For a couple of glorious weeks starting in mid-June, my favorite wildflower bursts into life and can be seen all over Maine. Considered by some to be a nuisance, I just love the color that lupine brings to the countryside, and I try to photograph it every chance I get. This tall spindly flower thrives on hillsides where it can get lots of sun, and growing in bunches, it also seems to like its own company. As I make my commute to work, it can be found scattered in large swathes all along I-95, and at this time of year I almost don’t mind the drive.
There are a couple of fields along the Beech Hill Road in Acadia National Park that fill to the brim with lupine each year, though this isn’t the only thing coming to life right around this time. Depending on how wet the spring is, the Maine state bird – the Blackfly – is also enjoying it’s re-birth, and on this particular occasion it seemed very happy to see both Jack and me. I used my 70-200mm lens and a large aperture (f5.6 or f6.3) to create a shallow depth of field and isolate some of the beautiful flowers in what was a very full and almost chaotic scene. The light breeze which made it quite challenging to get a sharp photograph of the lupine did little to save me from the hungry blackflies - I must have surrendered half a pint of blood as the little buggers feasted on me.
I like the wonderful details in your shots. Great work!
Thanks for stopping by and for the kind words!
Beautiful Photos!
Merci beaucoup!
Lovely shots of the hard to capture Lupine!
Thanks Lynn… much appreciated.
Lupine is a wonderful and beautiful plant, which is also growing many places here in our kingdom (including my garden!). Your photos are fabulous – fantastic dof and green/blue colors!
I love Lupine… the colors are amazing. I’m a little jealous… I planted some in my garden last year, but they didn’t do so well.
Strange that you could not get the lupins to grow – in my front yard I have to weed out the majority every year – so they do not conquer the whole front yard!
Yeah… I think I needed to plant them in a place where they would get more sun.
PS! I’m glad you survived the buggers!!!!!
Need to bring bug spray next time.
David, that looks a lot like our Texas Bluebonnet, just taller and not as thick.
Great image.
Thanks Bill. Probably the same family just adapting to different conditions.
Black flies are brutal! But looks like it was worth it, especially love the first photo. The sharpness and clarity is beautiful. And Jack’s shots of the lupine are cool, too!
Thanks from me and thanks from Jack too
Thank you for your sacrifice, David…they’re beautiful photographs.
Thanks Scott. We usually have about a three week window when the bugs are bad… I think we hit it spot on while on this trip!
Funny how that happens…and you’re most welcome. I love the lupines, as well, and we get to share in their beauty for a while up here in our mountains, too.
Lupine are pretty short-lived around here… in fact I noticed that today they seem to be already starting to wilt. That might also be something to do with the first 90 degree day of the summer
I don’t think I knew that it got so warm up there…I know you’ll enjoy the Lupine while you can.
Every summer we get a couple of days when it gets this high (91 today), so we make do the best we can. The rest of the summer is usually humidity-free and only high 70′s… nice.
Wow…sounds wonderful.
I just found your blog through your picture “The Dark Hedges” on pinterest. Your pictures are amazing. I really am enjoying this blog.
Thanks Lisa. Glad you stopped by and glad you like the blog