Camillia Pink & White @ Karen Talbert House

I was out and about and took a picture of my neighbor's two tone camilla. This fall we have been having much milder temperatures and so there are more blooms.   The center is white and the edges of the petals pink.  A darker pink when it first blooms and gets lighter as it ages.  This particular cultivar has more than one bloom on some stems. These flowers are particularly attracted to ants...so, you really have to look close at the sepals   Camera+ app,  square format,  edit PSE 11--added a vignette to help emphasis the flowers.

Holly Berries - Genus Ilex

This image should have been posted on Tues., Dec. 22nd.  I took this image at Rankin School about a month ago. This is not the native American species.  There are 400 - 600 species in this genus.  The berries are red but the leaf shape is oval.or with less notches than the native holly.  In order to produce berries you need a male and female shrub.  Native iPhone 6,  edit PSE 11. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holly

Red Berries - Autumn @ Sarah Duke Gardens, Durham, NC

There are lots of berries in the fall, but they are a challenge to photograph.            I have trouble seeing lighting with LED screen on the small iPhone.  Even on an overcast day berries are shiny and can reflect off light. The iPhone does not give you the blinkies like the DSLR.  I took this image at Sarah Duke Gardens in Durham, NC, a couple weeks ago.  I didn't see a sign to know for sure what these are.  My guess would be a Viburnum. Taken with iPhone 5C.  Edited with PSE 11, adjusted highlights, shadows, midtones, sharpened.

Red & White Berries -Climbing Spindle Tree Sarah Duke Gardens, Durham, NC

Image should have been posted on Mon., November 9th, 2015.   Found these berries on an unlabeled plant at Sarah Duke garden on Sunday.  I took it in the horizontal mode, but thought with the arrangement of the berries I should really crop it.  As you can tell it is not an exact square.  I had to ask a horticulturalist at the garden about the identification of this plant.  See Comment.  The information from the web site she provided showed that the distribution of the plant is more likely to be in the Northeastern part of the US, i.e Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, New Hampshire. Camera+, Edited in PSE 11.

Fall Leaf Colors on an Unknown Shrub/Tree @Guilford Military Park

This post should have been for Fri., Oct. 23rd, 2015.   I stopped by Guilford Military Park on my way home from a meeting.  It was noon so harsh lighting was present.  I liked the colors of these leaves against the blue sky.  The left image is without any editing, but to show the colors like I thought I saw them I edited in PSE 11:cropped, increased highlights, mid-tones, sharpened.  I think I did zoom in since the branches were not at eye level and there seems to be digital noise in the sky which can happen when you use that feature on the iPhone.  I do not have a telephoto lens for the iPhone.
This image really reminds me of fall with all the colors on one tree/shrub. I do not know the name by the shape of leaf.  It soon will peak color in Guilford Co.

Burning Bush with Some Berries - GSO Arboretum

Last week I captured an image of the fall leaves. I also was able to get a few berries.  It was overcast and so the red color not as brilliant as often seen in the sun.  Canera+ app.  Edited in PSE 11: increased the shadows and midtones, sharpened.  

Shrub with Pink Blossoms and Turquoise & Blue Berries - GSO Arboretum

Found a shrub with some unusual blossoms and fruit at the GSO
Arboretum last week.   Because of the way they hung from the branches it was difficult to get a composition I liked. Even though it was shady there were hot spots that could not be edited easily. . The fragrant flowers are borne on branching peduncles. Petals, are held within a green calyx which turns red as the fruits ripen. The fruits (drupes) are turqoise(left image) at first but turn to a blue black color (right image). Camera+ app, edited with PSE  11.   For more information search for: Clerodendrum trichotomum var fargesii.

Pink Old Confederate Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) - near Nannette's Mailbox

I have an Old Confederate Rose (Hibiscus mutabilis) shrub near my mailbox.  I bought it at a "heritage plant" sale for the Herb Soceity about 7  years ago and it has come back every year.  It is not a member of the Rosa family but of the Hibisucus or Mallow family.  Mine is a pink carnation type color but there are white cultivars.  It is believed this plant originated in China.  In the US, it grows mostly in the Southern states, zone 8-10.  It usually blooms less than 24 hours and is not suitable as a cut flower in water. This shrub blooms in late September and will stop blooming at the first frost. It can grow 8 feet tall and about 3 feet in diameter.  It likes a sunny area. Taken with Camera+ app.  It  has the saturated pink and greens because of the rain and shade.  Edited in PSE 11 which included cloning out some of the house next door or using the healing tool as I thought it distracted from the blossom. This was taken after it had rained and if you look closely can see the raindrops.  I had to climb on a steep stool to reach this bloom.  For more info about Hibiscus mutabilis:
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/southerngarden/hibiscus.html
I am hoping for more blooms and to be able to do a macro that is sharp of the stamens.  

