Iris, Clematis, Baptisia

Photographed in Cheryl's garden in late May. See Cheryl's Etsy shop for her newest pottery designs.

Skunk Cabbage at the Seven Ponds Nature Center

Cheryl English of Black Cat Pottery is creating an article for Michigan Gardener Magazine. One of the featured plants will be skunk cabbage. It is not only appropriately named, but also has a unique seed dispersal method that requires certain events to happen at certain times - much like many successful creative endeavors.

The search for skunk cabbage began with locally-available areas that might have suitable growing conditions - this is a plant that is quite particular in its habits. We should be so lucky that the plants might be readily available, but it was not to be.

Cheryl inquired with all her naturalist friends - and the response from Seven Ponds Nature Center confirmed it - skunk cabbage in abundance. So we drove out and there it was - an absolute embarrassment of skunk cabbage in all its scented glory.

We had a perfect day for photography - cool temperatures, variable sun and clouds, but the swampy conditions the plant likes made for some slippery footing for the photographer and his rapidly-chilling assistant Cheryl. We spent the better part of two hours photographing the plants - it could take days to properly document the plants that were there - and ended up with at least one good photograph.

I take no chances when making my portraits of flowers - I use a tripod,  a wireless remote release, plus supplementary lighting. Each image is scrutinized, evaluated, checked, magnified.

Why? Today is the day we have and there will be no better time than now to make what is presented in front of the camera the very best it can be. There is no reason why any photographer should run in, snap a frame and run home and call it a day. The creative glory that is a skunk cabbage deserves no less than our total concentration and our best effort.

Whether the effort is for commercial clients or for personal work, I will not stop striving to improve until a satisfactory photograph has been created.

Can you imagine such things live here among us? Take a moment from the everyday ugliness that is our metropolitan life and just enjoy the abundance, exuberance and sheer impressiveness of nature.

We hope to return and revisit its form in summer and fall - the leaves are large and the seed head is unique. Read Cheryl's post about skunk cabbage here >>

Rosa "New Dawn" - New at Notable Greetings

The "New Dawn" rose has many things going for it: a palest pink to white color; a uniquely rounded bud; long-lasting flowers - what more could you want?

Hopefully you could want a set of six cards that softly, gently feature New Dawn. See for yourself:

And visit notablegreetings.com to see more.

Christmas Market at Anton Art Center Mount Clemens

Get your holiday Notable Greetings cards at the Art Center's Christmas Market. Every purchase earns money for the Art Center, so how much better could that be?

I've got Poinsettias and Vintage Ornaments, plus the Michigan Wildflowers cards in sets of six and as single cards, so no excuses. Get out to the Anton Art Center on Macomb Street for Christmas gifts and holiday cheer. I'll be volunteering on a couple of days, so look for the guy who seems lost without a camera.

Holiday Market runs from November 16 - December 22.

Native Plants Article at Michigan Gardener

Cheryl English of Black Cat Pottery is an exceptional writer who crafted an article on native plants for the May 2012 issue of Michigan Gardener. I was pleased to provide the photography, with all the images captured in her garden, which features a great array of native plants.

Open publication - Free publishing

Handmade Cards

Notable Greetings cards are handmade, right here in Michigan. Each one is printed, trimmed, adhered, signed, and boxed by yours truly for a growing list of retailers. This stack of cards is being prepared for The Great Frame Up on Mack in Grosse Pointe Woods.

Notable Greetings cards are available at:
The Great Frame Up on Mack in Grosse Pointe Woods
Urban Attic on Little Mack in St. Clair Shores
Black Cat Pottery
Artisan Knitworks in St. Clair Shores
Firebrick Gallery in Rochester
Anton Art Center in Mt. Clemens
Nature Connection in Kalamazoo
Dow Gardens in Midland

New Michigan Wildflowers Images

It is spring again and the wildflowers are starting to bloom. This is a lovely impression of early morning light revealing a double Bloodroot (Sanguneria canadensis).

This is the single form of Sanguineria canadensis with a perfect crown of pollen-rich stamens. See how the leaves wrap around the stem of the flower? (This is quite a small flower - about an inch across.)

And a beautifully-lit image of Jeffersonia diphylla (Twinleaf). I really enjoy the softly-bright quality of springtime light.

New Notable Greetings Cards

It was a busy fall season this year - so much so that I have only just finished new card sets for Notable Greetings.

A new Summer Michigan Wildflowers, a Fall Michigan Wildflowers and a new set of Orchids will all surely be favorites.

The wildflowers series would not be possible without the generous availability of my good friend Cheryl English's garden. All the wildflowers are plants in her care. Please visit blackcatpottery.com for the latest on her wonderful pottery work.

Michigan Wildflowers - Summer Collection 7

Michigan Wildflowers - Fall Collection 3

Orchids

Hydrangea Image Chosen for Family Center Benefit

The Family Center of Grosse Pointe and Harper Woods has an annual fundraiser called Holly Fest that features live and silent auctions. This year, in partnership with The Great Frame Up of Grosse Pointe Woods, my Hydrangea quercifolia (Oak Leaf Hydrangea) image will be beautifully presented as a silent auction item. The oak frame and heavy-weight museum board mat look just superb - just like all the framing that they do.

