In 2021, Pat McMillan and Larry Cushman discovered the only known population of a new species of Saxifrage, which they named Shealy’s Saxifrage for Dr. Harry Shealy.  Unlike other nearby saxifrages, Shealy’s Saxifrage flowers late winter to early spring, has five radially symmetrical petals, and each petal carries two yellow spots.  In addition, they grow at relatively low elevations; this was taken at around 1600ft elevation.

Like any wildflower, my goal behind the lens was neither pure documentation nor fanciful dreamscape; just some in-between balance of truth and beauty.  Shealy’s Saxifrage is exceptionally hard to photograph!  It grows an inch or so off of sloping stone.  It’s size is tiny.  I made this photograph at a focal magnification between three to four times life size with a specialty lens, hand held, and with a twin flash unit.  With that degree of magnification–and without taking a hundred frames and smashing them together in computer software–I had to embrace imperfection as a rule.

Date taken:  March 15, 2024
Settings:  f14, 1/250 second, iso 100