Hosta

Hosta Blooms on a cloudy, still summer dawn

MichaelStephenWills

On July 17, 2021 Ithaca was socked in with heavy clouds obscuring sunrise, a perfect moment to capture Pam’s hostas flowering with the upper stalks still budding. I setup the Manfrotto tripod, the Canon dslr mounted with an EF 50 mm 1:1.2 L at ISO 800 and these are the results.

Native to northeastern Asia, In 1812 the genera Hosta was named for the European botanist Nicholas Thomas Host. Also called plantain lily for the habit of the herbaceous stalks to grow radially from a center.

  • 0.5 sec at f / 16
  • 1/4 sec at f / 16
  • 1/5 sec at f / 16
  • 1/6 sec at f / 16
Slide show overview of the hosta and blooms

  • 1/100 sec at f / 4.0
I enjoy the balance of background bokeh, foreground sharpness

This series moves from the lens diaphragm starting at the smallest opening, greatest depth of field and longest exposure, to the widest, most shallow depth of field and shortest exposure. The air was very still this morning, allowing me to experiment.

  • 1/5 sec at f / 16
  • 1/10 sec at f / 11
  • 1/20 sec at f / 8.0
  • 1/100 sec at f / 4.0
  • 1/100 sec at f / 3.5
  • 1/250 sec at f / 2.5
  • 1/400 sec at f / 2.0
  • 1/1000 sec at f / 1.6
  • 1/1000 sec at f / 1.2


Here is my favorite version from the above experiment. Do you have a favorite? Named it in comment and please explain your choice.

  • 1/20 sec at f / 8.0

Copyright 2021 Michael Stephen Wills All Rights Reserved

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