My Floral Studies Look Great in Groups

Here's a nice set of floral studies from my Notable Impressions line of fineart photographic prints. A group of four makes a good group - and as you can see, they don't have to be all the same kind of flower to work well. Here we have a Solomon's Seal, Annabelle Hydrangea, single-flowering Peony and an Oriental Lily.

Another client recently selected this very dramatic group of three:

And here's another - Hydrangea quercifolia, framed in a nice simple oak frame:

New! Sunflower Cards

I've been photographing my Michigan Wildflowers series in Cheryl's garden for more than a few years now. Cheryl English is a most accomplished artist who began a specialty of making several different types and sizes of sunflowers in stoneware for her blackcatpottery.com work.

Her garden is a treasure trove of plants, and I have been most grateful for the access I have to it. I have photographed perennial sunflowers and annual sunflowers, but we have never made a selection of them, until now. This year, Cheryl planted more annual sunflowers, which added a new diversity to the collection.

So finally, sunflowers for the sunflower artist!

You can find them at my NotableGreetings.com site: http://www.notablegreetings.com/greetings.html#sunflowers

Michigan Wildflowers in Winter

There are always opportunities for photographing in the garden.

Here's proof: a great selection of interesting Michigan wildflowers captured on a really really cold (about zero Fahrenheit) and sunny day. Thanks goes to Cheryl at Black Cat Pottery for access to an amazing garden.

See details on this set of cards and order some for yourself at Notable Greetings.

New Image Gallery at Notablegreetings.com

My new image gallery for the NotableGreetings.com website works very well!

See the fine art prints page for a much improved presentation of all the images available in the 6x6 and 12x12 print sizes.

Framed Notable Greetings Cards

I find that many people like to frame my cards - here's four from the 'Hot Peony Pinks' collection, framed up by a client:

Get your Notablegreetings at the Mount Clemens Garden Walk June 25th

UPDATE June 25, 2011:
What a beautiful day we had! Perfect temperature, a sunny afternoon, and the wonderful hospitality of the Miller Street Garden Boutique. Thanks Bob!

Original post:
Yes, I'll be there at the Miller Street Garden Boutique at 35 Miller Street, with cards and prints, gallery wraps and always ready for a little chat about gardening or photography. June 25, 2011 from 9am to 3pm.

I'll have some new work, like this Michigan Wildflower image of a Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).

See all the latest Michigan Wildflower prints...

Notable Greetings Cards At Urban Attic

Stop by Urban Attic, located in the most excellent Ardmore Park Place, to pick up Notable Greetings cards and to shop a delightful selection of artful gifts and vintage finds.

Owner Jennifer Flynn has a great eye for interesting home accessories and giftable niceties.

And she's and awesome gal too. See what she said after my wife and I visited with my cards: "Meeing you and Don falls in the 'gift' column of my shop-opening checklist. I look  at Donald's beautiful photographic cards in the shop and can hardly believe my vision is coming into view. I am thrilled to showcase Donald's work, and I'll stay  in touch to let you both know how the cards are received. I placed one of the yarn cards in a simple white frame, and just makes me smile!"

Wow, thanks!

Visit Urban Attic's Facebook page, or stop by at 26717 Little Mack Avenue, Suite 4, St. Clair Shores, MI, 48081.

Holiday Cards

My favorite Poinsettia image was chosen for our holiday card this year.  And it was so very well received that I wanted to share this message from a friend:

"Thank you for your wonderful Christmas card...you know you must stop doing such beautiful ones as all the other cards in the pile, on the mantel, or on my tree sculpture are complaining that they look so drab and ugly when they are next to your card...poor things...I had to move your card to the top of the tree and separate it from the rest because the others were so miserable...now every card is happy and so am I."

Thank you!

Wildflower Cards and Prints at the Grosse Pointe War Memorial

A big thank you to attendees at the MIDIV WNF & GA annual meeting on October 21 at the G.P. War Memorial.

Sales of the Michigan Wildflowers note cards were brisk, as were greeting cards with Daylilies...

and the Autumn Jewels collection.

Hope to see you again next year!

New Card Stock

It was time to reorder my card blanks, but I found that the stock was discontinued. I also found that the days of unlimited selection are gone when it comes to paper stocks.

I was able to secure some new paper stock that may even be more appealing to me - not just because of its interesting color, but also because of its eco-appeal.

This time it's more of a sage-gray color and it is made entirely of recycled paper. I went with a nice heavy weight and a felt finish so the cards feel great in your hands. Matching envelopes were ordered of course and it all makes a great package.

Some people have tried to get me to use plain white or cream, but you can get that anywhere. Here you get a card stock chosen with an artist's eye for color. The sagey-gray tone makes the pictures look as if they are matted and ready for framing - and many people have told me that they are intending to do just that!

Notable Greetings Cards at Circare

Need a quick fix of Notable Greetings cards? Head on over to Circare, a gift shop that is a "place of discovery" for original art, gift items, toys and more. On Mack in St. Clair Shores, just east of Nine Mile Road: 23024 Greater Mack St Clair Shores, MI 48080.