Some of her favorite things

Passion Flower

Passiflora

The genus Passiflora contains over 500 species. Thus, the common name passion flower describes many different plant types. The type that is native to the southeastern United States, and Central and South America is a climbing vine. This photo was taken in Betty’s garden in Pensacola FL in 2010. The open flower reveals 10 petals in a flat circle and a stalk with ovary and stamens encircled by delicate filaments. “The stigmas start high above the anthers and slowly bend backward for easier pollination.” LINK

I believe this image was posted on Facebook in an earlier era when my Facebook name was En Passant.

Photo taken with a Nikon D300 camera with a Sigma 180mm macro lens attached.
Settings: f/14, 1/15 sec, ISO 400.

David Sparks

I retired in 2005 after 40 years of research and teaching at the University of Alabama in Birmingham (24 years), the University of Pennsylvania (8 years) and the Baylor College of Medicine (8 years). Photography is my retirement hobby.

Nature photography, especially bird photography, combines a number of things that I really enjoy: bird-watching, being outdoors, photography, travel, messing about with computers, and learning new skills and concepts.  I now spend much of my time engaged in these activities.

David Sibley in the preface to The Sibley Guide to Birds wrote "Birds are beautiful, in spectacular as well as subtle ways; their colors, shapes, actions, and sounds are among the most aesthetically pleasing in nature."  My goal is to acquire images that capture the beauty and uniqueness of selected species as well as images that highlight the engaging behaviors the birds exhibit.