Joby Tripod

Trillium could be defined as a Tri-Flower. Today, since there are no Trilliums blooming, I thought it may be a good time to discuss tripods. Yes, you will be greatly assisted when using a tripod. Trillium usually grow in moist shady areas and this usually means low light for shooting photos. Another issue is wind. I will discuss this more as time goes by.

Since Trilliums are low it will probably be a problem using a full sized tripod. There are many small tripods on the market. I was lucky enough to receive a Joby tripod for Christmas 2010. Last spring I found it very useful getting down to as low as a couple of inches when shooting trilliums. The advantage is that the legs of a Joby tripod are very flexible allowing one to get down low at frog level view.

Another advantage of using small Joby tripod is that it has fexible legs. The flexible legs allow you to hold the camera much, more steady when shooting in low light situations. Or, as seen above, wrap around something to steady your camera.

Below I am using the Joby tripod, joby.com to shoot a long exposure of a waterfall. I will discuss my gear and gear I would like to own more depth as time goes by. Now is the time to do a bit of planning if you want to take photos of trilliums in the spring. It isn't far away.

US & Canada Trillium Locations

Here is a page that may be helpfull in locating places to look for Trillium in your area.

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=TRILL

Yellow Trillium are abundant on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. These were found on a foggy, rainy day on a "Quiet Walkway" west of the Chimney Tops Picnic Area.

One of my favorite places in the world is within 12 Miles of Mountain Nature & Wild Bird Supply. It is Tallulah Gorge State Park in Tallulah Falls, Georgia. The cliffs of Tallulah Gorge are a spectactular 1,000 feet deep. You will surely see and read more about the gorge if you follow this blog.

Here you will find the Persistent Trillium which grows only in and within 4 miles of Tallulah Gorge. Because it is so rare there are only a few places I know where the public can readily find them within the gorge. I am told there are other locations within the park where the Persistent Trillium may be found. This photo was taken April 8, 2011. I will be watching for the blooms early in 2012 because on other years I have missed seeing them.

Here is a photo of part of Tallulah Gorge taken from Inspiration Point. The Tallulah River has 5 major waterfalls within its run through Tallulah Gorge. The hike to the bottom of the gorge shown here below the swinging bridge requires 1122 stair steps. This writer and his wife Jean have been know to do this hike three times in a week. We did it just two days ago and are likely to do it again tomorrow.

I could write a lot about Tallulah Gorge and will likely do so often as I write this blog.

Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail

April 10, 2011. It had just rained when we went to the Shirley Miller Wildflower Trail in North West Georgia. This was not the first trip during the Trillium bloom. That was in  the Spring of 2007. At Mountain Nature & Wild Bird Supply we had received a new book to sell. It was called Favorite Wildflower Walks in Georgia, written by Hugh & Carol Nourse and published by The University of Georgia Press. We still sell this book at Mountain Nature. But, the Trillium adventure started with that book. I can highly recommend it to anyone interested in finding wildflowers in Georgia. The dates of the most active wildflower season are just right. And, there great descriptions of Trilliums and other wildflowers to be found in it. If you are interested in purchasing this book come by Mountain Nature & Wild Bird Supply, 104 North Main Street, Clayton, Georgia. Or give us a call at 796-782-0838. At Mountain Nature you will find all sorts of things "Nature".

Vasey's Trillium

Ok, let's get started. This is a Vasey's Trillium (Trillium vaseyi). I found this beauty on April 4, 2010 at Warwoman Dell, a US Forest Service picnic area. Warwoman Dell is 3.5 miles east of Historic Downtown Clayton, Rabun County, Georgia. Other wildflowers to be found here are Blood Root, Jack in the Pulpet, Solomon's Seal, Soloman's Plume and Dwarf Iris. There are too many more species including other Trilliums, too. Best flowering time is April and May. Also know as Sweet Trillium and Sweet Beth.

Trillium Traveler Welcome

Welcome! This is the beginning of my Trillium Traveler Blog. I hope those who look at this blog will comment on these photos and posts. And, I hope to gain followers who are interested in Wildflowers and expecially Trilliums. Please do not copy these photos without written permission. Thanks to all visitors and enjoy what is to come. Richard Edwin Hyatt.

For more about me check out my other blog. http://rhcomfortzone.blogspot.com/