- Post score: 20
- #1
This year is the best I've seen in the past 20 years for the Porter's Sunflower in the Atlanta area. This small 1 1/2 inch yellow sunflower is found on exposed granite monadnocks - like Stone Mountain SP, Panola Mountain SP, and Arabia Mountain Heritage Area. I've visited Arabia Mountain twice in the past week for sunrise photography. The county park covers about 2500 acres with more than 800 acres of exposed granite. Arabia Mountain is like a small version of Stone Mountain - a granite monadnock - but it's 100 million years older. The rock was quarried for places like the Brooklyn Bridge, many of the buildings in Washington DC, and public buildings, statues and curbing throughout the eastern US. Preserved for over fifty years, the site is home to a number of threatened and endangered plants. Even the common plants - like the Porter's sunflower - can be unusual.
I used the Z7ii, Z 24-70 f/2.8 lens, Z 70-200 f/2.8, and the Z 105 f/2.8 MC.
The mountain top is only about 300 feet above the surrounding land - but the top is quite exposed. This image shows small "solution pits" formed over time as rain erodes the granite surface. These pits collect sand and water - and provide a place for seeds to germinate.
The top of the mountain provides nice views of the rolling land in the area.
At the top there is a large pool of shallow water. It's perfect for early morning reflections and abstract compositions.
After sunrise, I like to photograph the backlit flowers and foliage covering the mountain. Almost 100% of the low growing plants are sunflowers in bloom.
The small grass growing in the water is the first glimpse of one of the rarest plants in Georgia. Black spored quillwort is only found in 9 locations in Georgia - and one South Carolina location outside of Georgia. While it looks like grass, it's only found in exposed granite pools. This is the largest population of the plants in existence.
If you are within a reasonable distance, the bloom of the Porter's Sunflowers during the second half of September each year is worth a visit. The best time to see it is following a summer with regular rain - like the past two years. This year is truly exceptional.
I used the Z7ii, Z 24-70 f/2.8 lens, Z 70-200 f/2.8, and the Z 105 f/2.8 MC.
The mountain top is only about 300 feet above the surrounding land - but the top is quite exposed. This image shows small "solution pits" formed over time as rain erodes the granite surface. These pits collect sand and water - and provide a place for seeds to germinate.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
The top of the mountain provides nice views of the rolling land in the area.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
At the top there is a large pool of shallow water. It's perfect for early morning reflections and abstract compositions.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
After sunrise, I like to photograph the backlit flowers and foliage covering the mountain. Almost 100% of the low growing plants are sunflowers in bloom.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
The small grass growing in the water is the first glimpse of one of the rarest plants in Georgia. Black spored quillwort is only found in 9 locations in Georgia - and one South Carolina location outside of Georgia. While it looks like grass, it's only found in exposed granite pools. This is the largest population of the plants in existence.
You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.
If you are within a reasonable distance, the bloom of the Porter's Sunflowers during the second half of September each year is worth a visit. The best time to see it is following a summer with regular rain - like the past two years. This year is truly exceptional.
