The release of seeds from milkweed pods can is rather fascinating: seeds get scattered by the breeze as they emerge, once pods slit open - a process certainly common to much flora. It is, however, the long, micro-thin, white hairs attached to seeds which set milkweed apart. Recording milkweed seeds is difficult as the hairs catch air movements – any movement – and are in constant motion. Movement is of course the scrooge of sharp images.
See attached...The curious thing about these two images are the specification differences – reference file info. The less resolute image is A11 2243 A (1/4000 at F4, ASA 1250). Photo A11 2245 A (1//100 at F5.6, ASA 100) has the higher resolution, despite the 1/100 shutter speed! Wind velocities across micro areas are intermittent, varying randomly. For a second or two, the local breezes over this particular 40 square feet of backyard garden virtually stopped; 1/100 was enough though, yes, greater depth of field (5.6) and the slow ASA of image 2245 also contribute.
Taken with tripod, near dusk...Robert (Madison, Wisconsin)