Raspberry Fruit CU - in Weed Area Downtown GSO

Forgot to complete draft and post this image for 8/7/2015
It is raspberry season in NC.  I found this black raspberry shrub in a weed patch near a park in downtown GSO NC.  Only one berry is starting to ripen.  Not sure why the leaves have tints of blue as it was mid-day and sun was shining brightly.  Camera +.   Minimal post editing with PSE 11

Rose of Sharon CU of Single and Double Petal Cultivars

Rose of Sharon is in bloom in NC in June.  It can be a challenge to get
a good shot because the ants love to crawl in the center and between the petals.  The left image is a double petal variety that  was in my neighbor's yard.  I used Camera+ macro, HDR mode.  The backround contains blooms that have fallen on the ground.   I used PSE increased the highlights and midtones, cloned out some disfigured petals, and sharpened. This might be one to try on a black background with window lighting.  The image on the right is the single petal variety of which there are many cultivars.  This one I also used the macro mode & HDR. Post imaging I used a vignette to make the blossom stand out more.  

Crepe Myrtle Blossoms Macro - Stamens

 More crepe myrtle blossoms. Yesterday, I was trying for macro still life.  The owner gave me some blossoms and decided to use window lighting and try to get better view of the stamens.  At least I did not have sun shining on my LED screen,  the wind was not blowing and I could stabilize my shot with restingmy arm against a chair.  Cropped the left imaged for better composition, sharpened.  Right image I increased midtones, sharpened in PSE 11. Both images look more pink than purple/ I probably could have experimented more with WB. At least these images you can get a better view of the frilly petals and the left image almost looks like a painting related to shallow depth of field.  

Mimosa Close up

It is June and the mimosa shrubs are in bloom. It is considered an invasive plant.  I did not take the image this year, but took last year with my iPhone 5s.  It was late evening which is why you see more blue tones in the foliage.  This plant is difficult to find all blooms optimal in one area. This image reminds me of a firecracker and is one of my favorite photos.
It was taken at the Greensboro Arboretum and when I went back this summer I was unable to find the shrub.  Other shrubs blooming just have not been as "photogenic".   I know I cropped and added saturation to make the pink stand out.  When I submitted for a critique for my online iPhonology course, I was told I needed more margin but I have a feeling there were other blooms too close I did not want in the image.  

Weigela Close Up - May 2015

Weigelia now in bloom.  This shrub was in a neighbor's yard.   It was late evening.  HDR mode.  Sometimes difficult to get the blooms in focus because not all in the focal same plane.  Minimal editing in PSE 11.
I think I used Camera + app because I wanted to use macro setting and focus and exposure can be controlled separately.   .

Dogwood Blossoms: Chinese & White Regular Compared

The regular dogwoods bloom early April in my neighborhood.  I previously posted some examples of the red blossoms that have the petal shapes of the regular dogwood.   It is the lst week in May and the Chinese  dogwoods have started to bloom.  They have a more pointed leaf.  The regular dogwood photo has minor editing.  The Chinese dogwood I cropped slightly increased the shadows, added a saturated film filter which made the center more noticeable.  Both were taken with HDR mode.  Editing was done in PSE 11.  The blossoms for the Chinese dogwoods can have a light green tinge and never get as pure white as the regular dogwood. Both images were taken after 6 pm EDST.  I really like the lighting on the regular dogwood but did not notice it that much when I actually caaptured the image.  

Forsythia Blooms - March 2015

Another sign that spring is here in NC.  The forsythia shrubs are now starting to bloom.   I took these as a close up, but hope I can try to take some macro shots with the OllieClip Macro lenses. Used HDR mode. Editing in PSE 11. Sun was shining and coming from behind the fence. It was about 10 A.M. EDST.  I think I used the Camera Plus app instead of native camera to take the image..