eyed Marys along Susan's Path at Olmstead Outlook

Shooting Star at Wildflower Cove

There is a very narrow window each spring in which you can catch this season’s true glory.  And much of it happens just a few inches above the forest floor. 

Ephemeral wildflowers, the first to grace the winter’s barren landscape, are often short lived. Bloodroot, Cut-leaved Toothwort and Trout Lily emerge in early April and are all gone by May. 

Bloodroot

As I crawl with my camera just a few inches above the forest floor the cycle is clear.  This small group of wildflowers time their emergence while temperatures are still cool and long before the forest canopy blocks out an essential ingredient to their survival.  The sun.

Toothwort

I first began photographing many of our wildflowers just 3 weeks ago before any of the trees had sprouted their leaves.  Many have now faded or disappeared.  The Mayapple, which have just begun to bloom, now spread across the forest floor like tiny umbrellas blocking out more of the precious sunlight.  If you are familiar with the large patch of Virginia Bluebells that grow throughout Oliver Freeman’s Hollow, this has become quite evident in recent days. And the cycle continues.

Virginia Bluebells at Oliver Freeman's Hollow

Even though the Boodroot and the Toothwort have faded, the Shooting Star (look along the trail at Wildflower Cove) and Blue-eyed Marys (look along Susan’s Path at Olmstead Outlook) are now taking center stage.  Come see us!  Belly crawl is optional!