great yellow gentian on Mt Terminillo,
Lazio (Gentiana lutea)
hairy rock jasmine, Simbruini
(Androsace villosa)
spring crocus on Terminillo (Crocus
vernus)
spring crocus Mte Sibillini (Crocus
vernus)
Gentiana dinarica (Trumpet
Gentian)
snowdrops (Galanthus nivalis)
spring flowers on Piano Grande
peonies in the Sibillini, Umbria
(Paeonia officinalis)
yellow tulips above Piano Grande,
Umbria (Tulipa australis)
sea daffodil, Lazio (Pancratium
maritimum)
fields of red clover as a crop,
Umbria
naked man orchids, Mt Argentario
sunflowers, Umbria
poppies in Umbria
Podere Montecucco garden, Umbria
Floral Landscapes
I came to know Italy at first through searches for plant-filled
vistas. I began this search in Crete and the Greek-speaking world
in 1974 and lived in Cyprus from 1978-81. Journeys throughout
Europe from the Mediterranean to the high alps followed...
Italy has never failed to delight me when it comes to floral vistas
and now many of these displays are not far from home.
Techniques and Equipment
In each case, the close-focusing capability of a wide-angle zoom or
fixed-focus lens is used to set plants in the context of their
background. This conveys as much information as possible about the
plant form and function.
As a film user I experimented with 'wide-angle macro' from 1976
using a 28mm lens and the (4mm) extension tube. With an Olympus OM
system I moved to 21mm and later used corresponding wideangles with
medium format.
Currently, I use Nikon and Sigma and many of the shots in this
gallery are taken using the amazing close-focus capability and high
definition of a Sigma 10-20mm wide angle zoom as well as Sigma
rectilinear fisheyes of 10mm and 15mm focal length